Skip to content
← All articles
Podcast2 min read

11 Ways to Stay Motivated (when you just aren’t motivated)

podcast

The short answer

Motivation is not something you wait for, it is something you work around. In this solo episode Jerred lays out 11 practical ways to keep training on the days you genuinely do not feel like it, because the athletes who make progress over years are the ones who have a plan for the unmotivated days rather than the ones who feel fired up every morning.

Jerred is solo on this one. He gives 11 ways to stay motivated even when you just are not feeling it.

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to the Garage Gym Athlete podcast:

Want training that does not depend on how you feel that morning? Start at Garage Gym Athlete.

Thanks for listening to the podcast, and if you have any questions be sure to add them in the comments below!

To becoming better!

Jerred

Frequently asked questions

What should you do when you have no motivation to work out?

Have a plan that does not depend on motivation. That usually means lowering the bar for the day rather than skipping it: shorten the session, drop the intensity, or commit to just the warm-up. Getting started is the part motivation blocks, and it is usually easier to continue once you have begun.

Is motivation or discipline more important for training?

Discipline, because it is the one you control. Motivation comes and goes based on sleep, stress, and mood. A program you follow on the flat days is what produces results over years, which is the whole idea behind training daily over decades.

Does losing motivation mean you should change your program?

Not usually. Program hopping is a common response to a motivation dip, and it resets your progress instead of fixing the problem. Look first at sleep, stress, recovery, and whether your goal still means anything to you.

How long does it take for training to become a habit?

It varies by person, but the more useful framing is that a habit forms through repetition on the days you did not feel like it. Every unmotivated session you complete makes the next one easier to start.

Train like an athlete. For life.

Programming built this way: hard when it counts, sustainable the rest of the time.

Start free trial →

Related episodes