"LEVERAGING MOTIVATION"
You should always strive to do the things you have to do even when you don't want to do them. This is commonly known as; Motivation leveraging: By doing extra on on- days, you naturally allow yourself leeway psychologically to know you're ahead of the game on off days, and if you fight through your off-days your still ahead and there isn't as much pressure or work needed to do what you've already conquered or achieved previously. In other words, "Do the ultra hard things when it feels easy, and still the hard things when it feels hard." This is the only way to truly grow, get out of your comfort zone and build confidence and other key and proven intangibles that build desired positive psychological momentum. 1 Also keep in mind that your body and mind are adapting and preparing to do even more the next time your drive is high (I.e. super compensation). This subtle little approach can pay huge dividends over time and I've used it extensively over the course of my training career.
I would have never been able to reach elite jumping and athletic skill abilities had I not had the mental foundation set in motion for years on end.
Do Not rely on feelings to drive you. "Motivation is like a freight train." If you start building momentum which can only be attained by consistent and intense action, which is the true driver of motivation over time, your drive and momentum will be much harder to stop. Plus the boosts in the overhyped and misleading positive feelings associated with motivation often come after the work is done, according to world class neurologist Dr. Huberman. In other words, properly timed periods of daily work create predictable dopamine impulses in the brain. Have you ever noticed that after a very hard workout that you felt reluctant to do, you felt tenfold better than before you began? Anyone can attest to this, and this is exactly what you need to do regardless of your life circumstances.
Like many things in our society that is ass backwards, motivational advice seems to be no exception. A very strong purpose or mission that comes from a powerful vision, Commitment to that goal and the process, discipline to stay focused and stay the course, and work ethic invariably dictate your true success, or lack there of.
Motivation is simply a potential byproduct at times but it is highly unreliable and fleeting as I'm sure you know. Reaching benchmarks and having success elicit a reward response and strong chemical pleasure and temporary reinforcement, but this isn't generally a regular occurrence, and what do you do once this diminishes? So, figure out exactly what you want to achieve and make it as specific and realistic as possible. Moreover, your vision needs to always be clear, so you weed out any potential confusion or distractions. These two common factors will always cause a setback at some point, and if not addressed timely, will eventually cause you to fail.
Now go some kick some ass!
SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES:
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