The Law of Motivation

One of the hardest things about reaching peak athletic performance isn’t necessarily just putting in the work — It’s maintaining the motivation to do what needs to be done. Training is hard. Pushing yourself is hard. Even elite athletes sometimes struggle with being motivated to train more and perform better. There will be days you don’t want to do it, so how do you ensure you’ll keep showing up? With the Law of Motivation.

“This ability to conquer oneself is no doubt the most precious of all things sports bestows.” — Olga Korbut

Here’s the Law of Motivation so you can keep going even when it’s the last thing you feel like doing.

Drive

Above all else, drive will keep you going even when your motivation waffles. It’s likely if you want to be a high-level athlete, you’re already a driven person, and this is GREAT news. Now, let’s dig a little deeper to ensure your drive will push you into that next level of athletic performance. This means finding your why. What are you bringing to what you do? Why do you want to do this? What does it matter? If you can find your why, you’ll step up to the plate and work hard every time.

Here’s how Simon Sinek says to find your why.

Discipline

Discipline, like your why, will push you to get out of bed and into your training session. This is where you remove the inspiration and fun and get things done. Even when you lack motivation, discipline will ensure you show up consistently. The tricky thing about discipline is that you need the drive to add in the hard work. Luckily, if you’re disciplined enough to make it to the training session, then your drive (and your why!) will ensure you work hard once you’re there.

Set a rigid schedule. Set bedtime reminders. Turn a blind eye to the candy aisle and the fast food drive-through. Say no to things that set you back and yes to things that move you forward. Do not waver. Once you get into a disciplined mindset, it becomes easier to stay there. Just remember to start where you’re at and reset when you fall off.

Routine

Routine is the friend of discipline and will always help you out. Try to carve out the same time each week for your fitness goals. The more established the routine, the more it moves into autopilot and the less willpower and motivation it takes to get you there. Then you can use your discipline superpowers in other realms of your life!

Commitment

Making a commitment is an easy way to ensure you’ll see it through — Especially if you claim it out loud on your social media or tell your friends and family what you plan on doing. Another way to hit that potential via a commitment is through a community workout challenge or working out with a friend. If you can’t commit to yourself, then commit to someone else! Finally, setting goals is an excellent way to make a commitment that you’ll see through.

Here’s a pro tip: physically write your goals down in pen.

Goals

Give your motivation some direction by setting goals — SMART goals, to be precise. It’s been said before. It’s been done before. Just do them. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely/timebound. Coming up with them isn’t enough, however. If you’re serious about hitting those gains, you need to check in with your goals, update them if you’re failing to reach them, and, more importantly, CELEBRATE even small milestones along the way. These check-ins and celebrations will keep you motivated to reach your ultimate goal: unlocking peak athletic performance.

Mentality

Finally, your mentality surrounding your training will do wonders for your motivation. Positivity, visualization, and enjoyment will make showing up every day that much easier. To keep that mentality at an all-time high, make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep, give yourself rest days (and do something that you LOVE on those rest days), remind yourself about the fun parts of what you’re doing, look towards that bright future, and find someone to lean on. If you have the right support (maybe through a community fitness challenge like our DRYWORLD Workout Challenge??), you’ll have external resources to help lift you up and keep you going.

So, if you find your motivation lagging, remember to check in with your goals, do something to boost your positive mindset, reset and review your commitments to becoming a high-performing athlete, and establish your why. Then, do yourself a favor and turn this into a routine so that you show up every day without fail, ready to push yourself to the limit. Without the Law of Motivation, you’re basically hoping for the best when it comes to your performance. Be intentional, recognize when you’re starting to fall behind and pick yourself back up with these six key aspects.

“I had a commitment to myself and all the people who were helping me skate. It's like a marriage — you don't walk away from it.” — Dorothy Hamill