If you have lost the motivation for working out, don’t fret. It’s normal.
I’d wager that every athlete from kids in youth sports to the best cyclist, ultra-runner, swimmer, footballer, golfer or gymnast you can think of has lost the motivation to work out. I’m certain of it.
f you’re a parent with youngsters in a sport such as travel ball or gymnastics, or maybe activities such as dance or cheer, we’ve heard these: “I don’t wanna go. I’m tired of doing this. I want to do something different. It’s not fun.” If you’re a parent with teenage or college-age children, you’ve wondered what happened to their love of whatever they did for six or eight years.
If you’re an athlete with a rack of bikes in the garage, or a pile of running and trail shoes, or dresser drawers with clothes for swimming and biking and running, at some point I’d bet money you’ve said, “Eh, I need a break.”
This is normal. Don’t adjust your set. Don’t wail in despair or trade your lycra for sackcloth. It. Is. Normal.
We’re humans. While we love doing things, we can love them to death. We become so involved and engrossed that we sometimes lose sight of why we got into something to begin with: love, joy, simpleness, a great feeling.
It Happens to Everyone
I’d have a hard time believing anyone who says they never have lost their motivation for working out.
I’ve seen it happen with different athletes over the course of writing about sports for almost 40 years. I’ve been around champion athletes who just have the look in their eyes like, “Man, I’m tired of this.” Worn down, beaten down, tired, scheduled into a tunnel with little else in sight. I’ve seen it in kids who were in sports year-round, often at the behest of their parents pushing them too hard. I’ve seen it myself, personally, where I need a break for a while from trails or roads or working out. That doesn’t mean I sit on the couch like a slug. I’m still walking, running, biking, doing something.
Is this bad? No. It just means you lose some ground with fitness or whatever until you start back doing what you were doing. And, on the plus side, taking a break might be a catalyst to trying something new. If you’ve been into biking for 20 years, maybe try swimming? If you’re into trail running and know every root, rock, twist and turn in three states, maybe hop on a bike?
There’s nothing wrong with shifting gears or adding something to your outdoors fun. I’m not into swimming although I know it’s a great workout. It’s just not my bag. But I love riding my bike. I did the Racin’ the Station duathlon put on by the Team Rocket Tri-Club and had a great time. It’s helped me get going again on my bike. Knocking out five, 10, 15 or more miles is fun. It’s a different workout than running or trails, too.
If you’ve lost your motivation, don’t sweat it. It could be due to myriad reasons: changes in your personal life, depression, you’re not seeing goals being met, you feel alone and need a partner or group, you’re injured or need more recovery time, you’re expecting too much with too little input, your older but think you’re younger, you set unattainable goals, your job is an issue, or other factors.
All of those can be helped, changed or worked around. You might need to find a trainer, workout group or buddy, and have a little more accountability. Injured? Therapy might be the key. Depressed? Seeking help for mental and emotional needs is attainable. All the other factors? They, and others, all are things others have gone through before and will go through in the future. You ain’t the Lone Ranger.
Lost your motivation? Don’t worry. It’s normal. Chill out, relax, take some time, reassess, figure out what you want to do and then pursue it. Even if it’s something completely new, that’s cool. Enjoy the process and get back at it.
