We’ve all been there. We start the new year with the best of intensions to lose weight, get fit, eat healthier….the list goes on and on. But then it happens. Life throws us a curve ball. We slip. We delay. We procrastinate. We give up. Why does motivation always seem so fleeting?
Guess what– even the most driven, successful people on the planet don’t feel like getting things done all the time. You might ask, “well, how are they still successful?”
When we look deeper into what motivation is, we see that it’s actually the driving force behind discipline. It’s what carries us from our goal to our accomplishment. In other words, motivation is wanting to get things done.
But when we’re exhausted, and we’re stressing over all the little things we have to do… that motivation and drive fades. So, what can we do to reignite that spark of motivation?
Here are three simple ways to hack your motivation and stay (or get back) on track:
Know Your “Why”
The number one motivation hack is knowing your “why”. When your goals have deep, personal meaning and purpose, it’s so much easier to stick it out when things get challenging. “I want to get fit.” Great goal…but why? “So that I can be a good example for my kids”. See the difference?
So…what’s your “why”? The reason behind your goal? Figure it out. Write it down. Post it somewhere you can see it every day. This is the influence that keeps you moving forward. This is what feeds and fuels your motivation. Remember, our goals are not just about achieving something, but about the person we want to become.
Habit Bundling
Building new, sustainable habits can be challenging. We tend to think more about eliminating “bad habits” first. “I have to stop eating fast-food.” Or “I have to stop spending all weekend on the couch binging my favorite show.” But, experts agree that rather than eliminating habits that don’t serve us or our new goals, it’s better to replace our old habits with new, more beneficial habits. Easier said than done, right? Fortunately, there’s a hack for this one, too. It’s called habit bundling. And it’s all about establishing a pattern or routine to help you reach your goal.
For example, “When I decide to pick-up fast food, I will go for a 20 minute walk or run.” Or “Every time I start a new episode of [insert whatever binge-worthy show here], I will do 20 push ups.” The trigger of “when I do this, then I will do that” removes the forced ‘I have to do this’ need for motivation, and becomes a standard practice over time. Repeated behaviors like this can turn into self-improving habits. “Instead or ordering fast food, I’ll go for a 20 minute run or walk and then head home for a healthy dinner.” The best part? It increases productivity while reducing mental stress.
Plan for Failure
Yes, you read that right. We all know it’s ideal to reach our goals flawlessly and in a timely manner. But, life frequently seems to have other plans. Staying motivated when difficulty arises is a lot more challenging than it sounds – especially if we get into a groove and an unwanted interruption occurs. Say you’ve been intentionally going for your daily run and eating all the whole foods with plenty of veggie (yay, you!). Then a hard freeze hits. You take a week off from running due to the frozen conditions and all of a sudden you’re having potato chips for breakfast and ice cream for a late night snack. Now,you’re frustrated, confused, stressed out, and losing focus on your goals. Sometimes, we can get so thrown off that we hyper-focus on the issue (I failed) rather than the solution (how can I get back on track?).
So, how do you stay on track when stuff hits the fan? Plan for failures and imperfection. Seriously. You have to drill failure into your practice. We can’t predict everything that could possibly go wrong– but expecting setbacks and knowing your alternative options when disaster strikes makes all the difference in your motivation. When you accept that life can (and will) interrupt your plans, you can keep the momentum going anyway. You can approach your tasks without being deflated. You’ll be more realistic about what you can achieve, learn how to make adjustments, and stay open to exploring other options. Don’t be afraid to plan for failure. Embrace it as a tool for staying motivated and achieving your goals. Flexibility is the path of least resistance.
Ultimately, being a motivated person just means that you’re in control of your life (despite old habits and possible set-backs). Remember, you’re fully capable of making the necessary changes in your life to achieve your goals. And you deserve to live the life you want. Take small steps, one day at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be celebrating your success. You’ve got this.
Ready to join our martial arts community and fuel your motivation even more? It’s easy to GET STARTED.
Why does martial arts training include sparring? Sparring is really just another word for fighting, isn’t it?
Not really.
Everyone knows that mixed martial arts (MMA) is absolutely great for functional fitness training and essential for developing everyday skills like discipline, focus, confidence, self-protection, and a powerfully positive mindset.
But at Invictus Martial Arts, we know that you want to do more than just feel good about your training, you want to feel resilient, adaptable, powerful. But in order to do that, you need need to know the coaching and mentoring you receive isn’t just good in theory but proven to help you achieve your goals. The problem is you don’t exactly know how to get it— you know, how to really dial-up the intensity with control whenever you need it. Additionally, what role does sparring play in really help you achieve your goals? This, of course, makes you feel unsure about how to approach sparring and maybe even feel a bit vulnerable to life’s uncertainties.
