Uncover Your Fitness Why: Stay Motivated and Overcome Obstacles in Your Journey

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The reason WHY we exercise and move our bodies is so important, it helps us to keep going long after our motivation has gone. It keeps us going when things get tough, when we don’t really feel like it!

One of my big reasons for exercising and fitting regular movement into my day is to have more energy for life, sounds dramatic right? But I want to be able to go on holiday and enjoy walking around without getting tired, I want to be able to explore places and feel confident my body can handle uneven terrain or climbing lots of stairs. I want to be able to enjoy dancing, something that bring me joy and something I enjoy doing regularly.

To be able to build the strength, fitness and confidence in my body I need to be consistent with my exercise and fit regular movement into my day.

Coming back to WHY I’m doing it in the first place really helps me to keep going, to keep showing up for myself, it’s more than just exercise it’s a part of my life.

Read on to find out how finding your ‘why’ can help you stay motivated even when life gets in the way. 

Psst… Would you rather listen to these tips? Hit play on our podcast episode now! 👇

Understanding the Power of Identity Change

Have you ever wondered why some habits stick and others fade away? In James Clear's brilliant book, Atomic Habits. (If you haven't read it yet, you definitely should, I’d highly recommend it.) He introduces us to the concept of identity change it’s a game changer.

There were three levels of change:

Outcome change, process change and the mighty identity change. 

Outcome change is what you get, it's your results. This is where most of our goals are set.

Process change is changing your habits or systems. This is where most habits are set.

Identity change is where you focus on who you want to become, not what you want to achieve. 

By focusing on WHO you want to become this will create a much longer change.

For example, you become a reader rather than just reading a book. You become a runner rather than running a marathon, which side note by the way is an incredible goal to go for, but it has an end date. It could be running a 5k. It could be running to the end of the street, whatever it is, they have an endpoint. So you, instead of working on that specific goal, you are becoming a runner or you are becoming a reader or a writer or a painter or a dancer or whatever it is, you become that thing. 

So let's explore the incredible power of identity-based habits together. Your identity emerges out of your habits. The more you repeat a behaviour, the more you reinforce the identity associated with that behaviour.

To change who you are, you need to change what you do.

First, we decide the type of person we want to be, and then prove it to ourselves with small wins. 

One workout, one walk one page of a book, one weight lifted.

I get it deciding on the type of person you want to become can be difficult to start with.

Instead start with the kind of results you want.

For example, running a 5k, or climbing a hill. Having your independence and being able to lift your heavy suitcase when you're going away. 

Then work backwards from the results, and ask yourself who is the type of person that can get this outcome. The outcome I want, who is the type of person who is independent and can lift their own suitcase.

Someone who builds strength training into their lives and moves their body on a regular basis. Maybe they focused on things we know that are good for us, like good quality sleep and drinking water regularly. It's part of that daily life.

So we shift from an outcome like running a 5k or lifting a suitcase. To the identity, regular movement and focus on health and well-being as part of our daily lives. 

Ask yourself

Am I becoming the type of person I want to become?

The first step is not the what or the how, but the who.

Shifting our focus from what we want to achieve to who we want to become unlocks a world of lasting transformation.

Imagine this

Every action you take becomes a vote for the version of you. You want to become. 

It's like having a north star that guides you on every step. 

Psychological Barriers and Overcoming Them

Before we dive deeper into finding your personal why, let's explore the psychological barriers to exercise that can sometimes get in our way.

In her amazing book, Stronger, Poorna Bell introduces three theories that shed light on why someone might experience these barriers:

Motivation theory, achievement goal theory and self-concept.

And side note, if you have not read her book yet, I would highly, highly recommend that too. Lots of book recommendations coming today. I'm currently in the middle of reading it and I am loving it.

Anyway, back to what we were talking about.

Motivation theory examines the underlying reason why individuals engage or avoid physical activity. It explores the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and how understanding our personal motives can help us to overcome psychological barriers. So what does all this mean?

Intrinsic motivation is doing something because you want to do it something you enjoy and find rewarding. Like going out, dancing with your friends or going for a walk to see a beautiful lake or something like that, something you really, really want to do. It's something you enjoy doing, you find it rewarding. 

