Ways to Increase and Sustain Sports Motivation

In order to increase and sustain your motivation to do sports, you need to manage your sports psychology effectively. And this is not as difficult as it seems. You can overcome this task with simple but good planning.

First of all, instead of setting big goals for yourself, you can set smaller, reachable, simple goals. Being aware of your own reality while setting goals will be effective in reaching them. For example, you can start exercising with the goal of walking 3 days a week. Again, you can determine the duration and number of days of walking according to your time, health and lifestyle. If you can walk 1 day a week, you start with 1 day, if you can walk 5 days, you start with 5 days. Or, you can plan your walk that you started with 60 minutes first, and then 30 minutes the following week due to valid reasons. The important thing is to set goals that you can achieve and to be able to implement them. As you reach your goals, your motivation will increase and your goals will be sustainable. 

Doing the same sport may seem boring to you. For example, you may get bored of walking all the time. Again, you can set and implement 30-minute walk-run goals that suit your health, lifestyle and time. If you don't have time to go out and do sports or if you feel tense, you can do pilates or yoga at home. Activities such as running or cycling for another day will help you keep your routine alive. By trying different sports that are suitable for you, you can discover the sports branches where you are more successful and feel better.

If exercising alone is not sustainable for you, you can do sports with a friend or any group from time to time. By researching, you can contact groups such as walking, running, mountaineering, cycling, pilates, yoga, basketball, volleyball, etc., and you can both socialize and make the process more fun.

It may be difficult at times, you may not feel like doing sports and you may even make excuses for yourself. (The weather is hot or cold, I don't have time, I can't do it today, I'm tired, the electricity is out :) ) At such times; use motivating sentences to yourself. You can direct your mind in a positive direction with sentences like "I can do this", "I will feel good when I start" or like I do "If I start, it will be over, I will feel good afterwards" :) Reminding yourself why you want to do sports; your health, energy, general well-being or a specific goal (losing weight, staying in shape) will increase your intrinsic motivation. Try to remember the feeling you experience after sports. The release of endorphins, reducing your stress, feeling good and starting sports will be powerful sources of motivation. 

Listening to your favorite music while exercising, exercising outdoors or in nature, and diversifying your exercise routine with fun apps can make your workouts more enjoyable.

When you achieve your short-term or long-term goals, reward yourself by eating your favorite meal or buying yourself a gift.

When you make sports your daily routine, it will turn into other routines (eating, sleeping, etc.) and will make you less stressed about time. Making sports an automatic behavior in your lifestyle, reaching your goals and discovering the countless benefits that sports bring to you will also make you need less motivation.

Remember that you will receive what you give to yourself…

We hope you can find your own balance to increase your sports motivation and make it sustainable…