Keep Moving Forward: Let's Get Motivated!

Internal vs External motivation and how to find the right balance for to help you press on when things get tough. 

Transcript

  📍 Welcome back to the Keep Moving Forward podcast, your weekly dose of real talk about weight loss, personal transformation, and the mindset shifts that help us show up, stay consistent, and stop living in the past tense. I'm your host, Eric, AKA, the used two guy, and today we're going to get into something that sits at the core of long-term success in this journey.

Motivation, specifically the difference between internal and external motivation. And why? Understanding this difference can be the missing piece. If you've ever struggled to keep going, once the hype fades, if you've ever thought, why can't I stay consistent? Why does my motivation disappear after the first few weeks or once that big event is over?

Or, how do I stay committed when the scale just isn't moving? This episode is for you because today we're not just talking about getting motivated, we're talking about building a foundation that helps you stay that way. Let's jump in. First, let's define it. What is motivation? Really at its core?

Motivation is that thing that drives you to take action. It's the internal or external spark that gets you up in the morning and pushes you to make choices that align with your goals. But not all motivation is created equal. In psychology, motivation's often broken down into two categories, external or extrinsic motivation.

An internal or intrinsic motivation, both play a critical role in helping you achieve your goals and establish healthy habits that can be sustained for the long haul. Let's talk a little bit first about the external. That's the motivation that comes from outside of you. It's when your behaviors are driven by a reward or an outcome that's separate from the task itself.

Here are some examples. One, you wanna lose weight for an upcoming vacation. Two, you join a weight loss challenge at work to win a prize. Three, you start exercising because the doctor told you to, or you're just seeking validation from others like compliments or attention. Now look, there's absolutely nothing wrong with external motivation, and in fact, it can be incredibly helpful, especially when you're just getting started.

My first steps were externally motivated. If you recall, I began. By seeing a post from the director, Kevin Smith, where he mentioned losing a ton of weight on Weight Watchers. That was the simple, singular, external motivator that lit a fire in me. I was all in on finally taking control of my life no matter what.

Was I motivated? Absolutely. I made a promise to myself to do the work every day, no matter what. It got me tracking food, turned me on to Weight Watchers and gave me a singular focus that was simple and sustainable. Now look, after a few months that early energy began to fade. I started to get comments from people right around then who began to notice that I had lost a lot of weight.

So then those replaced my first motivations. But eventually, even those wow, look at you moments became fewer and farther between. You know, people see you for that second, third, and fourth time, and they can't say it again. So they just say hi. And as time went on over that first year, I started to realize I needed something deeper to keep going.

A great way to sustain external motivation is to find a community of people who are taking on the same challenges you are. You can find an online community of folks who are doing things that you do, whether it's running, biking, losing weight. I've talked a few times about the conqueror challenges.  Those little adventures that you can take to help track your walking or your workouts and you get a medal and you get awards. But there's also a really great community of folks on Facebook who support each other, cheer each other on, and it really is a powerful thing. I also joined a Peloton community and of course I started doing this podcast and posting regularly on my website and getting to interact with all of you has really helped motivate me.

And for a long time, I really underestimated the power of that community. I kind of thought just by going about my business in silence that that was the best plan. But I've learned just seeing other people going through the same struggles as I am as you are, and knowing that you're not alone, that can make all the difference.

Of course, in those days when you're just not motivated. Seeing someone post something that's really inspiring about how great a day they had working out, or how well they met their diet goals for that day. That can really keep you on track when your will is weak. 

That's why community support and honestly podcasts like this, they can help make a difference or at least I hope they can.

So having said that, it brings us to the game changer internal motivation. That's the drive from inside that little fire that starts the engine and gets you going. It's not external praise. It's not seeking the approval of others. It's not even the number on the scale. It's when you're driven, because the act itself aligns with your values, your goals, and sense of identity.

For example, when you start eating well because it makes your body feel good, or when you exercise because it lifts your mood and clears your mind, that's internal motivation. It's the voice that says, I don't have to do this. I get to do this and I want to do this. It's showing up for yourself because it matters saying, I wanna live longer.

