How to Show Up Every Day Without Being Motivated
You might need to trick your brain every now and then
Three months ago I started running — just to give it another try. I have tried it a few times. I managed to motivate myself enough to go on runs for a few weeks or few months, but then it always faded into the background. I never got to call myself a runner. I was someone who went on a few runs.
I have always been fascinated by running, the simplicity and accessibility of it, and I admired people who could get up and go for a run — come rain or shine. I admired how they showed up, how they persisted — despite the fact that most runners I know told me that they didn’t feel motivated to go most of the time. Yet they still did. They got up, put their shoes on and just went — and achieved incredible results.
This time, I started this journey with a completely different mindset — one I believe is more efficient in the long run, one that will help me persist, one that will help me show up day after day.
The mindset change is not easy, but very simple:
I replaced motivation with building a habit, and I am pursuing it with discipline instead of expecting real motivation every day.
