Guess what? Even as a gym owner, I’m not motivated to work out every day. Sounds crazy, right? I post about fitness, I own a gym, and yes, I genuinely enjoy it—yet some days, showing up is still a struggle.
Recently, I had a conversation with one of my clients about motivation and discipline, and he shared something that resonated with me:
“When you’re motivated to work out, you should work out. When you don’t want to work out, you must work out.”
Now, I’m a huge fan of listening to your body, resting, and allowing for recovery. This message isn’t about those much-needed days when you choose active recovery or take a break to let your body restore itself. I’m talking about those days when you just don’t feel motivated. If I waited for motivation alone to get me moving, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
In fact, for many years, motivation was something I battled with constantly. From the time WildFire CrossFit opened its doors in 2012 to about 2020, I lived on a rollercoaster of motivation. There were days when I felt strong and ready, but just as many where I got distracted, focused on other things, and missed the consistency I wanted. The results were hit or miss. Access to fitness wasn’t my issue, but motivation? Definitely.
And that’s the thing—if we’re waiting around for motivation to strike, we’ll rarely get moving. And even when it does, that motivation can be fleeting. So, what changed? How did I find a way to stay consistent even when motivation wasn’t there?
How I Built My Systems for Consistency
Here are some key strategies that helped me make fitness a habit:
- Asking for Help and Hiring a Coach
This was huge for me. I knew that left to my own devices, I’d keep going through cycles of inconsistency. So, I brought in Coach Sam to help with my nutrition. Even though I understood the basics, having someone guide me, set a plan, and check in kept me on track. Four years later, I’m still in regular contact with her, and my results have been amazing. - I also made it a point to participate in the classes our coaches offer here at WildFire. They’re incredible at what they do, and I had to be humble enough to step into the role of a student. Just because I owned the gym didn’t mean I had to know it all. Letting my own coaches help me was a game-changer.
- Setting Accountability Systems
Next, I created accountability systems to ensure I showed up consistently. I committed to hitting the “Commitment Club” each month, which meant showing up and logging 16 workouts a month in Beyond the Whiteboard. Knowing that all I needed to do was show up consistently—no perfection needed—helped take the pressure off. Little by little, I began to see progress. - Finding an Accountability Buddy
Having a buddy to coordinate workouts with added an extra layer of accountability. Knowing someone else was counting on me to show up made it harder to skip. As one of our members once put it, “I show up for the people, and I get a workout out of it.” This sense of community and mutual support helped transform showing up into a shared commitment.
Turning Fitness into a Habit
Now, fitness is a habit. The systems I’ve set up mean that even on low-motivation days, I have structure and support to keep me consistent. I show up for others, they show up for me, and the reward is seeing the positive results of that consistency.
If you’re ready to create systems in your life to make fitness and health achievable, let’s chat. I know asking for help isn’t always easy, but it was one of the best choices I made. We still have eight weeks left in the year—plenty of time to set a plan, lose some weight, and feel your best going into 2025. Let’s build a system that works for you!
Coach Tiffany
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