How to Get Motivation to Workout: 8 Ways to Make Exercise a Habit

You know you should workout and you may even feel like you have your workout plan ready. When the time comes, you don’t feel motivated anymore to execute that workout plan and actually begin. 

The truth is, you don’t need to feel motivated every time you exercise. Motivation can be a feeling that is unreliable. Discipline and consistency drive long-term results.

Society is enamored by the idea that they need to go from zero-to-hero, and that idea falls under many things. This idea of going from zero-to-hero is an idea that will stay stuck until the end of time. 

People should look to value their actual steps toward progression rather than reaching their dream scenarios as quickly as possible. Small steps can be underappreciated.

You need to make working out easy enough to start and consistent enough to stay and become a habit.

Why Is It So Hard to Get Motivated to Workout?

For many, motivation disappears the moment they need it the most.

On rest days you feel like: “Tomorrow I am going to reach new heights, with full focus!”

The next day arrives and suddenly everything just feels like an excuse that is validated for yourself. Most often these excuses cover the following:

• You’re tired after work or school
• You feel like you didn’t sleep well
• You feel like your body needs to recover some more
• You tell yourself that you will go later that day, but end up not going
• The gym just feels like a big commitment
• Results aren’t showing 
• Workout routine may feel too demanding
• You are waiting for yourself to “feel motivated” before continuing or starting

It gets to a point where motivation is only there when you don’t actually need it. 

Motivation is useful for getting started, but isn’t reliable enough to be the entire system.

Monday Motivation

Many people feel what you could call the Monday Blues. Most people have a similar schedule of working Monday to Friday or having classes throughout the weekday, while having weekends off. People often feel less motivated on Mondays because they feel a sudden shift from a relaxed routine throughout the weekend to a work or school week that follows a structure with demands. It also often leads to a very busy day, with it being the first day of the work or school week. Weekends provide more freedom and personal time, so the sudden shift from a relaxed routine to sleep disruption, deadlines, meetings, and fast-paced tasks can take a high mental toll on your energy.

There are a number of things that you can do that can make things easier to help your Monday motivation go from feeling like a chore to something that feels more tolerable or natural. 

• The night before, on Sunday, get yourself prepared for the following Monday, from laying out your clothes to knowing what you will have for breakfast the next day (this could mean prepping the night before or simply knowing), and even preparing your lunch for the next day, so that it is prepared and ready to go. Preparation is key, and it shifts your mindset, getting your brain ready for the next day. 
• It can also help to implement some kind of morning routine that you do every day, including both weekdays and weekends, which will make you feel more productive and make dreadful Mondays feel more like any other day. Using a habit tracking app can help to make things easier. 
• Some things people like to do are to make Mondays feel more special, having something to look forward to on each Monday, whether that would be to plan your favorite breakfast or lunch on that day, or splurge on your favorite coffee. Having something to look forward to every Monday can help to ease that day moving forward. 

Motivation vs Discipline

Motivation is that emotional drive that inspires you to do something and make a change. It helps you get started. Discipline is about having a structure, training yourself to keep going and working whether or not that desire to work shows up or not. Essentially, motivation is the desire to do something, while discipline is about doing.  

We all want to feel motivated, and you may feel motivated at first, but you lack the discipline that is needed to keep going when that motivation disappears. Being disciplined is about doing what needs to be done, regardless of the motivation that you have. Although this involves being in a position of discomfort, it drives you and is needed. Some people enjoy going to the gym; others don’t, and those who don’t either need motivation or discipline to keep them going. 

The two ultimately work together to create a cycle. Motivation can be used to initially start the action, and discipline helps to sustain that initial effort when that initial spark disappears. Discipline can be considered to be more reliable between the two because although motivation helps you get to that starting line and begin, discipline helps you through the rough patch and helps you reach that finish line.

Motivation: “I feel like working out today.”

       ↓

Discipline: “I don’t feel like working out today, but I’ll do the minimum anyway and show up.”

       ↓

Consistency: “I’ve made working out and going to the gym something I regularly do.”

Motivation leads to you doing the action, discipline leads you to consistency, and consistency leads you to creating a habit, helping you reach that goal.

How to Find Motivation

It is best to start small. Going for a walk, taking a shower, writing down how you feel, or even doing breathing exercises. Doing small things and rewarding yourself can slowly build you up to find motivation. Don’t feel sorry for yourself or bad in general if you can’t be productive 24/7; nobody is perfect. You have to start somewhere, and the magic behind success in starting is starting small. Break down your tasks, take baby steps, and build that momentum from the small wins you get.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” - Thomas A. Edison

People procrastinate and make excuses because their expectations for themselves are too high and unrealistic, which means that they aren’t prioritizing fun, which leads to not feeling motivated. You are forcing your brain to act differently when you have trained it with all the actions and behaviors you have built throughout the years. If you are expected to go from never going to the gym to going to the gym and working out every day throughout the week, of course you won’t be able to do it. If you are expected to go from eating a certain diet your whole life to a healthier keto diet, of course it will feel very hard to do. 

When you don’t feel motivated, it is because you judge yourself. You find the ability to feel motivated and get on track when you start to appreciate and accept yourself.

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation

Motivation comes from different desires and sources. These actions are driven by rewards that can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. 

What is Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation is something that comes from within, it is something that is inside. It refers to actions that are driven by internal rewards, essentially actions that lead to personal satisfaction, desires that are internal, and bring personal enjoyment. 

If you truly enjoy a sport, for example, playing a sport because you find it fun and enjoy it, rather than wanting to play for a trophy or a prize like money, is an example of intrinsic motivation. The activity is its own reward. Reading a book because you simply love reading the book or because you enjoy the story or characters is another example, or even volunteering at a food bank, you do it because it brings your life a deeper meaning and brings you personal fulfillment. 

