Part 2: How to Build Long-term Motivation 

Before I give you the action steps for permanent weight loss, it's important to understand how to build long-term motivation.

We'll get into the nitty gritty of action steps shortly.

But before that, let’s figure out the differences between negative and positive motivation.

It's a very important piece of the puzzle.

Positive motivation is that which comes from an internal place of enjoyment and fulfilment.

A journey or a path you are naturally drawn towards.

Rather than running away from a pain moment.

It is extremely important to make this distinction because it is those who are positively motivated towards their goals, that are able to stay on track over the long-term.

Even despite the setbacks and challenges they may face on the the path.

In his remarkable book Mastery, George Leonard shares the importance of embracing challenges and embarking on a long-term journey of mastery.

“Perhaps we'll never know how far the path can go, how much a human being can truly achieve, until we realise that the ultimate reward is not a gold medal but the path itself.” - George Leonard

I highly recommend you check out his book.

In order to apply what George Leonard talks about, it is important to understand how to build positive motivation towards your health goals (or any goals for that matter).

The way you do this is by starting with the 'why' of your goals.

This is a concept introduced to me by another great author, Simon Sinek, through his golden circle.

You see, whenever we set our eyes upon a goal, we are constantly looking for the action steps we need to take to achieve that goal.

For instance, let’s say you want to lose 5kgs.

You start asking yourself what you need to do. How do you need to do it.

What is the best diet to go on?

What is the best form of exercise?

How long do I need to do this regime?

How quickly can I see results?

We are focusing on the outside part of the circle. The 'how' and 'what'.

The truth is, there are many ways you can go about achieving your goals (and we'll cover that in the next section).

However, the people who are deeply committed to their journeys are the people who understand their ‘why’ first.

Why is it that you want really want to lose 5 kgs?

The first time you answer this question, the answer may be somewhat superficial.

To look good in front of your friends.

Or to fit into your favourite clothes.

But if you explore this question further, you’ll be surprised to hear your own deeper level motivations.

We'll do a little exercise in a second.

But before that, I wanted to give you a couple of example of people who have discovered their deeper level 'why's'.

Natalie is a college girl who initially wanted to look good and fit in with her social circle.

That was her surface level why.

Nothing wrong with it.

However, in order to build long-term motivation, you need to go beneath the surface.

As she continued on the journey, this is what she discovered:

Her deeper level 'why' was to stop obsessing about food and the weighing scale.

She wanted to live a life where she felt light both mentally and physically.

She wanted to be comfortable in her own skin and start focusing on the things that she really cared about.

Things such as her career and personal relationships.

The mindset shift in Natalie along with her confident approach to life far outweighs (pardon the pun!) the physical transformation that she was able to create.

Another inspiring example is that of Laban.

Laban is a busy professional who had struggled with alcohol and gambling issues in the past.

Once he started taking charge of his health, he also noticed significant changes in other parts his life:

Laban recently completed a marathon and has become a source of inspiration to many of his close family and friends.

His zest for life is truly contagious and he continues to strive for bigger goals in his life.

One thing I wanted to mention is that coming up with your ‘why’ is an evolving process.

The more you learn about yourself throughout the journey, the more likely you are to perceive your deeper level motivations.

That’s why it is amazing for me to witness the transformations not only on the physical level , but also at a deeper psychological level.

Here’s a quick exercise to help you start exploring your ‘why’.

The 5 Why’s Exercise

The “5 Whys” was a system originally used by the Toyota Motor Corporation.

It’s very simple and really cuts to the core of why we want something.

When you want to accomplish something (or if something goes wrong), you ask one why.

Why do I want to accomplish this?

Then, with whatever answer you come up with, you ask why to that first answer.

And so on, five times.

Here's an example from a Coaching client:

"I want to lose weight."

Why do I want to lose weight?
Because I want to fit into a smaller size of pants.

But why do I want to fit into a smaller size of pants?
Because when I’m wearing smaller pants, I think I’ll look better.

But why do I want to look better?
Because when I look good, I feel good about myself.

But why do I want to feel good about myself?
Because when I feel good about myself, I’m more assertive and confident.

But why do I want to be more assertive and confident?
Because when I’m more assertive and confident, I’m in control and better able to get what I want out of life.

Wow.

That’s a lot of insight for a few little questions.

For this client, losing fat really meant being in charge of her life.

That’s a crucial insight.

She's not just looking for a smaller pair of pants (or a lower weight on the scale).

She also wants to feel a certain way at the end of the process. More confident. More assertive. More in control.

And that's what's really important to her.

The pants are just a way to get there.

Exercise: Answer these 5 'why' questions in one go.

1. Why do you want to lose X number of kgs?

2. Why is that reason important to you?

3. And why is that important?

4. And what different will that make?

5. And why will that previous thing matter?

Really.

Give it some thought.

Be honest.

Write it down.

I'll wait.

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Note: if you weren't able come up with your perfect ‘why’ straight away, that is totally normal.

Keep this concept in the back of your mind and you’re sure to stumble across your deeper level desires down the track.

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PHEW!

Now that you have an overview on the ‘why’ piece of the puzzle, let's figure out the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of your journey.

There are many ways you can take action to lose weight.

But some ways are smarter than others.

That's what the next section covers.

How to take smarter action towards your weight loss goals.

But before that, make sure you do the exercise and come up with a 'why' for yourself.

(It doesn't have to be perfect, you just need a starting point.)

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