Action vs motivation
Which comes first?
Did you know action always precedes motivation?
I know it sounds completely counterintuitive, right? But, in order to actually feel motivated to do something consistently, we have to take action first.
Fortunately, when it comes to exercise, it doesn't have to be complicated. Taking the first action step can be…
A walk around the neighborhood
A 10-minute strength routine
A jog down ONE block
Even if it's small, that first step often leads to an increase in motivation and thus more action. It’s why we usually have more energy as we workout vs when we first start.
To capitalize on this, I often like to have my clients, especially those who are just starting out or looking to get back into a routine, notice how that first step felt:
Did it give them more energy the rest of their day?
Did their body feel more calm?
Were they less anxious when they returned to work?
Focusing on taking small steps first and then noticing how those small actions make you feel is how consistency is created. And consistency is how those small changes turn into big ones.
Building realistic, consistent, and sustainable workout routines is what I looovvvee to help people with. I've seen many times, especially with clients who are new to exercise and daunted by creating a routine, that once they take that first step, the motivation always follows.
That jog around the block turns into running a 5K
The 10-minute strength routine turns into lifting heavier weights than you ever thought you could
The thought about wanting a consistent routine becomes a consistent routine
