3 Powerful Reasons Motivation Comes After Action — Not Before
Are you unmotivated?
Let’s talk about why motivation comes after action, not before it.
When new members walk through our doors, one of the first things they tell me is:
“I’m just not motivated.”
But here’s the truth: almost no one is truly unmotivated to begin their fitness journey. What they’re unmotivated to do is what they think fitness requires:
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Going t
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o the gym 5–7 days a week
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Spending over an hour there every time
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Feeling sore constantly
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Keeping up with intense programs
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Starting, failing, restarting… endlessly
That’s not a motivation problem.
That’s a misunderstanding problem.
And one of the biggest reasons motivation comes after action is because people often picture fitness as something far more overwhelming than it actually needs to be.
1. People Aren’t Unmotivated — They’re Overwhelmed
People rarely quit because they don’t want results.
They quit because they believe the only way to earn results is by suffering.
If someone believes they have to train every day, push through soreness, overhaul their lifestyle, eat only “clean foods,” and never miss a session…
Of course they’ll feel unmotivated.
But once they learn that 2–3 days a week is plenty to start?
Once they realize they can succeed without doing everything perfectly?
Their entire mindset shifts.
That shift is the first proof that motivation comes after action — when the process feels doable, people naturally become more motivatedto stick with it.
2. Consistency Creates Confidence (and Confidence Creates Motivation)
One of my favorite conversations happens when someone tells me:
“I’m trying, but I can’t stay motivated.”
I always say:
“You don’t need motivation. You need momentum.”
When someone starts with two workouts a week—same days, same times—they start stacking small wins.
They show up.
They get through the session.
They feel a little better each time.
And very quickly… they build confidence.
Confidence creates motivation.
Not the other way around.
This is why motivation comes after action—because action gives you something to feel proud of. Without action, your brain doesn’t have any evidence that you’re capable. With action, even tiny action, you begin proving it to yourself.
3. Experts Forget How Hard “Day 1” Really Is
If you’re trying to help a friend or family member get started, here’s something important:
Don’t tell them to do what you do now.
You are too far ahead to remember how overwhelming beginner steps can feel.
It’s like a world-class statistician trying to teach a 6-year-old math.
Not intentionally, but the advice will be too advanced.
When we forget what Day 1 feels like, we accidentally make fitness harder for people who already believe they’re “not motivated.”
Instead, guide them toward the basics:
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Show up twice a week
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Keep the sessions short
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Be consistent, not perfect
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Celebrate small wins early
Because when fitness feels simple, approachable, and repeatable, people begin to succeed—long before they feel motivated.
Thisis the heart of why motivation comes after action.
Success creates motivation.
Progress creates motivation.
Feeling capable creates motivation.
Not waiting.
Not thinking.
Not “getting ready.”
Moving.
Real Talk: Even I Wasn’t Motivated on Day One
People sometimes assume that because I train every day, I’ve always been motivated.
I wasn’t.
In the beginning, I trained because I had a goal—not because it was enjoyable.
But the more I showed up, the more I learned, the more comfortable I became,
the more motivation grew.
Love for training didn’t happen on Day 1.
It happened on Day 500.
And it began with imperfect, inconsistent, early attempts—just like everyone else.
The Bottom Line
If you or someone you care about struggles to start, remember this:
Motivation isn’t missing. It just hasn’t been created yet.
The simplest version of fitness—twice a week, consistent days and times, basic exercises—is enough to build momentum. And momentum becomes motivation.
That’s why motivation comes after action.
Take a small step forward, and motivation will meet you on the way.