The Importance of Motivation During Exercise

The importance of motivation during exercise cannot be overstated. Indeed, a lack of drive can lead to not exercising often, stopping in the middle of a workout, or not giving it your all.
The Importance of Motivation During Exercise

Last update: 04 February, 2019

Do you know about the importance of motivation during exercise? Motivation comes from the Latin word motivus, which means the act of movement. What’s more, motivation influences how we reach goals, satisfy our needs, and experience enjoyable sensations.

A person can have many reasons for wanting to exercise, such as losing weight and feeling better about themselves, among others. All of these reasons are motives that push us to exercise. As such, when someone begins to feel and see results, it helps them to keep moving. Find out more about motivation during exercise in this article.

The importance of motivation during exercise

Sometimes, when we begin a new exercise regime, we tend to start with gusto! We buy sportswear, weights, and special shoes only to give up and put them aside after a while. A lack of motivation can only lead to two things: failure or a feeling of obligation.

Woman smiling at shoulder press

Though people don’t talk a lot about the importance of motivation during exercise, it affects a person’s performance. An obligation to exercise isn’t motivating; rather, it’s a way to lose motivation. Indeed, it only makes a person feel trapped into doing something they don’t want to do.

What’s more, losing your drive is a sure way of stopping exercise altogether. As a result, you should always look for ways to keep going. This is very important since the initial reason that motivated you may not be the same after a while.

It’s all up to you

Motivation is only as important as you make it. In other words, how your workouts progress is in your hands. If you start seeing signs that you’re losing your drive, you’re responsible for doing something about it. As such, it’s important to know how to identify when and why your motivation starts to dwindle.

Of course, there will be certain days when you won’t get the most out of your session and that’s normal. Still, when this becomes frequent and begins to have an impact, you’ll have to consider how you can fix it. You should pay attention to small details, look within, and take action according to how you feel.

Indeed, there are different ways to stay motivated. But firstly, you should keep in mind that nothing stays the same. As such, you should keep an open mind and try new options that suit your needs. For example, dancers are in constant search of inspiration to keep them connected to their art. Likewise, you should do the same with exercise; find the inspiration that connects you to your training.

Motivation during exercise

Options to stay motivated

Don’t underestimate the importance of motivation during exercise. In case you’re already in the process of searching for it, there are simple options that can keep you motivated while you find a drive that’s really yours:

  • Project: what do you want to achieve?
  • Include things that are related to exercise in your daily life.
  • Do exercises that you really like and enjoy.
  • Make friends that you can exercise with.
  • Avoid comparing yourself to others.
  • Keep your goals and objectives clear.
  • Ignore negative comments.
  • Break your routine and do something different once in a while.

Motivation is at the heart of an entire system that stays in motion. If the heart fails, the system stops. As such, do your best to keep your motivation strong in order to exercise often. Also, staying motivated is crucial when it comes to sports performance, your state of mind, and the passion you put into exercising.

You have control of your mind and your body. Don’t let a lack of motivation prevent you from doing the many things that you want to achieve. Now that you know about the importance of motivation during exercise, show the world what you’re made of. Finally, face anything that the sports world throws at you and give it everything you’ve got!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


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  • Gagné, M., & Deci, E. L. (2005). Self-determination theory and work motivation. Journal of Organizational Behavior26(4), 331–362. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.322
  • Wann, D. L., Schrader, M. P., & Wilson, A. M. (1999). Sport fan motivation: Questionnaire validation, comparisons by sport, and relationship to athletic motivation. Journal of Sport Behavior22(1), 114–139. https://doi.org/Article

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.