Healthy habits can have positive, long-term effects on your health, wellness, and military performance. But building new habits or breaking old ones can be hard. Your current habits have created strong neural pathways that allow you to perform them automatically, without any conscious thought or effort. That's why it’s so easy to slip back into old patterns without even noticing.
Changing your habits is achievable, despite being challenging. Your high-level motivation to pursue this journey can increase your chances of success. Dig deep, find your why, and boost your motivation to put in the time and effort building healthy habits.
How high motivation can help you build healthy habits
In simple terms, motivation is the driving force behind your actions. It's what keeps you moving toward your goals despite challenges, roadblocks, or setbacks and can come from internal or external sources. External sources of motivation include rewards such as money, praise, or recognition. Or, it can come from punishments such as not passing your physical fitness test.
Internal sources of motivation include things you connect to your identity such as your values and beliefs. Knowing that new habits can empower you to become the person you want to be might give you personal satisfaction, regardless of external rewards. For example, a parent might get a boost of internal motivation when they notice their improved fitness gives them more energy to play with their kid(s).
In the long run, your internal sources of motivation are more sustainable and powerful for supporting your behavior change. These internal sources can help you overcome resistance to the changes you’re making. Resistance to change can manifest as procrastination, self-doubt, or reverting to old habits, especially when facing stress and challenges. Finding your “why” can boost your internal motivation to work toward change and fuel your persistence and resilience.
How to find your why
Finding the why behind your desired changes is a personal journey, and it looks different for everyone. Some people have a clear answer when asked why they want to change. Others might need time to figure it out. While there's no right way to get to your why, reflecting on a few questions can make the process easier.
Reflect on your values. Identifying your values can help you connect your behavior change to what matters most to you. This alignment creates a strong foundation for motivation.
- What are your core values?
- What principles guide your life?
- What beliefs do you hold?
- What matters most to you?
Consider the bigger picture. Stop for a moment, close your eyes, and picture the effect this change will have on your life. Identify how the changes you want to make line up with the person you want to become.
- How will this change impact your future?
- How will not changing impact your future?
- How can this change positively impact other areas of your life?
Identify personal goals. Identify meaningful goals that you’re more likely to achieve when you’ve made the desired change. Be as specific as possible. For example, instead of saying, "get fit," frame your goal as, "I want to lose 30 pounds to have more energy to play with my kids."
- How can this change support your values and goals?
Keep asking why. After you identify your initial goal and found your why, keep asking "why" to see if you can go deeper. Your series of "whys" could look like this:
"I want to lose 30 pounds."
Why do I want to lose 30 pounds?
"Because I'm overweight."
Why does being overweight bother me?
"Because I have constant body aches and low energy levels."
Why do I care about constant body aches and low energy levels?
"Because that prevents me from playing with my young children."
So, why do I really want to lose 30 pounds?
"I want to lose 30 pounds to have more energy to play with my kids."
How to sustain motivation
Change takes time, and it's important to maintain your motivation throughout the process. Most people are highly motivated and optimistic when they start a new change. Over time, though, they realize that the change takes more work than they first thought. It’s at this point when people start to feel unmotivated and risk giving up. Having strategies to deal with the not-so-good days can help you increase your chances of success.
Visual reminders can help quickly reconnect you with your “why” and boost your motivation. A visual reminder can be anything that instantly reminds you of your why. For example, if your goal is to get fit so you have more energy to play with your kids, a picture of playing with your kids and having a good time can do the trick. You can also try quotes you find inspiring, reminders on your calendar or task app, and even non-specific images that you find strongly resonate with your goals and values.
Social support can also help you stay, or get back, on track. Share your goals with friends and family who can offer encouragement, accountability, and take part in your journey. You might also invite a friend with similar goals to go on this change journey with you. In addition, support groups, whether in-person or online, can provide a sense of community and shared experiences.
Track your progress. Set up a system to help you visualize your progress. This could be the HPRC Habit Tracker, a journal, a calendar, or an app. A visual record of your progress is an easy way to track how far you've come—and it can also keep you motivated. When you can see you’re on a 30-day streak, this might give you extra motivation to keep your momentum going.
Fall in love with your journey. Focus on the positive aspects of your journey and find gratitude along the way. Constantly saying or thinking, "This is so hard," or "I miss my old habits so bad," is a good way to drain your motivation. Instead, celebrate the small successes and progress you make. Focus on who you’re becoming along the way. For example, if your goal is to lose 30 lbs, you can break that into 5-lb or 10-lb increments and celebrate those victories along the way.
Look for added benefits. As you make progress toward your goal, you'll likely begin to see the benefits in other areas of your health, wellness, and performance. For example, as you change your food choices to support your weight-loss goal, you might notice you have more energy throughout the day, sleep better at night, or feel more confident when you go out with your friends. Be on the lookout for the bonus benefits and keep track of them.
How to overcome setbacks and get back on track
From the start, know that setbacks will be a part of your journey. They don't mean you’ve failed. They mean your brain is still learning the habit and hasn't quite mastered it yet. You might feel discouraged when they happen, but having strategies to help get you back on track can keep you moving forward.
Be kind to yourself. Change is hard, and it takes time. Accept the setback with self-compassion and without judgement. Avoid “what if” traps or making assumptions about the future. Setbacks don't mean failure! They’re an opportunity for you to learn and grow.
Debrief with someone. Discuss the situation with someone who might provide a fresh perspective. What you consider failure might be a big win in someone else's eyes. A trusted peer can help you appreciate your efforts and achievements. This is especially true if you tend to be your own worst critic.
Adjust your goals and plan. You might benefit from making changes to your goals and plan. For example, your initial goals might be too much, making them unattainable. If you realize this is the case, think about how to scale down the goals into more manageable steps. Or, you might need to adjust your goals because your circumstances have changed in some way. Think creatively and identify how to fit your goals into your new situation. Flexibility is key to long-term success.
Reconnect with your why. Revisit the reasons you started on this journey. Remind yourself of how this change can support your core beliefs and how your meaningful goals can reignite your motivation.
Finding your why can help you change behavior and build new habits. It boosts your motivation and helps you to stay committed and able to overcome the inevitable challenges along the way. Changing your behavior is a personal journey. It is not a competition with others. Allow yourself enough time for growth and learning to take place while you work to reach your goals.
If you feel inspired and motivated after reading this article, take a moment right now to write down your thoughts and feelings. Answer some of the questions outlined above, and then take your first step toward long-lasting change.