But extrinsic motivation is when you do it for an external reason. So because you want to look a certain way or you want to be assessed on weight, or because someone has told you, you have to do that thing for whatever reason. It's mandatory or you have to do it? When we use intrinsic motivation, it is often very sustainable. 

If you enjoy doing something that tends to be true for the longer term. Extrinsic motivation tends not to be. Failing to reach a particular standard or being forced to participate might affect your future motivation. 

Then we have achievement goal theory, which focuses on the goals we set ourselves in relation to physical activity. Are we solely focused on performance and external validations of what other people think and doing it for other people. Or do we prioritize mastery personal growth and the pure joy of movement? 

By shifting our mindset and setting meaningful goals. We can break through psychological barriers and find lasting motivation.

And then we have self-concept. This plays a crucial role in our relationship with physical activity, how we perceive ourselves and our capabilities directly influences our motivation and our willingness to engage.

By nurturing positive beliefs about ourselves and embracing the idea that fitness is for everyone regardless of our current abilities. We can break down those psychological barriers and embrace a more empowering approach to our fitness journey. 

As we explore your personal why and staying motivated it is essential to consider these psychological factors that may impact your relationship with movement. By understanding motivational motivation theory, achievement goal theory, and self-concept we gain valuable insights into the barriers that kind of rise and how to overcome them. 

So now let's continue on this journey of self-discovery and empowerment. 

The Golden Circle and Your Why

Simon Sinek Start with Why takes us on a journey into the golden circle.

As you can see from the image above you have three concentric circles, a bit like a dartboard.

On the outer circle, you have the what

The second circle you have the how

The middle circle, you have the why

The what represents our desired outcomes, the tangible results we strive for.

The how encompasses the actions, habits, and routines that shape our journey.

But the why holds the key to our deepest motivation. The purpose that fuels our passion.

By finding out intrinsic motivation and understanding our core beliefs and values we unlock an abundance of inspiration that propels us forward.

Your why becomes the driving force behind everything you do. 

So let's explore the transformative power of knowing your, why are you ready? 

Uncovering Your Personal Why

Today, we're going to embark on a reflective exercise that helps you to uncover your personal why. We're going to take a moment to explore your values, your deepest beliefs, and the impact you want to make in your life and the lives of others. Just remember, there is no one size fits all answer here. Everyone's why is as unique as their fingerprint. 

It could be a desire for better health, a quest for self-discovery, or a burning passion to inspire others. To spark your inspiration. 

Here are some examples of different types of personal why: 

Your why may revolve around improving your overall health and well-being.

It could be driven by a desire to have more energy, maybe reduce stress or prevent health issues in the long run. Your why might be to prioritise self-care and make choices that nourish your body and mind.  

I know this is something that I'm personally working on. I want to have more energy for life. I want to be able to go for walks and not feel like I have to sit down if I'm going for really, really long walks.

Sometimes you go out and you explore a place, I love to travel and explore new places and you're walking around a lot and I get really, really tired, my legs hurt and I have to sit down.

So I really am working on my personal fitness at the moment, so that I am stronger, I'm fitter, I'm healthier, so I can really enjoy the day. I don't have to keep sitting down, like an old lady and have a rest every five minutes. So that is something I'm personally working on.

I love dancing as well, and I want to be able to have more energy for that so I can dance more and not have to sit down so much. Again so my legs are stronger, my lungs are stronger, my body's just stronger so I can just really engage in life and just enjoy myself. So that's definitely one of the reasons why I'm on my personal health and fitness journey.

Your why could be rooted in your quest for personal growth and self-discovery.

You might have a deep desire to learn and explore new things and challenge yourself, physically and mentally and your why might involve pushing your limits, stepping out of your comfort zone and unlocking your full potential.

Maybe you enjoy yoga. I've had a client who really enjoyed yoga and she came to me because she wanted to work on her strength and flexibility around that so that when she was in the class, she could really work on those more challenging moves. 

I started swing dancing about seven years ago which I absolutely love and being a beginner again, that definitely challenged me. That's another thing it could be, you're starting a new thing, a new hobby. Whatever it might be and you want to work on that. You want to really use that as your way of getting fit and keeping healthy.

Your why might be centred around finding joy and happiness in your fitness journey.

