Dean Coulson.

This is an accompaniment to Twitterchat 99 – Motivation
Enjoy.


How motivated we are has a direct bearing on what we can achieve; the bigger the motivation, the better chance we have at achieving what we desire. However there are many factors that can stifle this motivation. As human beings we are creatures of emotion and that can have a big impact on the things we do in everyday life.
External factors play a major part in how we feel and how we react to them will determine whether we are successful in what we are about to do. From a training perspective all manner of things can and will try and stop you doing what you want to do, whether that is a gym session or competing. Your inner voice will try and convince you that doing anything that makes you uncomfortable (training in winter, doing a heavy squat session) is a waste of time and will try anything to stop you.
There are things that can combat that:

• ignoring it and thinking about other things (but going to the gym anyway) will help calm the chatter, it sounds crazy but can work.
• music that gets you so pumped up you want to bend bars (a favourite of mine)
• shouting at the top of your voice before you start a training session (another favourite) gets the adrenaline pumping and can make you focus on what you want to do
• positive affirmations about what you want to do. Pick positive words about what you want to be and repeat them like a mantra.

We are all affected by many things in our lives, but remember, it is our reaction them that determines how we get past them and stay motivated on our goals.
The only limits are those that we impose on ourselves, so don’t impose limits, find your motivation and stick to it.

Resources

Web sites

• www.allroundathlete.com – My blog which covers all aspects of training, including motivation
• www.geoffthompson.com – A world renowned martial artist and an award winning author with many books written on self improvement.
• www.Rosstraining.com – Ross Enamait is known by many as a fantastic athlete and coach, who posts excellent articles that inspire and motivate.

Books

Warrior – a path to self sovereignty (by Geoff Thompson)
Shapeshifter (by Geoff Thompson)
Fear – the friend of exceptional people (by Geoff Thompson)
Mind Gym (by Gary Mack)
The Mental Edge (by Kenneth Baum)
What to say when you talk to yourself (by Shad Helmstetter)
Thick face, black heart (by Chin-Ning Chu)
You may thinking ‘how can self-help books help your motivation?‘ Well I believe motivation can be honed by learning you can do anything you want in life and don’t need to feel held back. Too many people are ignorant of their own minds and are held back by things that, if there were more informed about would realise that they can do anything they want and that is motivation in itself.