"I don't have the motivation right now" and "I'm so unmotivated today" are phrases that everyone has heard, if not from themselves. We often take this feeling as a legitimate reason for not doing things. As a consequence, we put off our plans more and more and don't overcome our inner pig. We let it win. This happens very often, especially when it comes to sports. The desire to move the body is there, but the motivation to do so is lacking. Many people who are at the beginning of their training or have taken a break and want to resume training find it difficult to find this motivation.

This article is all about motivation, what it is, what forms it takes, how to motivate yourself for sport and what factors make it disappear.

The Oxford Languages dictionary defines "Motivation" as follows: "The totality of motives, influences that affect a decision, action or the like, that motivate a course of action.

So motivation is our basis behind certain actions.

These are further subdivided into two different forms: the intrinsic and extrinsic Motivation.

Intrinsic is derived from the Latin word "intrinsecus", which means "intimate". "within" and "internal" means. When you talk about intrinsic motivation, you mean the motivation that arises inside you. This means that you do things because you are genuinely interested in them and you burn for them - you enjoy them. There is an inner incentive, so to speak. Intrinsic motivation is often seen in people who have a social profession. They see that through their work they are doing good for other people and thus helping them. This alone is enough for them to pursue their work with passion because they are genuinely interested in supporting others. The salary plays a secondary role for them.

The opposite of intrinsic is extrinsic and derives from the Latin word "extrinsecus" and means translated "from the outside, externally". Extrinsic motivation then consists, so to speak, of factors that stimulate us from outside. It is somewhat similar to the reward principle, since one pursues a certain goal and sees this goal as the gain, i.e. the reward. Often, however, this happens for reasons of conforming to a certain image, because extrinsic motivation includes factors such as salary, recognition and the expectations of others. In contrast to the above-mentioned example with the motivation to do something good for others, here an activity is carried out for the sake of status. For example, one strives for more and more money, even though one does not enjoy the job itself.

No. Often these forms of motivation even coexist without one excluding the other. However, care should be taken not to pursue only an external reward, because if one focuses only fully on that, one often gets bogged down in the pursuit of that goal and intrinsic motivation no longer has any room. Accordingly, intrinsic motivation is the more long-lasting and stronger of the two because it brings us pleasure and commitment to a cause for longer and does not collapse so quickly because it is a part of our inner being.  

-Know your motivations - important! Ask yourself what kind of motivation is behind your intentions.

-Looking for a sport that you enjoy - jogging and the gym aren't your thing? No problem, there are hundreds of other sports just waiting for you to try them out.

-Find a training partner - everything is easier together; especially when you are in a slump, it is an advantage to have someone who encourages you.

-Put together a workout playlist - it's best to put all your favourite songs on this playlist, so your mood will instantly improve and you'll be motivated.

-Exercise at regular times - if you develop a routine, it will be easier for you to stick to it as exercise is firmly integrated into your daily routine.

-The right workout - stay realistic and don't overload your body; often you want too much too fast and stop right away, so find one that is adapted to your fitness level.

-The right thinking - everything we do starts with our inner attitude; positive thoughts get us further in our daily life and so also in our fitness routine.

-Buy suitable sportswear - a good outfit can also motivate you to exercise.

-Take before and after pictures - preferably always in the same place, so you can follow your progress optimally and gain self-confidence at the same time.

-Prepare - put your trainers and sportswear out the night before, so that they are in your field of vision, so you are reminded of what you are doing in the morning.

-Duration is not important - be aware that it's not the length of the workout that matters, it's that you're moving, in whatever form and for however long.

As you can see, most of the tips are essentially intrinsically motivated, as especially the first point raises the question of "why? Likewise, points that seem superficial at first, such as documenting your progress with pictures or wearing appropriate sports outfits, are meant as an incentive for yourself - not for others. In this way, you can record and determine how you are doing something good for your body and how you feel during sport. Maybe you can also record how your inner attitude towards your training changes over time.

Aspects such as a wrong mindset (in the sense of "sport is murder"), lack of sleep, compulsion or the TV are also known to be Motivation killer for your training. However, with the right attitude, the right exercise, a sleep routine and analogue time, these can easily be avoided. If you can't do it on your own, create reminders for it, whether they are notes or on your phone.

It is important that you ask yourself again and again why you do this - i.e. sport. Are your motivations from within or from outside?

With this simple question, you can quickly uncover the nature of your motivation and change it if necessary.