It could be driven by the sheer enjoyment you get from activities like dancing or hiking or boxing, all the things I've just mentioned. Your why might be to prioritise activities that bring you joy, boost your mood and create a positive mindset. So this is definitely dancing for me.  I love it. It definitely brings me joy. It's a great way to keep fit, but it's also a great social activity. It gets me out. I've met lots of new people and it's fun!

I also do enjoy going on walks and exploring places again. It's maybe not quite as fun, but I do enjoy the journey and the getting there and the seeing the new things. It's whatever is for you. Maybe your why is centred around finding the joy and happiness in movement and that's how you like to keep fit and healthy something you really enjoy. We're going to stick to it more if we really love it, it's not going to be a chore, we're going to want to stick to it. 

Your why might be focused on being a positive role model for your loved ones, especially children. 

It could involve wanting to instil healthy habits and inspire others through your actions. Your why might be to create a ripple effect of health and well-being in your family and community.

And I know you can't tell anyone else to change, but by working on yourself, it definitely rubs off on those around you. Whether it be your friends, your family or people, you know, online, if you're sharing your fitness journey online.

I know I've definitely been inspired by people I know my friends or other people that I know, I see them, they're working on things and I think if they can do it, I can do it too, It's really motivating. Also, yes, you could be sharing your own journey as well and that helps to really motivate people. 

Your why could be centred around enhancing your mental and emotional well-being. 

It might involve using fitness as a way to reduce anxiety, manage stress, or improve your overall mindset. We know that moving our bodies really, really does have such an effect on, or now our mental state, as well as our physical state really does change our brain as well when we exercise. So it really does have some short-term and long-term effects on that. 

So your why might be to prioritize self-care and create a nurturing space for your mental and emotional health. 

For me over the last few years during the pandemic and the lockdowns and things, I really suffered with my mental health. I suffered with anxiety, I wasn't doing the things I was enjoying. I wasn't getting out and seeing people and I know that moving my body really had such a huge effect on my mental health. 

Going out for walks in nature, so combining moving my body and being in nature, which has, which has a great effect on our mental health. I just, it just used to make me feel so much better. 

I was dancing at home when I wasn't allowed to go out, doing classes online with my friends and family. I was doing workouts, strength, and training. I also started running, I did the couch to 5k and started doing that, to work, on that. So all sorts of things. 

You're motivating reason could be to help your mental health, and your mental wellbeing to help you feel better emotionally as well as physically which could be something you want to work on. 

Your why might also be driven by a desire for personal achievement and reaching a specific goal. 

It could involve setting targets like running a marathon, completing a challenging fitness program or mastering a particular skill. Your why might be to challenge yourself, celebrate milestones and experience a sense of accomplishment. 

So for me, like I said, I started doing the couch to 5k., It's a great program if you've never heard of it, it literally does what it says on the tin. It takes you from the couch to not running at all, to running a 5k. It combines a combination of walking and running and it builds up slowly over time. I know when I started it, it was really, really hard to the running for one minute or whatever it was tough. My legs were achy. My calves were aching, and everything was aching, but I just kept focusing on the reason why I was doing it to really push me through. To make me feel better to get me fitter and stronger for life and dancing and just enjoying things. 

I used to post it online. I would share my, share my achievements each week that I did each run. I did, I'd share it with a little selfie of myself and go. I've done it because I was really proud of myself, but I also wanted to share it with my friends and my community and people were lovely they were messaging me back and saying well done, great job you've got this and really celebrated me and cheering me on. So not only was I celebrating myself, but others were celebrating me.

And for all I know, I might've been inspiring others to take up their fitness. In fact, I do know that I've had friends tell me that I've inspired them to do that. I've also seen my friends do the same thing. They've been working on something couch to 5k, for example, and they've been sharing their fitness journey and I've been celebrating them and again, it helps to motivate you. It helps. It's great to just celebrate others and see what they're doing. So you might be sharing your journey online with your friends, with your family. It might be rubbing off on them. They might then get motivated to do things. 

So working towards a specific goal as well is a great thing to work towards. It's a really great why that you might have there.

These examples are just a starting point and your personal, why will be very unique to you. 

It might be a combination of all those examples I've shared it probably will have a few of those aspects there. 

