There is no shortage of resources and opportunities available to improve health. Education is at an all-time high. Exercise in its varying forms is unequivocally accepted as a positive life choice. Nutrition information and guidelines are (in the majority) now beginning to improve to match real science.
And yet downward trends in health metrics continue.
The problem is not in the ‘what’, or the ‘how’. The problem is in the long term application of the ‘what’ and ‘how’ over time. The problem is with consistent, long term committment to healthy life practices. The problem is with motivation.
Motivation is a binary force. It can push you towards a goal, or it can pull you towards that goal. The source of this motivation determines whether you’re being pulled or pushed.
Let’s contrast these two forces.
‘Push’ motivation is powerful, but fleeting. It’s a motivational song or movie. It’s watching Rocky IV. It inspires superhuman efforts and massive bold actions. And sure, there’s a place for this (it’s a great way to initiate action), but it’s not an effective method for long term motivation.
‘Pull’ motivation is not so powerful, but it’s persistent. It’s not an extrisic motivator (like a motivational speech), but an intrinsic drive that comes from within – from a vision you have for your future. Intrinsic ‘pull’ motivation keeps your mind on the big picture, on what you’re trying to achieve and why you’re trying to achieve it.
Motivation by it’s very definition needs to be long term or we don’t create long term habit change. We want a slow burn of motivation, not a momentary blinding flash. We want daily ongoing one percenters, not one-time massive change.
So how do we emphasise the ‘pull’ motivation? We can start by identifying where we need to go. What’s the end point? The long term outcome goal? This is the final result we want to be pulled towards. From here we can work backwards, and identify the process goals to get us there. Process goals are habits, and long term adherence to habits is the key to long term change.
