How Do You Stay So Motivated?

Some reflections on what works for me.

When I’m out in the world talking to normies about fitness, I usually get hit with a few predictable lines:

“How do you stay so motivated?”

“I wish I was as motivated as you.”

“I wish I had the time to work out.”

That second one always makes me want to scream.

Here’s how I really do it…

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The Honest Truth

When things get hard, boring, busy—or just plain inconvenient—I dig deep for motivation… by thinking about the glory, the likes, the girls who’ll be impressed, the boss who’ll give me a raise because I bench more than him, the feeling of finally being “enough” after hitting a squat PR, showing my kids what hard work looks like, and so on.

I put motivational posters on the wall. I whisper a prayer to my Ronnie Coleman (lifting Jesus) shrine. Then I march into the garage like a man on a mission.

Except… that’s all basically bullshit.

I’m not “motivated.” If anything, I’m lazy by nature. The truth is: motivation hasn’t carried me in fitness for years.

The newbie gains are long gone. I wasn’t born with great genetics. I’m constantly reminded of my training age (and my actual age). There’s always a lingering ache or discomfort. Training often isn’t fun—and some days, it straight-up sucks.

There have been plenty of times where my motivation was a 0 or 1 out of 10. I’ve dreaded workouts. And there’s always a reason to skip one: injuries, mental fatigue, life obligations, donuts, building Lego, doomscrolling X, cruising Facebook Marketplace, reading about stocks I won’t buy, social events, sushi cravings…

Yes, I feel great after the workout—the endorphins hit, things feel lighter, I’m more resilient. But getting started is the hard part.

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What Actually Keeps Me Going?

Discipline. That’s it.

I’ve had to learn how to make training as frictionless as possible. Here’s what’s helped:

🏋️ Things I Do Today

• Get dressed early. About 30 minutes before I train, I change into my workout gear. Then I go out to the garage, crack open an energy drink, and do some investing work on my laptop. I’m already out there, already stimulated—might as well warm up.

• Plan ahead. I always know what I’m doing before I start. No surprises. I’ve mentally bought into the workout days (or even weeks) before. Having a plan for the day reduces the mental burden. I show up and execute.

• Time block it. During busy weeks, I book workouts into my calendar like meetings. That way, I know exactly when to start and when I’ll be done.

• Sign up for a competition. I’m not delusional—I’m not going to win any sponsorships or be on any lifting podcasts. But knowing I’ll be seen on the platform keeps me training (and adhering to my planned diet).

• Mix in gym sessions. I have a garage gym, which is great… but sometimes I go to a gym to train with other powerlifters. A bit of social energy helps keep the fire lit.

• Lean on community. A good community doesn’t just hype the highlights—they get the grind. Having a friend to check in with, or just listen to me complain, is invaluable.

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What Helped in the Past

• Hire a trainer. When I was just starting, paying a trainer made me show up. I mean I didn’t want to waste my money. Plus, they handled the planning—so I just had to show up and move.

• Workout buddy. Knowing someone was waiting for me made it harder to skip sessions.

• Classes. Signing up for a spin class (with a no-show fee) helped get my ass out the door early on.

• Reward system. I started with old clothes and beat-up sneakers. But I made deals with myself—stick with it for a month, and I’d buy new shorts. Two months? Something nicer. Six months? Shoes. Progress deserved a prize.

• Track progress. Nothing fancy—just enough to see that I was lifting more, recovering faster, and doing better over time.

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Ideas I’ve Shared with Friends

• Just show up. Start with 15 minutes, twice a week. Don’t aim for perfection—aim for consistency.

• Make it visual. Put a calendar or habit tracker on the fridge. Something you (and others) see daily.

• Don’t miss twice. From Atomic Habits: missing once is fine. Don’t make it a streak.

• Find what you enjoy. If weights aren’t your thing, try running, swimming, biking—just pick a challenge you’ll stick with.

• Zero is better than minus one. A half-effort session is still better than skipping entirely. It keeps the habit alive and progress moving forward.

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Final Thoughts

I used fitness here as an example, but the lesson applies to anything that requires long-term effort—investing, writing, learning a skill, building a career.

Motivation will ebb and flow. What matters more is discipline and the systems you build to keep showing up.

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What about you? Got any hacks or personal experience with staying consistent?

Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

—Dean