You set a goal to lose weight, eat healthy, get fit, but you keep getting off track?
Neuroscience says it might be because your why is not sticky enough!
I work with people post bariatric surgery who often say “I know what I should be doing but just can’t seem to stay on track. I’m ok for a few days then just lose my motivation to keep going”. This is very normal, however it can lead to real frustration and beating yourself up.
Neuroscience and psychology say it can be helpful to not just focus on the how of your goal but the why. This links to the two types of motivation called Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation. The how of the goal is the extrinsic motivation, the external factors such as the numbers on the scale, the amount of broccoli you know you “should” eat to be healthy. However the more powerful of the two is your Intrinsic motivation which is your inner drive and is natural in essence. It’s the real reason you want the goal to lose weight/be healthy. It’s your why.
Helpful questions to think about are;
- What difference will it make to your life when you achieve your goal?
- What impact will it have on you and those around you?
- What will it enable you to do that you’re not doing now?
When asked, someone might say, I’d like to lose weight so I can be healthier, which means I’ll have more energy, which means I’ll be able to go on long walks with my husband or play with the grand kids more. Keep going till you find your core why. So here it’s family. This is the stickiness of the goal and will help you stay on track.
The extrinsic can often diminish over time, as it can be emotionally driven. Emotions go up and down and so does motivation. However tapping into the intrinsic motivation is driven from within. It also links to your values, which don’t go up and down like emotions, they are your core beliefs. Being healthy so you can run around with your grand kids may tap into your value of family and love. This is the motivator to help you stay on track, so you can live your value of displaying love for your family (and yourself!)
