Motivation Is the New Quick-Fix Diet
Meaningful Movement
Takeaway: Motivation is unreliable, and chasing it is just another way to avoid taking responsibility. Real change happens when you stop waiting to feel ready and start taking ownership of your actions—regardless of how motivated you feel.
The Lie You’ve Been Told About Motivation
If you're waiting to feel motivated before you take action—you're playing a losing game.
Motivation isn’t what you think it is. It’s not a reliable engine that kicks on and powers you toward your goals. It’s more like a spark. Fleeting. Unpredictable. And if you're relying on it to drive change in your life, you're setting yourself up to stall out.
I get why people cling to motivation. It’s easy to say, “I’m just not feeling it today.” There’s no guilt in that. No judgment. No personal responsibility. It gives you a built-in excuse. But that’s exactly the problem.
Here’s the hard truth: waiting for motivation is just another way we avoid responsibility.
And I say that with empathy—not judgment. Because I’ve been there too.
When Motivation Becomes a Crutch
Let’s break this down.
When people are stuck—unhappy with where they are in their health, career, or life—they often blame external factors. “I’m too busy.” “The timing isn’t right.” “I’m just not motivated enough.”
But all of those are just different ways of saying, “This isn’t my fault.”
It’s what psychologists call external locus of control—the belief that outcomes in your life are determined by forces outside of you. And while that mindset might protect your ego in the short term, it also makes you powerless.
Motivation, in that framework, becomes the scapegoat. If it shows up, great. If it doesn’t, well, what can you do?
But here’s the rub: if motivation is the reason you start, it’ll also be the reason you stop.
That’s why people bounce from one diet to another, from gym memberships to fitness challenges—chasing the next hit of “I’m finally ready.”
But what if readiness isn’t something you wait for?
What if it’s something you build?
The Real Driver of Change: Ownership
The turning point in every transformation I’ve ever witnessed—my own included—wasn’t a motivational breakthrough.
It was a shift in responsibility.
A decision to stop blaming the job, the kids, the schedule, the weather, the metabolism… and start owning the choices within your control.
That doesn’t mean everything is easy. But it does mean everything is yours.
And the research backs this up. Studies in self-determination theory, one of the most well-respected frameworks in psychology, show that sustainable behavior change is built not on motivation, but on autonomy—the belief that your actions are self-chosen and aligned with your values.
You don’t need motivation to go for a walk. You need to believe that walk matters.
You don’t need motivation to prep your meals. You need to believe that doing so is a reflection of who you’re becoming.
When your actions are connected to identity and purpose, you stop needing motivation. You start building momentum.
Why This Matters for Your Health Goals
If you’re stuck in a cycle of “I’ll start Monday,” this is your exit ramp.
Stop chasing motivation. Start designing systems.
Show up whether you feel like it or not. Build routines that make success easier than failure. Take ownership of the small, boring, unsexy decisions.
That’s the path.
Because motivation is like a spark—nice when it shows up, but nothing catches fire until you lay the kindling.
Want to feel better in your body? Want to lose the weight, gain the energy, and reclaim your confidence?
Stop waiting to feel ready.
Decide.
Take the smallest action you can. Then do it again tomorrow.
And the next day.
Soon enough, you’ll stop wondering where your motivation went.
Because you won’t need it anymore.
P.S. Ready to take the next step to overcome motivation? Click below to book a call with me personally, and we’ll setup a game plan to start taking action—no matter how motivated you feel.