I wanna feel stronger and be more present in my life. And here's the kicker. Internal motivation is not dependent on anyone else but you. It's totally within your control. When those external rewards and validations disappear, it can be what keeps you consistent after that big race ends, or after that big event has passed, or even after that weight loss goal is met or that scale just stops cooperating.

And I'm not here to trash external motivation and say it's all about internal innovation. Really, you need that balance. You know where external motivation is the best turning point you can probably have. And the goal is to use that external evaluation as a spark and internal motivation as the fuel that keeps it going.

So how do we build and sustain internal motivation? How do we move from, I wanna look good this summer to, I'm doing this because it's who I am. Here are five strategies I've used and I recommend one, get really clear on your why. Ask yourself. Why does this whole process matter to me? Not to anyone else?

Not for any external reasons, but just to me, your why really needs to go deeper than a number or a gene size. Maybe it's be able to play with your grandkids. Maybe it's wanting to break generational habits. Maybe it's feeling proud of yourself for hitting a workout milestone, or just some simple daily life event like getting on an airplane like I did this past week and not needing a belt extender or feeling uncomfortable in my skin.

As I was taking a trip across the country. Number two, as much as we track calories, points, and weight, we should also track feelings, not just numbers. Sure. Tracking weight, macros or whatever it keeps you going is critical. It's important. Whatever your plan is, however you're keeping charge of your day, that certainly matters a lot, but you also need to keep a pulse on how you feel.

Write down when you slept well, when you've had more energy and when you felt mentally sharp. Do the same when you just don't feel it. Getting in touch with how we're feeling can help us understand some of the reasons why we may overeat or why we can't sustain the habits we're trying to form. So I have a weekly challenge for you . This week, take five minutes, write down your real reasons for pursuing your health goals. Commit 'em to paper. Keep them somewhere visible for this week, and the next time you feel stuck, like you're just not motivated to do that workout, or make that proper lunch, or just to keep moving forward in your journey.

Go back and look at those reasons, those reasons why. Let those carry you forward.

Three, celebrate little wins along the way and like we covered last week, build something to look forward to build anticipation into your life.

I encourage you to celebrate progress. That has nothing to do with the scale. Did you say no to fast food on a stressful day? That's a win. Did you go out for a walk instead of doom scrolling on your phone while you were at work or a lunch break? That's a win. Four. Make your goals identity based. Instead of saying, I wanna lose 20 pounds, try saying, I'm becoming someone who takes care of their body and their health, or, I'm the kind of person that shows up for themselves even on hard days.

When your habits are tied to identity, they tend to stick. 

Along with forming good habits, there are also what I call motivation traps that we need to look out for. Trap number one, what I call chasing the hype. Those are those motivations that come from that big event like New Year's Eve or a 30 day challenge. They're just not built for the long haul trap.

Number two, assuming you'll always be motivated. Let's face it, there are days when you just aren't feeling it. Part of building sustainable habits is being able to stay the course when your motivation is low. Trap number three, waiting to start. Until you feel motivated. You might wait forever. Oftentimes, once you start, that's when the motivation shows up and you see those changes necessary to keep you going when that motivation wasn't there before. Some closing thoughts. Finding a balance of both external and internal motivators can be critical to the longevity of your journey.

Remember that external motivation is that spark that lights the fire. It starts that engine. While internal motivation is the fuel that keeps the engine running. Use both of them, but don't depend on external motivation to carry you on for the long haul. Get clear on your why. Build identity based habits and things that really speak to who you are and who you are becoming at your core.

Those are the things that are ultimately going to stick. And please make sure you celebrate the wins that no one else can see. And always remember, you don't have to be perfect to be consistent. Motivation will ebb and flow and that's normal, but the more you tap into and train that internal, why the, I'm doing this because it matters to me, for me and nobody else.

The more resilient you become this whole process. Like anything in life. Takes practice. You have to do it every day. And when you do that, it tends to become easier. With repetition, you can strengthen that muscle that lets you motivate yourself and keep doing this day in and day out.  📍 Thank you for spending time with me today.

If this episode hit home, please share it with someone who's navigating their own motivation, ups and downs. And if you're looking for more research or stories like this one, head on over to use two guide.com where you'll find a lot of other stories and  podcast episodes to help you on your way. Until next time, you've got this stay grounded, stay kind, and keep moving forward.