Hi friends,
Welcome back to another glimpse inside the mind of Morgan Willett!
(I thought that sounded cool, okay).
Do you want to know some of the questions I get asked the most?
Even if you don't really care to know... let me tell you anyways!
- "How do you have so much energy?" Answer: An insane amount of pre workout, 8-10 hours of sleep a night, & 12 years of cheerleading.
- "Are you ever coming back to The Challenge?" Answer: I enjoy positive, healthy environments.... so no. Lol.
- "What's your favorite kind of Brussel sprout recipe?" Answer: Any and all... I don't discriminate against the sprouts! But I prefer 'em with bacon.
- "How do you stay motivated?!" Answer: THIS BLOG POST!
That's right. We are talking motivation.
This is a question is see pop up frequently in my DM's and honestly, I normally respond with something simple and brief (I get at least 50 DM's a day, so ya girl is really just trying to keep up and respond to everyone). Today, I want to use this blog post to DIG DEEP into how I stay motivated and also provide y'all with some tips that really help me out.
"If you learn to motivate yourself, you can always tap into an abundance of energy that will drive you to the success you dream of." - Rachel Bermingham
Woah. That hits hard. Thank you, Google!
I think one of the reasons I have been able to do what I do (AKA about a million things at once) is because I am incredibly self-motivated. I know that my dreams WILL NOT work unless I do. Plain and simple.
Whether you want a new job or want to see results in the gym... If you want something, you have to get it for yourself. No one else is going to be able to do it for you. That is the mindset I have always lived by and it's a great mantra if you're someone who is slacking in the motivation department. Trust me... say that to yourself 20 times in the morning and I PROMISE it will light a fire under your bum to get your sh*t done.
I can feel my fingers itching to start typing up an inspirational storm about how I have always been like this since I was a little girl, and blah, blah, blah. Look, I know you guys don't really care about why I am the way that I am. You want the goods. You want to know HOW one can find motivation and keep it, especially when it comes to the gym. I'm with ya.
So let's dig in.
Morgan's tips for MOTIVATION.
1. Write it down.
When in doubt, write it out. Words I LIVE BY. Seriously, I don't think I would be able to do everything I do and stay on top of it without writing down every little detail of my life. This planner is my absolute baby.
Seriously. I write down my daily to do list, my daily schedule, my workout I plan on doing at the gym, my daily intentions... *I low key sound kinda cray* But it WORKS. There is something so motivating about crossing something off a list. Plus, it's a great way to hold yourself accountable. If you write it down, you need to check it off!?
I do want to note: I am notorious about over working myself and I definitely am not trying to encourage that. Sometimes my To Do Lists are like 20+ things deep and I am like, WOAH. I have been working on this in therapy and I have found something that really helps me balance everything is only writing down the things that need to be done that day. I keep it around 5-6 things and once I complete those tasks, I allow myself to stop working and relax. Just a handy tip so we can all stay motivated BUT avoid burnout!
2. Have an accountability buddy.
This is major key.
Find someone who can hold you accountable for what you want to accomplish. Whether that's a coworker, a friend in your workout class, your bestie, your mom, a trainer... just find someone! I know for me, I wouldn't be nearly as motivated to reach my fitness goals if I didn't have my own trainer, Teaghan to push me. I check in with him weekly and even send him progress photos so I can stay on track with what I want to accomplish. When I am feeling down and want to give up (sometimes I can be a bit dramatic, okay) he comes in clutch as my accountability buddy and reminds me how far I have come.
If you are reading this about you're like WELL CRAP, I don't know where I will find someone like that? Hi, my name is Morgan. Nice to virtually meet you.
Feel free to shoot me a DM on Instagram and check in with me. If you need someone cheering you on, I've got your back. Some of my past clients still message me from time to time and keep me updated with their progress. Honestly, even reading messages like those can be motivating for ME. So it's a win, win!
