How do YOU stay motivated in bodybuilding?

[UseButDontAbuse]

I'm thinking this is the issue. I was just like you before I met my wife and everything I did and all my friends revolved around the gym and the lifestyle.

It sucked when my friends started dropping off like flies when they got married and I was the last one left.

The ones that remained were my gym friends that I really didn't spend too much time with outside the gym. They lacked any sort of motivation to do anything else but get jacked.

I think you need something else that becomes your priority or main focus. Mine was focusing on my business and then getting married and having kids.

Working out becomes the escape away from the other things where nothing else matters for those 1.5-2hrs at the gym. Even though I'm forced to work while at the gym responding to emails and texts and what not. But it's ok I deal with it.

Right now the gym is your main priority and you have nothing to stop you from going. Nothing will get in the way so subconsciously you take it for granted and its slowly making you lose motivation.

At my age and my business and my family getting to the gym is hard as hell and when I do its a fucking privilege and something I get excited about.

I'm not saying you need to start a business and get married. It will happen. When it does then you won't have any problem getting motivated in the gym.


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Well said brother. I am 25 years old right now and i am starting my career. Nowadays i am turning slowly my motivation to my job so i can get more money and be better in the gym, and have a better life. At same time i use the gym to keep my motivation and discipline and balance in life and look fukin good! To the OP, focus on career, maybe don't compete for 1-2 years but work to improve your physique.

 

[Growman]

I am glad one person gets it. Regret is a huge personal issue of mine. I dont need one more HUGE one....

Yeah im not one to live in the past, so i dont really have regrets, but if you know you are going to regret something (like quitting) dont do it.

This too shall pass... I also keep a small circle these days so i dont do much but work and train (even though i am nowhere near your level) If you have 3 true friends you are doing good in life !!!

When i was partying like crazy and making crazy money in my mid 20's i though i had tons of good friends. When it ended and came crashing down on me, i was left with just the 3-5 good friends i have always had. Its rough as most of mine are now married and even have kids. But im happy with what i do, and i think you are happy most of the time bro, you are just going through a short time of doubt.

Just keep training and see what happens. You will end up going in the right direction, things always seem to work out.

 

[Jeremy24]

I feel what your saying Phil, when i prepared for my first show, it was easy m,entally, i was only dating my now wife, my job was diffrent, responsibilities were diffrent etc.

Now with a wife, child, different job, its a whole new ball game. I dont train till 930 at night bc thats when my son goes to bed and i refuse to miss time watching him grow bc of the contest.

But like you if i walked away completely without accomplishing any of my goals, regret would eat at me. so i presist on and do what i have to.

 

[johnjuanb1]

I stay motivated by looking in the mirror a lot.
I look and think, "Oh yeah!!! I like it! Better go lift weights and stick to chicken and rice, my friend!!!"

 

[dumbphone]

are you still with that super hot chick?

 

[BurgerKing13]

Great Threat !

Great, HONEST, insightful posts !
So true - really made me think, hard !
Been at this since 13, competing in PL at 20 and BB at 30 years old.
Knee surgeries, elbow, carpel tunnel etc.
Still at it at 53, no more competition but still enjoy working out for the most part.
Def. harder to get motivated everyday but still get through it.
Much different mindset now then at 33 or 43.
Thanks guys for sharing your personal feelings about motivation etc.
Life is shorter than we all expect - Do what makes you happy !

 

[TooPowerful4u]

are you still with that super hot chick?

we broke up in June. cubans are fucking hot lol

 

[TooPowerful4u]

I am waking slowly. I think the cold got to me....

 

[PitbullTank]

Your one of the best BBers on this board... i don't have too much to say towards BBing motivation.... but i just wanna give you some support to keep pushing towards ur goal of that card bc i believe you can do it... I'm sure a lot of people told you ud never make it to nats, and now they bite their tongue... that sense of doing something when everyone else says you can't has been my motivation for many things in life...

 

[milesanderson37]

This is the secret to staying motivated IMO:

You must manage your motivation carefully, most people squander their motivation when they have it. They feel "unlimited motivation" when they are motivated, and easily use up their motivation unnecessarily. This means thinking TOO much about diet, spending TOO much time on food prep, going TOO hard in the gym. Basically just being obsessive about their hobby, this is the quickest way to become burnt out.

When you are motivated, it FEELS like unlimited motivation, but it is not, you must use it carefully and only on the things that most important.

Easily the best advice for ANYONE who devotes as much time to their hobby as a bodybuilder. If you don't have balance, then you will eventually burn out because you are in need of a source of joy and there will be times in any lifters life where bodybuilding can be joyless for extended periods. In addition, TP4U isn't in prep mode atm which makes it even more difficult to get fired up about bodybuilding.

 

[madmoneymike]

When I run into this problem I tend to focus on a problem muscle that I never really got the max out of and I commit to making that a goal to make that muscle prettier than ever and I make it happen.

 

[buck]

like most things in life, one has to remind themselves of why they are doing what they are doing. and keep their eye on the ball. whether it be physical, financial, intellectual or spiritual improvement.

 

[whysoserious]

For me it's simple.

The body I have right now and the body I want to have are not one-and-the-same. That's all I need to keep pushing forward.

And, this Bruce Lee quote is something I subscribe to:

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them."