Taking The Motivation Pill

Admit it. You’re waiting for it—for a pill that fills your being with a river of flowing motivation and the glorious desire to excel. Don’t feel bad. We all are seeking more motivation, some, if not most of the time. And in the absence of motivation, perhaps another cup of coffee or 5-Hour Energy will sustain the illusion long enough to dutifully complete another workout…

I believe that motivation is all around us. That it is flowing like the rivers if we know were to look and how to tap in. And when I say, “tap in,” I mean literally create a “drip line” of motivation that never leaves you high-and-dry.

Yeah, I know. It sounds pretty good, right? Trust me, you can do this.

First off, you’ve got to stop looking—we all have to stop looking in the wrong places for motivation. And the first and most common wrong place is between your ears.

Motivation isn’t in your head. Let me say that again; IT IS NOT IN YOUR SKULL! Stop looking for a rational, justifiable reason to argue for motivation.

You’ve seen the articles, the experts, chastise you for “not having time” to train. They argue, “Just spend less time sitting.” Or what have you. Yes, it’s a logical argument but who cares.

Motivation is not in your head, it’s in your heart, your emotions.

Your head is usually in the way. If it’s not making logical arguments that you can’t win, it’s rambling negative messages—from “that voice” that seems to always be there telling us why we “can’t.”

Here are 3 strong steps to hooking up a “Drip-Line of Motivation”:

1) Read inspiring stories… not just factual “how to” information.

It’s really great to know “how to” build an amazing dinner table for your family home. If you want to, you need to know how. Right?

But who the hell wants to? Well, read a story about how one man built a table as a gift to his family before he passed, so that they might celebrate his life with every meal, and you might feel a reason.

This “feel a reason” is why the success stories lead in my brother’s book, Body for LIFE. Or why I open my classic, ABSolution with the story of my life, my passion and how it’s impacted others.

Read great blogs, magazines (if you can find them) and anywhere you can connect to a regular flow of content that inspires you and makes you feel better. Feeling good is way underrated in our world today.

2) Witness people who excel at their sport, art or career with passion.

This is another level of pure exposure to the endless flow of motivational energy. I see it in sport often. Not necessarily in the winners or the best but in the few who are so in love with the sport itself, who are in flow, who live for the moment.

For me, I’ve loved watching the iconic Jens Voigt’s passion for his chosen sport of cycling. His unbridled enthusiasm is contagious. Similarly, I loved how Andre Agassi loved every point during the last few years of his tennis career.

By “witness” I mean, “use your eyes.” You can watch on TV. You can see them live—which has another force that’s hard to beat. You can even use the visual inspiration of books and magazines. The eyes take in the visuals and the process begins instantly. In this way the visual bypasses some of the traps of the brain-game.

I put this motivation technique to work for you in my classic ABSolution book. When it first came out, some could not imagine an Abs book in large, coffee table format. “Why?,” they would ask.
The answer is simple, now. Right?

Because it’s the visuals, the eyes, the seeing, that evokes the motivation in its own powerful and unique way. And in this visually stunning book, the pages are filled with what I can say—in adequate hindsight—some of the most stunning physique images of a generation.

3) Pay close attention to your felt state, to what feels good and lean in.

We, the human race, are conditioned to attend to danger. It’s well known that we seek to protect and defend, to seek safety, before we seek to feel better. Hence, the media uses scare tactics on us all the time. And marketers, they love to sell from fear, because it works.

We, you and I, we barely even notice the feeling of crap that comes with this constant vigilance. We just bounce from one scary moment to another. And then we expect to be motivated?

To enjoy the “drip line” effect you must lean into that good feeling—be it happy, joy, energy, love. Start paying more attention to what’s working for you, for your good feelings, more than what’s not.

Belonging to a positive group, a community, that supports the individual and collective success is a huge boost. A group like Burn the Fat Inner Circle that shares common values and vision.

Sharing what’s working for you, your success and experience is as important as receiving others. Hey, in this day and age it may well take a tribe to get a six pack! Right?

For me, over the near 30 years I’ve lived and shared the lean, fit, strong life this sharing has been the most rewarding, sustaining part of it all.

While it’s great and satisfying to achieve certain levels of physique success and recognition, what I’ve most enjoyed is sharing my experience with others, like you, such that you can live your own best-body and life dream.

It’s true that crafting your best body is a personal journey but it’s one best achieved and enjoyed when shared with others.

Here’s to your ABSolute best of Life,

Shawn Phillips,
Author ABSolution: The Practical Solution to Six Pack ABS
And Strength for LIFE

About The Author: Shawn Phillips: The Philosopher of Fit
“Life is not about fitness—rather fitness serves a great life!,” says “The Philosopher of Fit,” Shawn Phillips. Author of the best-selling books, ABSolution and Strength for Life, as well as thousands of articles on health, fitness, nutrition, mindset, motivation, and more, Shawn brings a unique perspective and rare depth to his work. Shawn integrates body, mind and soul into the art of pumping-iron, with his “Zen of Strength” practice—blending the intensity of martial arts, the mindfulness of yoga with the muscle of strength training.
One of the most photographed bodies of the era, Shawn helped fuel the Physique-craze of today. Alongside his younger brother, Bill, Shawn was part of the launch of Met-Rx, the sky rocket growth of EAS and the Body-for-LIFE movement. Founder of Full Strength Nutrition, Shawn continues to write, speak and inspire people to live extraordinary lives.

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