My motivation

Ahh, motivation, the ultimate (cognitive) performance-enhancing drug! With the right motivation we can, seemingly, achieve anything; without it, we’re toast! Getting out of bed can be a challenge without the motivation to do something: workout, go to work, have coffee, etc. First, what is motivation? Psychology Today describes motivation as the “desire to do things” and calls it the “crucial element in setting and attaining goals.” But there is, obviously, more to it than that. The impetus for this blog post was how I felt upon waking the past two mornings. In a word, blah. My motivation to exercise was pretty low; I woke up with tired legs and was not looking forward to my run like I usually do. Spoiler alert: I still went running!

There are two different types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. We have intrinsic motivation when we want to go running (or do anything) because of how it makes us feel. In other words, we like to run because running is fun. The driving force comes from within. On the flip side, extrinsic motivation is motivation due to an external factor, e.g. losing weight, running faster, getting a medal, etc.

So, what motivates me to run? My motivation is not a static entity. It's a fluid concept that I'm often trying to increase. I count myself one of the lucky people that has an intrinsic motivation to run. If you're like me, and have a lot of non-running friends, you probably hear often that they hate driving however far you ran that day. However, these same people will go out and struggle through a short run in order to lose weight, meet employment fitness requirements, or any other number of extrinsic motivational factors. I'm certainly not saying there is anything wrong with external motivation, it's just being intrinsically motivated will lead to more consistency and a happier experience.

Even when I have low motivation, the motivation to run is primarily intrinsic so it's easier to tap into than if I were motivated by external stimuli alone. Don't get me wrong, I am still extrinsically motivated; I like getting medals and enjoy running races like the Boston marathon that have a certain image and reputation attached to them. However, I would still run if I didn't have these motivators.
An example of an activity I am extrinsic motivated to do is weights/resistance work. I do not enjoy doing it in and of itself, but I am motivated to do it because I know I ought to; it is healthy and, more importantly, makes me a better runner.

You may be asking yourself how you can become motivated to run. First, just start. Trust that your motivation will grow once you take the first step. Never make a decision about your run in the first mile. The good news is that intrinsic motivation can grow over time. You may start out trying to lose weight or just finish a race to cross it off your list, but running does get easier, at least the mental side does! Like any habit, the more you do, the more ingrained it becomes. Be in the moment. Focus on the run itself. Focus on your surroundings, and your movement. Think of how many people wish they could be doing what you are doing! Appreciate the simplicity of the act! If all of that fails, do a "fast forward." That is, think of how you will feel after your run. You would have accomplished something to better yourself. You will be less stressed and able to tackle whatever comes your way!
Motivation can be a fickle friend; it can vary depending on how close I am to a race, training load/weekly mileage, sleep/work schedule, and weather. It's funny that, because I live in Florida, I am spoiled by plenty of sunshine; I find my motivation plummets on a cloudy/rainy day. I know that letting the weather affect one's motivation to run/workout is not really an option for people who live in cloudier areas of the world. I think of them when motivation is lacking for a silly reason, like the weather, and just do it. Both types of motivation are important and are intertwined in many ways but if you had to choose one, wouldn't you choose intrinsic?

Check out Plantfedrunner.com for my upcoming races (another way I manufacture motivation!)