The Motivational Triad

 As the new year approaches, let’s talk motivation and fitness…

“Stop when you drop.”

“No pain, no gain.”

“What’s your why?”

“Push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.”

There’s certainly no shortage of motivational quotes and phrases to keep you going. The above mentioned are just a few I’ve seen along the way to bettering myself both mentally and physically. However, let’s take a moment and look at some of the forces behind motivation because we can’t just simply willpower our way to our best self...or maybe we can? I’ll let you decide for yourself on that one. 

My journey with this topic began when I was required to complete a 1 credit book study with some fellow newbie teachers (I’ll be transparent, I skim read this book minutes before entering the room for a discussion of each chapter. My plate was full and reading a book was not high on my list of priorities as a brand new teacher). However, over the years I’ve come to find much truth and insight from it.

The book is called Drive, by Daniel Pink. Now, I’ll admit the topic did interest me, but the motivation to read wasn’t entirely of my own desire, which brings me to my first point.

Motivation isn’t so simple - We have 3 driving forces behind motivation.

1. Biological need

2. Environment (rewards and punishment)

3. The Task at Hand

The first is simple, humans are biologically driven to survive and will do things to ensure the most basic of needs are met. Hungry? Eat...Thirsty? Drink...Thirsty and bored? Have a beer, right? Throughout human history biological motivation came from within, designed to keep you alive. Pretty important, I think we can all agree. 

The other motivator that comes from within is number three, the task at hand. Have you experienced flow? Where you are so into something you lose all track of time. You’ll spend your time and energy doing this just because you can and you love it. That’s your intrinsic motivation. It’s coming from within you, just like biological need, to push and pull you in a direction that is fun, fulfilling, and overall good for you as a person. I know, I know. None of this is rocket science and I’m not likely saying anything you don’t already know, but it never hurts to have a reminder.

Some people are biologically, intrinsically in love with training and working out. The actual exercise or exercising brings joy, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment; for others fitness may fall more into the environmental realm, which brings us to driving force number two. 

No need to worry here,  if we aren’t motivated from within we’ve certainly found ways in our societal environment to make shit happen. These are our sticks and carrots, our punishments and rewards. In school, at work, and within our gyms we’ve created extrinsic motivators to make it all happen. Miss a deadline? Lose a monetary bonus. Still in school? Better get that A. Belong to a gym? Join our weightloss challenge. It may seem like I’m hating on the extrinsic motivators, I’m not and I am both at the same time. These sticks and carrots can work great for rewarding and punishing behaviors, but in most cases it will never lead to a deep motivation and commitment to bettering oneself from within. As long as we rely on extrinsic motivation to keep our health, fitness, and wellness in check we will likely “yoyo,” “fall off the wagon,” or be a “hott mess.”  So awareness of where you are and where you want to be is key in transitioning that motivation to within. 

My hope for you is to embrace and allow challenges to jumpstart life. That you create a mission statement for your life to keep you going when you need it. A team or group can be your sticks or your carrots, but at the end of the day (or the end of every challenge) you have you. How can you get your motivation to come from that number 3 spot, love of the task at hand?

Some final thoughts on motivation and fitness...

Along with the motivational drives mentioned above when you are starting new habits and breaking old ones, keep The Motivational Triad in mind. We all still have a biological lizard brain that will play into your decisions and motivate you at every turn. Your brain is designed to do these 3 things as much as humanly possible:

1. Seek pleasure 

2. Avoid pain

3. Take the path of least resistance

Where in your training and fitness journey is the motivational triad ruling? Are you caught up in eating foods you know aren’t healthy because your mood is crappy? Are you working out to avoid emotional pain? How are you taking the path of least resistance in life? Trust me, sorting this out is not always easy, but checking in with yourself is the best place to start. We are all different, our motivational tendencies may fall into one or more of these categories, but my favorite motivational quote to help with is:

“Fall in love with the process and the results will come.” -Eric Thomas 

Be process oriented, use resources in your life as a tool and keep working until the drive to have a healthy body and mind comes from within you completely. My hope for everyone is that their intrinsic motivation becomes so strong no outside force can change it. I hope that you can model the way to self-care and self-love for those around you to see first hand. Make the process your motivation and there’s no way to truly fail.