What is Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation is essentially the opposite of intrinsic motivation. You do the work or activity for anything other than the joy of doing the work or activity itself. Those actions you do are to earn a reward or even avoid a punishment. You may not find it satisfying or enjoyable, but you do it to gain something or avoid an outcome that is negative. 

There are athletes, for example, who play sports simply for the money or fame, but do not enjoy the sport they play, a lot of people do their jobs for the money, rather than having any interest or finding any enjoyment in the job. Working overtime to get a cash bonus is an example of extrinsic motivation. Someone who enjoys learning has intrinsic motivation in school, while those who simply care only for the grades or recognition or to avoid disappointing parents are those who have extrinsic motivation. 

Applying both of these concepts to fitness and working out can help you understand what drives your workout routine. 

If you are going to the gym because you love lifting weights or running, or because it gives you stress relief, a sense of challenging yourself, or even an energy boost, you have intrinsic motivation. 

If you are going to the gym because you are trying to lose weight, build muscle, look better, or are doing it for others, or even because your doctor told you to, you have extrinsic motivation. 

Although there are many who genuinely enjoy going to the gym and enjoy working out, most people go to the gym because they want to lose weight, look better, and get healthier; however, that isn’t a bad thing. 

How to Get Motivated to Workout: 8 Strategies to Follow

1Start Smaller Than You May ThinkStep 1 of 8

Instead of thinking:

“I need to spend an hour at the gym.”

You need to start smaller and think differently:

“I’ll go to the gym and workout for 10 minutes”

It may seem crazy that trying something that seems too simple and basic can help you achieve your goal, but the purpose of your goal isn’t necessarily to stop after just 5-10 minutes or walking 1,000 - 2,000 steps.

The goal is to make starting feel easy.

2Don’t Wait to Feel Motivated Step 2 of 8

Motivation comes after action, rather than coming before it. 

Action can create motivation. 

When you put on your shoes, start the activity by moving, and begin your workout, you start to feel better, and it makes you want to continue. Motivation doesn’t lead you to working out and taking action, but rather, starting the process and working out can build up momentum and create motivation. 

3Make Your Workouts Easier to StartStep 3 of 8

It is important to do things that can reduce the friction between deciding to exercise and actually exercising. A lot of people can easily tell themselves that they want to exercise, but never actually do it. There are decisions that you can make that make it easier to start and get your mind in a place where it becomes easier to start working out.

• Keep your gym bag packed
• Decide on your workouts beforehand 
• Create a gym schedule to follow
• Put your workout clothes out the night before, visible and easy to see
• Have a consistent workout time
• Go to a gym close to your home or work

These are just a few examples of things you can do to make workouts easier to start. 

4Choose Exercises You Enjoy Step 4 of 8

Don’t always assume that exercise has to always mean lifting weights or running. There are activities and things you can do that can help keep your body healthy and meet your goals.

• Cycling
• Dancing
• Sports (Basketball, Soccer, Football, Volleyball, etc.)
• Swimming
• Walking
• Hiking

A workout routine is much easier to maintain when you don’t completely hate doing it. 

5Set a Minimum Workout Threshold for Bad DaysStep 5 of 8

It is very important to show up and keep a routine. Creating a minimum version of your workout creates a more positive mindset. 

Normal day: 

60-minute gym workout 

Busy day:

30-minute workout

Low-energy day:

Going for a walk 

This is just an example of creating a minimum version of your regular workout. It can help to prevent the mindset of:

“I can’t do my full workout today, so there is no point in doing anything today.”

Instead, you need to ask yourself:

“What’s the smallest version of what I can do today?”

6Stop Measuring Success Only by Your ResultsStep 6 of 8

People often lose motivation because they don’t see immediate progress or any changes that motivate them to go further. People often track their weight, appearance, muscle, and body fat, but that always isn’t the best indicator to show how you are really doing.

It is important to also track the workouts completed, days you exercised, the amount of weight lifted, reps completed, the distance you ran, energy levels, and even your personal bests. Giving yourself more evidence of progress is important before the final results arrive.

7Focus on Shifting Your Identity Step 7 of 8

You want to focus on becoming someone who works out and wants to work out. You truly value taking care of yourself.

Instead of thinking that you need to lose 20 pounds, you need to think about becoming someone who takes care of their body. Instead of having the mindset of telling yourself that you need to workout five times every week, you need to have the mindset of exercising becoming something that you regularly do.

You want to shift from someone who always focuses on the outcome to actually looking at how working out shifts your identity.

8Track Your Workouts and Make Progress VisibleStep 8 of 8

Visual tracking is important as it can make your consistency more tangible and provide the proof that you need.

The point of having your progress become visible isn’t all about being perfect and having that perfect calendar.

You may have weeks where you meet your goal and workout the amount you desire, and there will be weeks that may feel underwhelming.

Week 1: 

⬛⬛⬜⬛⬜⬜⬜ 

Week 4:

⬛⬛⬛⬜⬛⬛⬜ 

You need to be able to look back and say:

“I’ve been showing up.”

A visual habit tracker can make this easier by turning individual workouts into a pattern that you can see over time. 

Motivation Isn’t the Goal, Consistency Is

You don’t need to feel motivated to work out every day. Making the first small step is enough. It can help to make exercising and working out easier to start, giving yourself a chance to continue toward something, a way to see progress.

That might mean that some days you can handle working a full workout; other days, it might mean that you can only do the bare minimum. The most important thing that matters is that you continue to show up.

Don’t wait for motivation. Start small, keep going, and don’t give up!

Let consistency do the work.