‘Motivation thrives when you balance performing well, enjoying what you do and continually learning’ — a sports psychologist shares 5 top tips for maintaining your motivation to exercise
No matter how much you love your favorite sport, you always go through dips in motivation and experience days when you don’t really want to train. Sometimes the best response to that is simply to rest, but there are also many ways to support and boost your motivation so it doesn’t waver as often.
Many of the world’s best athletes consult sports psychologists to enhance their performance, and working on your mindset can be just as important for amateurs as it is for professionals.
I asked sports psychologist Robin Hughes, head of mental fitness at Getahead — an on-demand sports psychology app — for his advice on how to maintain motivation to train, and he shared these five tips.
1. Lead With Your Values
“Your goals need an internal driving force, and nothing is stronger than your values,” says Hughes. “When your fitness goal aligns with what you care about, motivation becomes far easier to maintain. Values create a deeper ‘why’ that keeps you moving even when enthusiasm dips.”
2. Use the PEL Formula
PEL stands for Performance, Enjoyment and Learning, and all three are important to motivation.
“Motivation thrives when you balance performing well, enjoying what you do and continually learning, “ says Hughes. If your training feels flat, switch one of these levers: learn a new technique, join a social class for more enjoyment, or test your strength with a new challenge. Keeping all three in play stops progress from feeling stale.”
3. Visualize the Outcome
“Give yourself big bursts of motivation by reminding your brain what you’re working toward,” says Hughes. “Spend a moment picturing the result, crossing the finish line, hitting your goal, or simply feeling stronger. Visualization activates the same neural pathways as doing the work, making your goal feel real and worth pursuing.”
4. Create Milestones to Celebrate
“Break your goal into small, meaningful checkpoints so you can see and feel progress,” says Hughes. “Hitting these mini-wins gives you regular boosts of confidence and keeps your motivation topped up. Celebrating the little steps gives you the fuel to stay consistent long-term.”
5. Build a Process You Can Repeat
“Motivation is far more reliable when it’s supported by a clear process,” says Hughes. Systemize your goal so the daily actions are simple, consistent and rewarding. A good process provides those small dopamine hits that tell your brain you’re on track, making it easier to show up again tomorrow.”
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