Should We Rely on Motivation?

 I knew I wanted to post something here today, I just wasn't sure what it was....

And then I just so happened to listen to the latest two "Fasting Method Podcast" episodes (link here and here), and they spoke to me in a million ways.

The hosts mentioned you can know all the right things: fasting, food, movement - you can have all of the knowledge but not follow through because you're waiting on motivation.

**slow and humiliating hand raise**

A few weeks ago, when I began to challenge myself to get in 10,000 steps, I actually commented to my friend, "Help, I left my motivation somewhere and can't find it!"

And that's only when I admitted to my lack of motivation to do what I know I should do.

How many times have I sat in my easy chair waiting for a blob of motivation to fly through the air and smack me in the forehead?

Way too many!

What if motivation is like emotions? 

On my faith blog A Little R & R, I have written many times about how emotions are fickle and unreliable; but if we will act on what we know the Bible says, our emotions will eventually catch up.

Joy, for example. Or love. Both are not as much emotional as willful. When we act on these out of what we know to be true rather than out of what we feel to be true, our feelings will show up!

And I am convinced now that motivation is exactly the same.

I mean, it is a feeling, right?

So - today I did not feel motivated to get my steps in. 

I got my new Xiaomi fitness tracker - and I love it!! It actually tracks al of my steps....but I wasn't feeling it today.

But, I got up, put on the podcast, and walked paces across my floor. And do you know what happened? Motivation showed up.

So, the question isn't am I motivated. The question is what do I want? What is true? What is my goal?

✅ Health

✅ Energy

✅ Strength

These are my goals. This is what I want. What is true is that if I don't take off some of the weight, these things won't happen. 

Also, what is true is that if I keep doing what I'm doing I will never truly achieve these things.

I've tried moderation. I've tried easing up a bit on my restrictions. It doesn't work for me. 

I know what works. I know what brought me closer to these goals and it is strict keto and fasting. 

And so, rather than waiting for that fictional blob of motivation to smack me in the forehead, I'm going to get up and make motivation happen.

How about you?