The Rut Cycle...

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing- that's why we recommend it daily" -Zig Ziglar

So I thought I would start the day off with nice little motivational quote on self motivation!

Something I have not only noticed with myself, but with others around me, is this cycle people go through when setting goals for ourselves.

Like going to the gym- we feel really excited and gung- ho about that idea of a firm and tight body we got from those airbrushed fitness magazines, so we enroll in a gym membership. We are already feeling like a million bucks from just enrolling and feel totally compelled brag to everyone about the fact that, "I have a gym membership." We pack our cute little $20 gym bags that we bought from Target, and we strut in the gym with it hanging off our shoulder, a towel wrapped around our necks, like we are some pro. Again, feeling like a million bucks. We stroll on over to the weight section, do a once- over of the long rack of weights, and- of course, being the inexperienced cocky gym fools, we are- go straight for the 50 lb bench press. 2 minutes later, we stumble out of those same doors we just ever-so-casually wandered into, with buckets of sweat pouring down our bright red faces. Needless to say, that's the end of our gym memberships! At this point, we want nothing to do with that place! Well, until a year later when we're flipping through those fitness magazines, again. Then, we find ourselves feeling really stupid for ever quitting and giving up on that goal, so we go and enroll ourselves in a gym membership, again.


So not to say that you have the same problems I do with that torture hall people call a gym, but do you see the pattern? I call it the Rut Cycle.

The Rut Cycle

1. You set a goal and you feel really confident about it.
2. Then, you actually start putting that goal in action.
3. Soon, you wonder why you ever even thought this was a good idea and stop.
4. So you feel guilty and start all over.

Does this sound familiar?

What I think I forget about the goals that I've set for myself, is that this energy and motivation I felt at the very beginning needs to be constantly being replenished with some motive to keep you going. For some it is dedicating that goal to someone else and have that other person to constantly be their motivation to keep them going. Others are those people who, every day they wake up, sike themselves up in the mirror, saying things like, "You can do this. You are amazing and awesome and there is nothing that can change that. Let's go out there and make it a rock star day!" For me, I need to blare my radio and jam out to my favorite tunes to get me motivated. But, you know, we all have our ways to self motivate ourselves, and everyone might come across it in a completely different way then the next, but the thing we all seem to have in common is that we have to be persistent. Whatever it may be, it has to be something that we can count on. That is what will keep us going.

So I agree with Mr.Zig Ziglar- motivation doesn't always last, that's why we have to have something to resort to to save us from the Rut Cycle. The goals that we set for ourselves are kind of important, whether it feels like it or not, because it represents us moving forward. When you get trapped in the cycle, you aren't moving forward. We have to keep moving.


Keep Moving Forward,
IotaDaily