The Common Lie About Action and Motivation

People think they need to find the motivation to exercise and eat healthy.

You don’t find it. You cultivate it.

Motivation comes from action. It’s rarely the catalyst for action.

Nothing will motivate you to exercise and eat healthy like the amazing positive (internal) feedback you get from actually exercising and eating healthy.

— Danny Matranga, CSCS @coachdannym on Instagram

This is the type of quote that generates thousands of likes on Instagram, which is where I found it. It’s the type of message that “sounds right” based on our cultural conditioning.

There’s not much to argue with: It speaks to something you know you need to do: exercise and eat healthy.

No arguing with that.

It tells you that motivation comes from action.

Also true.

Because it sounds good, it doesn’t make you think critically.

Exposing the Truth

If you think about it for a few seconds, you’ll realize this is complete bullshit.

Yes. It is true that motivation can comes from action.

AND what is ALSO true is that sometimes action doesn’t produce motivation.

The Truth About Action and Motivation

Think about it: if action were enough to produce motivation, then you would just need to exercise one time to create the motivation to do it again. Nobody would ever quit an exercise regimen or fall off their routine.

And we know that’s not true.

Motivation is part of the reward system. When we do something that gives us a reward, we become motivated to do it again.

Here’s a truth people in the fitness industry don’t always want to share publicly:

Exercise doesn’t always give us a reward. Working out isn’t always fun and energizing.

Why do you think it’s called a “work”-out? Who wants to “work” more?

Sometimes workouts hurt. Sometimes they leave you in pain. Sometimes they drain your energy. Sometimes they feel ineffective. Sometimes they feel tedious and boring.

When we don’t feel that internal reward from exercising — or whatever the activity is — then the action won’t produce motivation.

In fact, it can create resistance to doing it again.

You can’t rely on motivation to come from action. In fact, you can’t rely on motivation at all. Motivation is fleeting. It can ebb and flow like the tides.

This is where some people would say you need “discipline” over motivation. But discipline, like willpower, is a finite resource. It must be generated. When you exhaust it, you’ve got to generate more.

To be consistent in the actions that matter, like exercise and eating healthy, you must have strategies for taking action even when you don’t have motivation or discipline.

You need rules, routines, and rituals.

A simple rule that says “when I wake up, I exercise” takes motivation out of the picture. When you support that rule with rituals that facilitate your ability to get started, you won’t need discipline.

Rules supported by rituals will give you momentum. That will carry you a lot farther than motivation, especially when you’re not receiving internal (or external) rewards from your action.