We’ve been sold a lie. Well, a few actually.

We’ve been led to believe that we should feel motivated to exercise.

That we should have adequate energy & time to do it.

And that if we can’t do it the exact right way, it doesn’t really count.

Lies, all of them!

  • Here’s the reality: motivation is fleeing.
  • Energy? It’s unpredictable.
  • And if you’re waiting for the “perfect” moment to exercise… well, you may just be waiting forever.

I can fall in and out of the same trap.

  • In fact, I have recently found myself in a real training funk.
  • The signs are obvious – my brain starts to become crafty.
  • It either justifies why I’m not training (eg. because I didn’t sleep well last night) or it tries to bargain with me (eg. I’ve got too much work on so I’ll do a double session tomorrow).
  • When I used to find myself here, I would beat myself up (you’re so lazy, it’s not that hard, you KNOW what to do, why aren’t you doing it!)
  • Now I know that the issue is not laziness. It’s not a lack of motivation, energy or time. It is too much friction.

Friction is the silent saboteur.

  • Friction is created by those tiny little barriers that get in the way of us and our goal.
  • Friction is our kids being needy in the mornings.
  • It’s our workout gear being out of sight (and out of mind).
  • It’s not having a good plan of what exercise we actually need to do.
  • In my case, I was trying to ‘fit’ my training in through the day “between clients” (newsflash, there often is no ‘between clients’).
  • Here’s what I did: I moved my weights into my bedroom. Now, I can’t get to my door (or my coffee) in the morning without stepping over them. Oh and I do my workout in my pyjamas (because getting dressed is another friction point!)

More motivation wasn’t the solution. Less friction was.

  • This is why I love the WOOP strategy for cutting through the noise and getting things done.

Here’s how it works:

1. Wish – What do you want to achieve? (For me, it was getting back into my regular strength training routine.)

2. Outcome – Visualise what success looks like. (I had been visualising how hard it would feel. So I switched to visualising feeling stronger, more energised, and more confident).

3. Obstacle – Identify the real-life barriers. (In my case, my weights were out of sight, and my mornings always felt rushed.)

4. Plan – Make a specific plan to overcome those obstacles. (I moved my weights into my bedroom, so now they’re in my way!)

If you’re stuck in a cycle of waiting for motivation, time or energy to do something for yourself, consider this your wake-up call 📣

You don’t need to change you; you need to change your environment. You don’t need to find more energy; you just need to make things easier.

So, what friction can you remove? Go on! WOOP with me!