It's important to reflect on what truly resonates with your values, your desires, and your aspirations to uncover your own personal powerful Why.

So now let us dig and uncover the core of your motivation or are you ready? We're going in. 

How Your Why Keeps You Going

So congratulations by now you've probably discovered your personal why, a powerful force.

But how does your why help you to stay motivated when life gets tough?

Well, let's dive into the practical benefits. Your why acts as your guiding light, your north star, your lighthouse, whatever you want to think of.

Reminding you of your long-term goals and the feelings you wish to experience. So on those challenging days, when you really really don't feel like showing up, you know what I'm talking about, your, why becomes your anchor pulling you back into action. 

For me when I was going out for those runs when I didn't even want to go out for the runs it definitely motivated me to put my shoes on and go out there because I knew afterwards I was going to feel better so I always did feel better afterwards I had that sense of achievement I just felt a little bit more energized and long-term over the weeks I definitely started feeling better it got easier.

It helps when I push myself in my strength training when I'm like oh this is really hard or what am I doing this for, this really is really tough and you know it helps to push me to why am I doing this, I want to get better I want to get my legs stronger and to get my arms stronger so it can help me when I'm walking and dancing and just again just enjoying life.

When I'm going out on my daily walks it just reminds me why it makes me feel better mentally as well as physically it's just keeping that little bit of daily movement every day into my life yeah it just gives me more energy for dancing and exploring life.

Now let’s unlock the power of your why. 

Questions for Self-Reflection

Now it's time for some reflection. I'll share some questions to help you dive deeper into your personal Why. Grab your journal, or a nice notebook (who doesn’t love a cute notebook!) or on your phone, if that works better for you, find a cosy spot, and take some time to reflect, it will really be worth it.

Feel free to share your answers with our supportive Fitness Besties community or discuss them with a close friend. Remember, your Why is not set in stone—it's a journey of self-discovery. Regularly revisiting and reaffirming your Why will help keep the flame alive. 

Are you ready to embark on this transformative self-reflection journey?

1. What do you truly value in life, and how does fitness align with those values?

2. What are the key emotions or feelings you hope to experience through your fitness journey?

3. How does staying committed to your fitness goals align with your long-term vision for yourself?

4. What impact do you want your fitness journey to have on other areas of your life, such as relationships, career, or personal growth? Or the functional goals that you have.

5. Reflect on a time when you felt the most motivated and inspired on your fitness journey. What was driving you during that period? Can you identify any patterns or themes?

6. Imagine yourself achieving your ultimate fitness goals. How would that positively impact your life? What would it mean to you on a deeper level?

7. What are the biggest challenges or obstacles you've faced on your fitness journey? How has overcoming those challenges made you stronger or more resilient?

8. Consider the people who inspire you or the role models you look up to. What qualities or characteristics do they embody that you would like to cultivate within yourself through your fitness journey?

9. Reflect on your own unique strengths, talents, or abilities. How can you leverage these strengths to make your fitness journey more meaningful and fulfilling?

10. How do you want to feel on a daily basis, both physically and mentally? How does your fitness journey contribute to those desired feelings?

Remember, take your time to reflect on these questions and be open to exploring your thoughts and emotions. Your answers will help you uncover your personal Why and ignite a deeper sense of motivation and purpose on your fitness journey.

We've covered a lot of ground today and now it's time to wrap things up. 

We've explored the power of finding your Why and staying motivated, even when life tries to throw you off balance. Remember, your personal Why is the driving force behind your fitness journey—it's your purpose, your passion, and your source of inspiration. 

Here's your call to action: take a moment to identify your personal Why and share it within our amazing Fitness Besties community. Together, we'll uplift and support one another as we journey towards becoming stronger, healthier versions of ourselves. 

Thank you for joining me today, I hope this post has inspired you to uncover your personal Why and stay motivated on your fitness journey. Remember, your Why is your guiding star, your north star, your source of purpose and inspiration. 

When life gets tough, your Why will fuel you to keep going. I really can't wait to hear about your Why and the incredible transformations it brings to your life. Join me and the Fitness Besties community over on Instagram @lisadawnbeckwith and share your Why. Together, we'll support each other and achieve our fitness goals. 

Have a great week, remember you are not alone anymore, we are building strength together and together we are stronger. 

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