If you really want to reach your goals – especially when it comes to fitness – you have to track your progress. Many people mistakenly believe that the feeling of excitement at the start of working towards a goal, what is often called “motivation”, will carry them all the way to the finish line. However, fitness coach Peter Embiricos says this isn’t what motivation is at all, and labelling it that can derail your progress.
Anyone who has taken on a new fitness or health routine knows that the feeling many call “motivation” usually disappears after a few days or weeks. Today, Embiricos explains what motivation is, how the common misconception about it leads to motivation fading, and what can be done to ensure that it’s actually sustainable.
What People Think Motivation Is
Many believe that motivation is that rush of energy and inspiration that comes just before action. However, that feeling is actually a burst of emotion that comes from novelty, dopamine, and hope. That burst of emotion will eventually fade, sometimes within a few hours, and sometimes it lasts for a few days.
That burst of emotion is not motivation.
What Motivation Actually Is
Psychology and behavioural science say that motivation is a feedback loop between action and emotion. Action doesn’t follow motivation; it creates it. What’s more, it doesn’t happen after taking action once, but after taking action multiple times. It’s important to be consistent with it. So first there’s the spark, then the first, second, and third action, and then motivation.
This means that there’s a step within the action phase that you have to follow that will keep you on track before you can rely on motivation to kick in and help you move forward. “Consistency is key” is a popular mantra, but the tricky part is figuring out how to stay consistent.
Peter says tracking progress is the one essential tool that can be used to stay consistent with any goal.
How To Be Consistent
The tool that will get you there is tracking your progress. This might sound overdone and cliche, but it’s been proven time and time again that it works. The brain loves to see movement. It responds well to feeling like there’s a game and that it’s doing well, so you have to trick it into believing that it’s winning every day.
How To Track Progress
There are two keys to tracking progress for any goal.
- First, track it by completing the action. This one is easy, and you’ll win as long as you do it. All it takes is a checkmark to complete the action for that day.
- Second, you track progress through improvement. If you’re focused on getting stronger and eating healthier, a good way to do this would be to take daily or weekly progress pictures and add them to a folder that you regularly review.
Some people also use a scale, but research has shown the number on the scale doesn’t always show true results, so find what works best for you.
Why Tracking Progress Is Such a Powerful Tool
Tracking your progress is such a strong tool because every time you see a step forward, like checking off a box or hitting a milestone, your brain rewards you with a dopamine hit. That feels good, so you want to keep going.
Even a small amount of progress can lead to a compounding effect on momentum. Small wins stack up and make the next step feel easier. Instead of facing a vague, vague goal, you see clear evidence you’re moving closer.
Tracking progress helps you to see the future in a more straightforward, calmer way. That clarity makes you feel like you’ve already done it, so following the steps doesn’t seem like effort, it just seems like part of the plan.
Final Thoughts
Tracking progress starts as a productivity tool and builds into a mindset shift. Eventually, it will lead to more confidence and motivation in all areas of life. In business, personal growth, or fitness, there’s one principle that always holds true: what gets measured gets improved.
Who Is Peter Embiricos?
Peter Embiricos is a Dallas-based personal trainer and fitness coach. He’s always been focused on a personalized, holistic approach to health and fitness, and his ultimate goal is to help people unlock their full potential through improving their lifestyle and mindset.
