3 Tricks For Getting More External Motivation

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Using a oartner or friend to help you get motivated.
Triathlon Start in the Pacific Ocean

Variety, friends, and rivals

I have been asked, ”How do you exercise with no motivation?" Internal motivation is a trait that you have a certain amount of inside of you at any given time. I, for example, have always had a lot. But the amount that anyone has at a given time may not be sufficient to get your mojo working. That is why I recommend external factors that you can employ to help you.

Recommended External Motivators

  • Variety
  • Friends
  • Rivals
Once you get out there and do something because of these factors, it may become habitual, or the external motivation may become internal. It doesn’t really matter why. It only matters that you are. Accept that you may need help from outside for motivation and be happy that it is possible. If it is converted to internal motivation, great! Use it. In any event, use external motivation whenever it is available. Here are the three external motivators of which I am aware: variety, friends, and rivals.

Variety 

If you are doing the same thing over and over again, it can get boring. This saps motivation. Use variety to help you stay interested. Also, research shows that your muscles will respond better to a variety of stresses.

Friends

There is no more powerful motivator than having told another person that you are going to do something. It helps if you respect and/or admire that person. They might also give you useful advice about workouts, injuries, studying, etc. Making your schedule well-known will keep you on it. My personal favorite way is to make an appointment with a friend to do something together. Are you going to miss that appointment?

Rivals

Nobody likes to fall behind, and when you aren’t motivated to do your best, think about your rivals working hard. Maybe it will help you get to the gym, or go out in the rain, or on a Holiday, etc. The very thought that another person is leaving you behind might be a strong motivator.

Use any of these three external motivating factors to get your own mojo working.

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