Men and Motivation

​Men and Motivation
 
I’ll be honest, I worry about the culture that is being manifested for men. I fear that we’ve made it an accepted norm that you finish high school/college, enter the work force, start having families, and accept that your physical well-being days are over.  Your 30’s and 40’s are about joint pain, dad bods, beer guts, and being lazy.  It doesn’t have to be this way.

​Why is it like this?  What happens in such a short time that completely changes our outlooks and habits?  What makes our motivation nose dive in just a few short years.
 
Motivation is one of the most common key words I hear in a consult with somebody.  
 
“I have a gym membership, but just have no motivation, and need somebody to hold me accountable.
 
While I love helping men(and women) create new habits and serve as an example in this setting, the truth is an unpopular one.  For ultimate success, you can not lean on others for motivation.  We have to find it within ourselves.
 
Let’s dive in to what happens between out “glory days” and adulthood and why our motivation tanks.
 
I graduated high school in 2010.  In ways, it feels like yesterday.  Now I’m close to 30.  In the blink of an eye during this period, we go from a kid in the eyes of society to a career man with, in many cases a family.
 
Track back to your young days.  Realistically, your motivation for your fitness routine came from one of the following sources.

1. Ego.  Wanting to be bigger and more jacked than other dudes.(Nothing wrong with healthy competition.)
2. Athletics: Training specifically for a sport.
3. Girls. (Don’t lie, this was part of it.)

Now fast forward to the present.  Your life has shifted to adulthood, and you likely haven’t reexamined what your purpose of taking care of yourself should be.  Ego matters much less when you’re and adult.  Culture places less value on your perceived physical status amongst other men.  The vast majority of us are done being competitive athletes after age 22.  And last, many of us are in committed relationships or even married.  This (hopefully) means, impressing new women is no longer a driving factor for you.  Knowing this, what’s left?
 
As we age, and our lives change, we have to re-evaluate what’s important to us if we are to make long term change.  Think in general, what’s important to you now?  Excelling at your career, making money to provide for other is likely a big one.  Start to view your physical betterment through the lens of how it affects the ones you care about the most.  This happens in countless ways.  Do you want to be able to practice sports with the kids in the yard?  Be able to perform any task around the house for years to come.  Provide the right example for your sons and daughters?  Stay healthy and energetic for your wife?  The examples are endless and ultimately up for you to come up with on your own.
 
If you’ve found yourself in a rut, wanting to get started on a routine but can’t find the motivation or drive to get started or stay consistent, take a few minutes to do this brainstorming.  Write down a few qualities you want to see in yourself in your 40’s and 50’s.  Now, think about how investing time and energy into your health will help you reach this vision.  
 
Your status of the guy who can pound beer and stay out late won’t matter in your future, but how you took care of yourself during this period of life will.
 
Remember that chasing any goal you desire, be it career, fitness, or anything, must start with a certain mindset.  Without this, you absolutely will not be consistent.  Without consistency you’re doomed.  You can not grind for a few weeks to earn a million dollars, and you can’t hit the gym hard for a month to completely transform your body and flip your health.  Find the reasons that will put you in this journey for the long haul!