What to do when you have no motivation

Joe Wicks, The Body Coach, explores the challenges of motivation and how his 5 tips can push you past relying on it.

Motivation is often the biggest challenge for people wanting to get fitter and healthier. And the truth is, there are lots of times I struggle with it, too. I’m not motivated to exercise every day – my mind is just focused on the after effects of movement. That’s what drives me. 

It’s not easy to get up and exercise. But I do it because I know how good it makes me feel. 

One of the most common questions I get is around motivation. People will say to me, “Joe, I just want to make changes, I really do, but I lack the motivation. I just give up. I just can’t make it fit into my life. How can I stay motivated?”

In reality, very few people are motivated every single day. But you can’t always wait around for the day where you wake up and feel motivated – because it may never come. 

Motivation comes at the end of the workout, so the most important advice I have is to take that first step. Here are my tips on how to get motivated on those days when you’re struggling to feel inspired. 

Setting the intention can really help when motivation is low. One thing I’ve done to help with this is to get my mat out the night before and put my workout clothes on as soon as I get up. It helps get my mindset ready for a workout, and those small steps of getting prepped makes it easier for me to commit.

Creating that mindset before you go to bed by taking a small action – and then seeing everything prepped in the morning – will make you more likely to get your body moving the next day.

If you don’t enjoy the exercise you’re doing, it’ll feel like a real struggle to motivate yourself to do it.

I love the feeling I get after a HIIT session, but I know it isn’t for everyone. Exercise shouldn’t be a punishment; it should be a reward and coping mechanism.

Moving your body doesn’t have to be HIIT or a weight training session. So what do you enjoy? It could be a 20-minute walk outside in the fresh air. It could be yoga, barre, shorter workouts, a run, swimming, or playing sports. There are so many options to get your body moving, but choosing the one you enjoy will increase your motivation significantly and make exercise part of your life. 

Motivation often comes at the end of a workout – so one thing that always keeps me motivated is to focus on the aftereffects of a workout: the energy boost, improved focus, better mood. That's what drives me to take action.

When I’m feeling happy, I exercise. When I’m feeling stressed, anxious, or resentful, I also exercise. Exercise is therapy and it never lets me down. It changes how I feel mentally and emotionally. That’s why I’m motivated to do it every day.

We create energy in our body by exercising, and so by taking action and remembering that sense of achievement is one of the biggest keys to staying motivated. Think about how good you’ll feel after a workout. You'll feel fitter and stronger, you'll have more energy, and it will boost your mood.

Don’t rely on excuses to not do it. Focus on the reasons why you should do it.

Life will always get in the way. There will always be obstacles, challenges and barriers to finding time to exercise or cook healthy food. Just one small win is all it takes to get going again and build your belief that you can commit to a healthier lifestyle.

Maybe you feel like you don’t have enough time? Try a 10-minute workout. Perhaps you don’t have the energy to cook something new? Why not look at finding a simple dish to create with fewer ingredients? Try to look beyond your excuses.

I love to set myself new goals or challenges to help me stay motivated. Not only does it keep me focused and accountable, it also makes me feel energised. For me, this might be doing one HIIT a day for a whole month, or it could be booking onto my first triathlon. Once I have a goal set and share it, I’m much more likely to achieve it.

It’s important to make sure these goals are achievable – whether that be a personal challenge you set yourself or something you sign up to do like a 5k.

Remember, action leads to motivation. You can do this.