If I were to sit here and type about how every morning I wake up with the drive and ambition to conquer every task my day has to offer I would be lying. Honestly, most days (okay every day) I snooze my alarm, at least once. Yes, I am one of those people who will have to be up at 8 am and will set an alarm on every 5-minute interval starting at 7:45 am (my roommates LOVE me for this).

Motivation is something that can come from within or external sources. We motivate ourselves every day to get up, go to class, study, and even go to the gym. Some days are easier than others, we’ve all had days where it’s tough to motivate ourselves. Just remember that we’re all human and we all go through it. So get up, get going, and get motivated!

INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Intrinsic motivation is doing something because it is personally rewarding, this could also be known as internal motivation. I like to exercise because it makes me feel good, after a workout, I feel accomplished, therefore it’s intrinsically rewarding.

It’s important to participate in activities that are intrinsically rewarding, doing things that you enjoy and make you happy are great for your overall health.

EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Extrinsic motivation is doing something in order to gain a reward. For example, I study hard in order to earn my degree and I compete in track and field in order to win competitions.  

How do I motivate myself?

When I’m feeling lazy and unmotivated I like to make a list. This doesn’t have to be something you write down, it could just be a mental list. I think about all the things I would like to achieve in the immediate future, I want an A on my upcoming exam, I want to have a personal best at my upcoming track meet. Next, I think about what I have to do to achieve these things, I need to go to the library and study for a certain amount of time, I need to work on my technique extra outside of practice time this week. I try to imagine how good it will feel when I meet these achievements, this really helps me follow through with the plans I made.

Goal Setting

Goal setting is something we all do in one way or another. Goals can be as big and longterm as wanting to grow up to be a doctor or as small as wanting to be able to see your friends and finish all your homework in one day.

At the beginning of every track season, my coach has us write down all of our goals, both track and non-track related. We write down our short-term and long-term goals. As a freshman, my non-track longterm goal was to earn my degree, and here I am three years later about to fulfill that goal with my new longterm goal putting me in an apartment in Boston with a stable job.

Have you ever heard of SMART goals? SMART goals stand for

S-Specific – Be specific, a vague goal or something too broad will be difficult to achieve

M- Measurable – How much? How many? You can track your progress with a measurable goal

A- Attainable – Test your limits, but don’t set a goal for something unattainable that will leave you feeling unsuccessful

R- Relevant – Make sure your goal worthwhile to you and it is the appropriate time and place to work towards it.

T- Time-bound – Give yourself a time frame, be able to work towards a target date

Goal setting is a great way to stay motivated! Set a few goals and go back and see if they meet the SMART criteria, if they don’t alter them to meet the five points.

How I motivate myself to go to the gym
We all know the struggle, that feeling of knowing you probably should go to the gym…. But you really don’t want to. It’s easy to put it off and justify not going by saying you’ll go another day or that it’s too cold to walk from your dorm to Anna Fascitelli.

Here are 3 tips to motivate yourself to hit the gym!

1.) Treat yo self! – After your gym sesh treat yourself to something fun! Whether its a mani-pedi, a dessert, or even just watching a few episodes of your favorite show, reward yourself! I usually buy a large coffee from Dunkin’ after my Sunday trips to Mackal Fieldhouse.

2.) Find a workout buddy! – Working out with a friend is extremely motivating. Having a mutually beneficial relationship will help keep the two of you accountable. It’s also a great way to make a new friend! I enjoy riding the stationary bike next to my friends so we can chat, it makes the time go by fast too!

3.)Remember your goals- Are you aiming for a certain squat or bench max? Do you want to be able to run a certain distance on the treadmill? Or get a certain physique? The thought of how good it will feel to reach my goals is enough to get me up and to the gym.

I hope you guys are finishing finals week off strong! Remember your goals and keep pushing forward, winter break is almost here!

How do you stay motivated? Let us know on our Instagram! @URICampusrec

See ya next week!
Leah