Finding your 'why': 3 steps to reignite your motivation

Connecting with my 'why'.

Have you got a health or fitness goal that’s been rattling around in your mind?

Perhaps you want to create an exercise routine, or eat cleaner, or get to bed earlier.

I think we’ve all got something in the back of our minds!

And perhaps you’ve even started to take steps to create that healthy habit – but then slide back into old patterns again.

We’ve all done this too!

On paper, changing your behaviour seems simple. Just do it, right?

But it can be hard to create – and sustain – a healthy habit. Our human brains like things to be consistent and predictable.

And there’s no shortage of information about there on how to move and eat well. Our social media feeds are full of exercises to do and eating plans to follow!

The problem is – all that information only focuses on the ‘what, how and when’ of behaviour change. And sure, these are important.

But according to behaviour change science, if you want to create habits that stick, there’s one extra thing you need above the ‘what, how and when’.

Your ‘why’.

Because it’s your ‘why’ that gets you motivated. It’s your ‘why’ that gets you up in the morning when it’s dark and cold and you just want to stay snuggled under the covers.

Your ‘why’ can be something external – for example, rewards or punishments. (Think, 30-day challenges.)

Or your ‘why’ can be internal – these are your own internal reasons, desires, and need for change.

And it can be useful to have a bit of both – especially when you’re starting a new habit. You want to use everything you can to make it stick!

But having a strong internal why is the key to creating long-lasting change.

So with that in mind, here are the three steps to finding your ‘why’:

Step 1: Focus your goal.

All behaviour change must start with a clear goal. If you don’t know where you want to go, you probably won’t get there, right?

And importantly, there are two types of goals: outcome goals and process goals.

An outcome goal might be – I want to run a 5k, or I want to lose 5kg. You can even be broader, for example, I want to have more energy.

But you also need to set process goals, because these are the habits that will help you reach your outcome goal. They’re like the stepping stones to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.

Process goals could look like – ‘I want to walk or run for 30 minutes 3 times a week’. Or ‘I want to eat 5 servings of veggies most days of the week’.

So your first step is to think about what you want to do - and make it clear and measurable.

Step 2: Connect with your intention.

Next, connect with your intention around this goal.

What’s important to you about making this change? What are your reasons for wanting to do this?

This is when you’ll discover if you’re motivated by external factors, or by your internal drive.

Also ask yourself, how important is this goal? Give it a number out of 10.

If your importance score is less than 7/10 – or if your reasons are all external - then consider setting a different goal that’s more important to you.

Step 3: Imagine your future ‘you’.

Now that you’ve set your goal and discovered why it’s important, imagine what your life would be like if you were already achieving that goal.

What would change?

How would you feel?

Spend a few minutes picturing your future self. And even better, write your thoughts on paper.

Now, this step might sound a little ‘woo’, but there’s plenty of scientific evidence showing the effectiveness of visualisation. One study from the University of Washington found that people who visualised themselves being active, actually exercised an extra 54 minutes per week, compared to people who were only handed an exercise booklet.

Because when you’re visualising, you’re activating the same brain pathways as when you’re actually doing the thing.

"The brain does not distinguish between real and vividly imagined experiences."

– Dr. Richard Suinn

So by setting your goal, recognising why it’s important, and then seeing it in your mind…

You’re priming your brain to change.

And all change happens in your mind first.

That’s why it needs to start with your ‘why’.