Let’s be real: Motivation is not always there. This is a fact that trainers and clients know too well. As the client, you may feel awkward or bad when you lose motivation and just “don’t feel like it today.” We’re here to tell you that’s okay. We also want to give you guidance on how to address your loss of motivation with your trainer. This is bound to happen when you commit to long-term training, so it is better to equip yourself with the resources before it happens.
Here are the steps to address your loss of motivation with your trainer:
Step #1
Be completely honest with your trainer
Honesty really is the best policy when it comes to sharing any bit of information with your trainer. If you have hit a rut then tell your trainer. This first step is crucial because it will give your trainer the time to plan accordingly.
Believe it or not, there are ways to train when you are not motivated. It could be a modification of pace. If you’ve been with your trainer for long enough, they may even know your favourite exercises and will program just those. Motivation is a mindset and all of our trainers are educated in the science of motivation.
So next time you’re feeling low on motivation, tell your trainer. This will get the process started to address your loss of motivation (and hopefully get you back on track!).
Step #2
Figure Out What You Need
You know yourself best. This is why the next step asks you to figure out what you need. Are you looking to avoid, or are you looking for something exciting in your life? When you are feeling low on motivation do you say to yourself “if I could just… then I’d feel better”? If so, what is that thing that you think would be the magic fix?
Is it a quick fix? Is it a shift in mindset? Is it a change of circumstances (had more time, had more money, had more support, etc.)?
All of these situations can be found within the gym setting with your personal trainer. Looking for a quick fix? Schedule yourself a session, but ask for a completely new workout – something high intensity. This will give you a new rush of accomplishment, and reward you with a new feeling of excitement.
Maybe you are looking for a shift in mindset. Telling yourself if you could just be more positive, or if you could just stop being so hard on yourself – then you’d be fine. Mindset shifts are the hardest thing to achieve. We have hardwired thoughts in our subconscious that will always creep in during a moment of weakness.
This is why you’ll hear clients and trainers say “consistency is key.” If you want to be more positive, you have to make an effort to be more positive every day. If that’s the type of mindset support you need from your trainer – tell them. The beauty of having a personal trainer is that their whole purpose is to provide you with the personal experience that you need to achieve your health and fitness goals. Ask them to encourage you to stay positive, and to only speak in a positive way.
Lastly, if you think a change of circumstances will make your life easier then you definitely need to speak with your trainer. A lack of time can easily be remedied by rescheduling your appointments to a less stressful time for you. If you’re feeling tight on money, figure out expenses are serving your long term health, and which ones are not. And finally, if you feel that you need better support, start with your trainers.
Let them know that you need their support. Share with them what support looks like for you. Once again – the benefit of having a personal trainer is that they are there to provide a personalized service to you. So ask for exactly what you need, and then re-evaluate your current support system outside of the gym.
Step #3
Make A Plan
A goal to have more motivation is just a dream if you don’t have a plan. If you’ve already followed the above 2 steps, then you are on your way. The final step is to set some new goals. Research has shown that individuals who approach a task with low motivation are able to achieve a task with a more positive attitude and greater success when they have specific goals.
We have written many articles about goal-setting and even have a free goal-setting guide here for you to download: SMART Goal Setting Sheet (free download – no email required)
Sometimes your original goal gets out of focus. When we feel like we have lost our direction/purpose, we tend to lose motivation. After all – if you found yourself driving for hours on the 401 with no destination in mind, you’d probably just pull off at the nearest exit to end the seemingly pointless journey.
Write down new goals, reset old goals, and refocus on what you are working towards. With your goals in mind and your trainer fully aware of your situation, you are setting yourself up for success.