Fortunately, we believe in giving practical, proven tips-and-tricks to help you develop mental toughness and emotional resiliency through safe and effective sparring techniques. And we understand that safety is important to you which is why we not only educate you on sparring best practices but also allow for progressive skill advancement drills to help you feel confident while you’re developing essential martial arts skills.
Let’s take a look at how we do it…
1. Learning Environment
At Invictus, we believe that sparring is a learning environment where we get to try out our techniques with a resistant partner for the sake of mutual betterment and personal growth. This means that we can confidently know that our sparring partner is there to help us and not harm us. This understanding and agreement allow us to try out our skills in a growth-minded culture knowing we’re getting better, together. Of course, this makes sparring fun while also encouraging experimentation and improvement feedback.
2. Cognitive Flexibility
One of the lesser-known benefits of sparring is this: being able to think “outside the box.” Combinations (short and long forms of individual movements), technical and performance drills, and equipment techniques are often memorized patterns that help develop muscle memory for almost instinct-like responsiveness which is great for self-protection and performance. As good as all that is (and it really is the best), sparring takes it even further and reinforces neuroplasticity. This crucial adaptability allows you to see things from a different perspective encouraging you to adjust to changing environmental stimuli. Many people believe that this can help with achieving the much sought-after “flow state” and experience shows that it always helps a person develop increased mental toughness and improved emotional resiliency. After all, who doesn’t want more of that?
3. Adrenalized Control
The ability to manage and mitigate adrenaline and cortisol stress is a critical skill to develop for self-protection and much needed in today’s frenzied life. Fortunately, sparring affords you the opportunity to experience both in a safe and controlled environment. Nothing can ever truly prepare you for the unexpected. However, it is possible to train for chaos and, in fact, sparring does just that. The adrenaline and cortisol dump that occurs in your body when triggered by a stress-related event creates a cascade of minor motor deficiencies making typically normal movements more challenging to execute with precision. Controlled breathing, hand-eye coordination, muscular endurance, cardiovascular durability, and total-body proprioception are just a few of the excellent benefits you can readily achieve when training in an adrenaline-controlled environment. Luckily, sparring helps give you upgraded self-discipline and equips you with the tools you need to successfully navigate through the stresses of everyday life. In other words, you manage life better.
Sparring is more than just sweating and smiling; it’s learning, it’s collaborative, and best of all, it’s confidence-building. So, we invite you to take your first step today and schedule a FREE Private Consultation with us. We would love to get to know more about you and partner with you to help you achieve your goals!
Invictus Martial Arts is a private, by-appointment-only martial arts academy on N. Lake Creek Parkway in NW Austin (Williamson County). Unlike many of the other martial arts training facilities in the area, Invictus is NOT open to the general public but rather designed for those receiving training with our certified martial arts coaches. This kind of arrangement works well for SO many reasons.
Here are three benefits to training in a private martial arts academy like Invictus Martial Arts.
Shared Commitment
If your session overlaps with that of another coach and client (like our small group or semi-private options), you’ll be sharing the space with like-minded individuals. When people choose a personal martial arts coach, they tend to want to get the most bang for their buck. Unlike a public studio, where people may blend in with the crowd, spend 45 minutes with very little direct, personalized input on how to make progress, or wait unnecessarily long to use the equipment, the goal in a private martial arts academy setting is an efficient, effective training session – every time.
Better Training
One of the perks of working with a personal martial arts coach is a customized training session that takes into consideration your goals and continued development. Your martial arts coach will keep you on task, moving from skill to skill, and pushing you in a manner that challenges you without putting you at risk. You’ll also learn proper technique, further reducing your chances of injury and maximizing your efficiency and control.
A More Personal Experience
Training in a private setting facilitates familiarity, making it easy to build a good rapport and camaraderie with both your martial arts coach and anyone else who happens to be training at the same time. These kinds of supportive bonds reinforce accountability, which is so important for making progress toward your martial arts goals.
A private, by-appointment-only martial arts academy, like Invictus Martial Arts in NW Austin (Williamson County), strikes the perfect balance of results and community. It offers a cozy social environment while still promoting hard work. Whether LIVE-Streaming online or In-Person, if you’re ready to learn more then contact us today for a FREE Private Consultation.
