MOTIVATION WON’T CHANGE YOU (BUT HERE’S WHAT WILL)
We’ve all had that one super productive, “I’m doing it all!” kind of day. You wake up (probably early) feeling motivated, eat the breakfast you planned, go to the gym, check (what feels like a million things) off your to-do list, and think, Yes. I’ve got it now. This is the new me.
And then… the next day happens.
Motivation disappears. You’re tired. Life is life-ing. The breakfast doesn’t happen. The workout doesn’t either. Suddenly, you feel like you’re back at square one — and maybe even beating yourself up for it.
Because motivation isn’t what creates change.
It’s not dependable, and it’s definitely not required. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking we need to feel motivated to make a change. But change — real, lasting change — comes from showing up. (This where you’ll often hear: change happens when you show up, even when you don’t feel like it. And yes, as adults, we sometimes/oftentimes have to do things that are uncomfortable, inconvenient, or that we don’t necessarily love. But we’re also in-control adults, so there will be times that you don’t feel like it and you are allowed to decide “I don’t want to do that right now.”) Change comes from building systems, habits, and small shifts that keep moving you forward even when motivation is nowhere to be found.
So if it’s not motivation… what actually drives change?
SYSTEMS OVER WILLPOWER
Motivation is emotional. Systems are logistical. The more you rely on habits that don’t require a ton of decision-making, the more consistent you are able to become. One way to build systems is through habit-stacking, or pairing a new habit with an existing one. For example, if you are trying to begin the habit of packing your lunch the night before, you might do it as you’re cleaning up from dinner (so that you only have to do the dishes once…win). Or maybe you are trying to drink more water; you could put an empty glass next to your coffee maker so that as you begin to make coffee each morning, you fill the cup to start to drink. (A note here: when stacking your habits, you’ll want to make sure that your “trigger” – the existing habit that you’re stacking on top of – is already a stable one. Trying to add something new to a routine that’s not yet established is much more challenging to implement.)
LOWER THE FRICTION
If our habits feel like mountains, we are much less likely to do them. Enter the idea of reducing the friction, especially in the tasks that you are wanting to complete most. Shrink the change; make it easy (or easier) to start. A full 45-minute workout sounds overwhelming? Try 10 minutes of movement first. Food prepping for multiple meals feel like a herculean task? Start with one meal (like just breakfasts) or one macro (batch prepping a protein, for example) at a time. Once you start, momentum builds.
CONSISTENCY > PERFECTION
You don’t need to do the big things perfectly — you need to do the small things often. That’s where change happens. Missing one day doesn’t ruin your progress, but waiting for (that sometimes finicky) motivation to come back before you start again can.
TRY TO CREATE IDENTITY-BASED GOALS
Instead of “I want to eat better,” try: “I’m someone who takes care of myself with food.” Or if you find yourself thinking “I need to work out,” try: “I’m someone who moves my body regularly.” When you align your habits with your identity, it becomes less about motivation and more about living into who you want to be.
The takeaway: you don’t need to wait for the stars to align or for that mythical Monday when everything feels perfect. You just need to do something small, consistently.
Motivation will come and go. That’s normal. But when you build habits, routines, and systems that support you and your goals — you won’t need motivation to keep going. And the best part? Once you get in motion, motivation tends to follow. Not the other way around.
Is there a habit you are looking to build? A system you’re trying to put into place? Change you’re trying to navigate? Nutrition coaching is about food, yes, and it’s also about the behaviors that accompany food. Check out what nutrition coaching could look like for you – and if you’re nervous about where to even start, drop me a line at allie@frontporchnutrition.com so that we can set up a time to chat!
