There are a seemingly endless number of rewards that come along with losing weight, but finding your “Why” for weight loss means discovering the one dream that means more than anything else to you, and letting it become a strong source of motivation for staying on track with your weight loss journey.
All of these benefits are extremely motivating to think about, because it connects our mind to the fact that with hard work, there can be amazing things to come.
But everyone has their own story, and their own unique reasons for wanting to transform their body. Deep down we each hold some image or idea that we want above all other things that we look forward to after weight loss.
If you search deeply, you’ll find that there is one thing that weight loss can bring, that you want more than anything.
Maybe it’s the vision of you playing sports with your kids, or feeling confident with your shirt both on and off, or being rid of joint pain, or maybe feeling good about yourself when you meet someone special… whatever it is that makes your heart race and drives you to take action above all the other things that you think about, use that power to drive you towards your dreams.
Motivation comes in many forms… some are more instant and superficial, and some are deeply affecting and long-lasting.
The best way to motivate yourself to lose weight, is to use the thought of what you want the most, to fuel the energy and excitement that you have for your goals and your future self.
To unveil and connect with that one thing that motivates you to change more than anything else you desire, is the most powerful thing you can do now and on a normal basis, to make sure that you stay in a positive mindset and on track while losing weight.
I love this motivational method, because it was a huge help for me in succeeding in my 80-pound transformation, and because it’s something that actually made my journey meaningful and enjoyable.
I took lots of time to think about this before I started losing weight, and many times during my journey to keep myself motivated and focused on my goals.
When things got hard, and I felt like giving up or starting over, I always reminded myself of the one thing I wanted more than anything else… that one thought that motivates me to change myself more than anything.
Holding this thought close to me made a huge difference in uplifting me when times got hard, and helping me make tough decisions by giving meaning to them.
As time passes my “why” changes, and I have to re-evaluate what drives me forward at each certain time in my life.
Seeing myself leaner, stronger, and in better shape than the day before, is deeply fulfilling and exciting for me.
It is the way that being in shape makes me feel about myself, that drives me forward.
I had always been the “fat kid,” and then I became a “fat guy,” and so today being in shape is something that makes me feel like the strong and confident man that I have always wanted to be.
Finding your “why” for weight loss is something that will make you feel excited about working towards your goals, and will reframe the thought of eating healthy and exercising from being a difficult task, to something you look forward to.
Taking the time to motivate yourself with this thought will…
- Make tough healthy decisions easier
- Motivate you to stay on track when things get hard
- Give a clear vision for your ultimate goal
What’s the one thing you want more than anything?
Out of all the things you look forward to after getting in shape, what is it that excites you more than anything?
You may be tempted to “pick” something to focus on that sounds unselfish, but this is all for you, and you won’t be able to fool yourself for long so make sure that you are honest with yourself about what you truly want the most.
Your driving reason may be very personal, and you don’t have to share it with anyone unless you feel like it… so resist the urge to sensor yourself as if you were going to have to say it out loud.
Let’s be real. Most people are highly driven by aesthetics, and wanting to look good, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. If you want to look good, embrace it, and let it be your source of motivation and the idea that gives meaning to every effort you make.
When you take a while to think of what you truly want for you, your life, and your body, once your mind arrives on that idea that strikes you, you’ll know it’s the one by how much it empowers you and excites you.
It should give you the butterflies and make you tingle at the thought of knowing hard work can lead you directly to living it, and experiencing it.
It may be related to health, or dating and attraction, or wanting to play sports with your kids, or be there for a loved one, or any other number of amazing things that can come from transforming your body.
Whatever it is, hold it close to your heart, and keep it at the ready for when times get tough and you begin to doubt yourself.
Set goals that match your dream
Now that you have found your, “why,” let’s break that dream down into an achievable, tangible goal.
This could mean reaching your ideal weight, but there are so many more important things than numbers.
How do you want to look?
How do you want to feel?
What do you want to be able to do?
When you close your eyes and picture yourself living your dream, what does your body look like?
Be specific. Define a clear goal for yourself that will enable your dream to come true.
Whether you say it out loud or not… tell it to yourself with conviction.
Make this the first of many times that you deliberately bring this deeply motivating thought to the surface, to remind you of what’s most important and the fact that you truly are willing to make the changes that are needed to succeed.
Use your dream to keep you motivated
Finding your most important reason for wanting to get in shape can certainly be powerful enough to get your weight loss journey started, but it takes ongoing reminders for it to keep you motivated on a normal basis.
That’s the real secret… is using this powerful idea when times get tough.
When there is a healthy choice to make and you are having a hard time giving up junk or deciding to exercise, remember exactly what you are striving for, remind yourself that you truly do still want it, and that your healthy decisions will lead you directly to it.
Think, “making the right choice is leading me directly to (insert thing you want the most)”
Holding this idea close to you gives reason to your decisions, and meaning to your journey. It makes it easier to make healthy changes in your life, and to stick with them afterwards.
But what I wonder… is what makes YOU want to lose weight more than anything? What’s that one thing that inspires you to take action, and work towards your healthy goals above all else?
If you want to find what it is that motivates you more than anything else, check out my 6-part “Discovering Your Why” series!
Are you ready to start your working towards your weight loss goals today? Try the 8-Week Weight Loss Challenge! It will help you start eating lots of healthy foods and losing weight on a consistent basis, one simple step at a time. Click here to read more about it or sign up below for your free PDF copy.