3. Surround yourself with like minded people.
If you want to stay motivated, spend your time with motivated people. Simple. Nothing brings me down more than when I am on a kick to really get things done and then I am around someone who has little drive and only wants to chill on the couch and veg out on pizza 24/7.
Which BTW, there isn't anything wrong with that! I could probably use a little more couch & pizza time, if I am being totally honest right now. You just have to decide what YOU want and what is more motivating for YOU. I have just found that when I am around other people who are hustling, motivated and inspiring, I am 10x likely to also strive to be like that.
Your vibe attracts your tribe, baby.
4. Prioritize sleep.
I legitimately cannot function unless I get at least 8 hours of restful sleep each night. Without proper rest, I am grumpy, overwhelmed and unable to do even the most minor of tasks. I totally envy those who are like.. "I sleep 5 hours a night and I am fine!" LIKE COOL BRO, NOT ME.
Most of us are not like that though, let's be real. Humans need sleep. And if you want to stay motivated and feel your best, trying getting more Zzz's! This may mean reorganizing your schedule, turning off all technology at a certain time, meditating or reading, whatever! Do what you need to do in order to get a good nights sleep.
I freaking love sleep.
5. Break down your goals into small, attainable chunks.
I try and set MONTHLY goals, instead of year long resolutions. Mainly because I get wayyy to freaking overwhelmed thinking a year in advance and I honestly forget about my super long term goals because I am so busy with day to day tasks. I like to K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) and set small, attainable goals that I you can actually achieve!
This is a HUGE way I constantly stay motivated. The more you accomplish, the more motivated you are to KEEP GOING. So instead of saying your goal is to lose 20 pounds in a year, try making your goal to go to the gym 4 days a week for the month of March. When you accomplish this goal, celebrate (duh) and then set your goal for the next month!
6. Make it fun.
If you are doing things you hate, you aren’t going to be nearly as motivated. Like, HELLO. Makes sense, right? So if you are trying to stay motivated with your fitness goals, try doing something that you actually enjoy. If you despise running and cardio… take a fun kickboxing class with friends? If you hate cooking but want to eat healthier… invite friends over and do recipe swaps?
Life is meant to be enjoyed. You just sometimes have to open your eyes and figure out what exactly it is that you enjoy. Make it fun and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to stay motivated to show up for yourself.
7. Be realistic & don't punish yourself for being human.
YO. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. If I could pick any of these points for you to really pay attention to, it would be this one.
You aren’t going to be perfect all the time. It’s called being a HUMAN?! Sometimes you may drink a bottle of wine and eat a whole pint of ice cream… and guess what? That’s okay. Shoot, I am a “fitness guru” and I still have times where I am supposed to be tracking my macros and I end up consuming 3 spicy margs and a bucket of queso. Life happens and you won’t ruin all your progress just by slipping up one day.
I get messages all the time of people saying they have messed up, lost sight of their goals, splurged too much on a trip… whatever it may be. They are beating themselves up and then telling me they have no motivation to get back on track and don’t know what to do.
Want to know what I have to say to this? FORGET IT.
Forget about the past. It’s in the past for a reason. There’s no reason to punish yourself and allow your mindset to be ruined. You won’t be perfect every single day of your life and all you can do is strive to be better tomorrow than you were today.
& That right there is a motivating mindset!
8. Reward yourself.
Last but not least… reward yourself for your milestones. This is something I do DAILY. Now, I am not saying go buy yourself a brand new car to celebrate making it to the gym five days a week. That would just be silly?! But I am saying that you are way more likely to stay motivated when you have something to look forward to. For me, I like to do things like enjoying a fun meal every week. I like booking a weekend getaway after I work hard to meet big goals. I like to watch my favorite show after I check the last thing off my to do list for the day.
It doesn't have to be anything big... but YOU DO DESERVE IT. Your hard work should be rewarded!
Now... are you feeling more motivated?!?!
That's all I got for ya today, folks. I truly hope this helps you find that motivation within you. We all have it, sometimes we just need a little help igniting that spark. & I am more than happy to help with that. :)
Until next time...
Xo,
Morg
