How to Charge at Your 2019 Goals with Fervent Energy
I love to plan. Therefore, I find January an exciting time to strategically plan for the new year. Research shows an important step in growing our energy to achieve our exercise and wellness goals and execute our plans starts with drawing on the power of purpose…
Whether it’s regular exercise or following a budget, it’s easy to stick to a plan when things are going well. But when we experience stress, fatigue, boredom, anxiety, and other not so pleasant states, aborting the plan becomes appealing.
So, from where do we draw our energy to stick to our plan when the going gets tough?
Put simply, there is power in having a purpose, but some reasons for exercise are more energizing than others. If the exclusive or primary purpose of your exercise regimen is to look good, research shows this reason is not enough to sustain motivation long-term… unless you are a narcissist that is. Therefore, if we’re going to persist when we face obstacles, we’ve got to have a why that is bigger than ourselves.
Typically, exercise is a behavior that is thought to benefit only the exerciser. On the contrary, the effects of exercise also extend to people whom the exerciser serves in their daily lives. Specifically, people who exercise have more strength, energy, and improved physical functioning that they bring to their social and work related roles (e.g. mother, father, teacher, nurse, etc.). Exercise also decreases depression, stress, anxiety, and improves mood. Anyone whom an exerciser interacts with will likely benefit from these effects.
We grow a deeper sense of purpose in exercise by shifting our attention away from our own needs and desires to serving and meeting the needs of others. Thus, deeply held values fuel the energy on which purpose is built.
A 2019 Challenge
Reflect on the following questions to grow your purpose and energy to exercise:
• What are your values?
• If health is one of your most important values and you are physically inactive, is this behavior inconsistent with your values?
• What are your deeply held values and how does exercise help you achieve them?
Reflecting and thoughtfully naming our life values gives us a strong sense of purpose that guides how we spend our time and energy. Exercise can be fun and enjoyable, it can also be hard. It takes time, sacrifice, and at times it is uncomfortable. If we lack a strong sense of what really matters to us most, we can’t hold our ground when we are challenged by life’s inevitable storms. But when we have purpose in our actions, it grows our energy to persist through those storms.
The power of purpose in exercise grows our energy to charge at our 2019 exercise and health-related goals.
References:
Anshel, M. H. (2008). The Disconnected Values Model: Intervention Strategies for Exercise Behavior Change. Journal of Clinical Sports Psychology, 2, 357-380.
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