Now that we’re at the tail end of February, many of you may be feeling as though the progress toward your training and health goals is slowing down. It’s the same phenomena every year; after a burst of energy sustains you through January, the daily grind of life hits as February commences, and often times it’s easy to just “fall off the wagon” as our lives settle back into the norm.
Earlier this year, we delved into the pros and cons of the having motivation to exercise, and how to set yourself up for consistent progress by defining your purpose for training. In an excellent piece on Zen Habits, Jonathan Mead touches on similar themes in his post on “Why Motivation Doesn’t Really Matter”. My favourite quote from the piece:
“Tap into your flow. We all have times when we’re more creative or more energized, and we all have times where we feel like resting and recharging. For some of us, these ebbs and flows may happen at certain times of the day, for others it may be completely random. The point is to pay attention and exploit these fluxes of energy. By taking massive action when you are full of energy and by allowing yourself to relax when you are in a state of calm, you respect and honor yourself. You will accomplish more by following your natural rhythms than you would trying to force yourself.”
Well worth a read, particularly for those of you who feel lacking in motivation to keep up the good exercise and dietary habits you’ve started in 2012.