What's your top psychological trick when your motivation is weak?

[ChrisMcB]

Hi all, as I start week 5 I thought I'd ask you if you have any mind tricks to stay mentally strong?

[TJFlute]

If i don't want to go out:

"It's either run or the ironing".

[TJFlute]

I can be quite mean to myself during the run and I say things like " it hurts...get over it!"

[nightingale]

at the risk of sounding like a complete mentalist i pretend each section of running is worth £10000 and at the end I have £50000 (in my sad little head of course)

[Minuette Graduate]

After every run I said to myself, I've done xxx minutes in total therefore the next one is only xxx minutes more which isn't too much.

Now that I'm on the longer runs I say to myself, well I've done it once so therefore I can do it again (when the same run is repeated in a week). I then say I've done it twice therefore I can do it again and a bit more next week.

It's got me through to week 8 so far!!

[juicydee Graduate]

And I tell myself 'you did this last time and you didn't think you could do it then either!'

[Hidden]

I don't usually have a problem once I am running but beforehand I tell myself "Have you ever come back from a run and wished you hadn't run at all? Get your trainers on!"

[Misstrolly Graduate]

I am quite hard on myself too when the little leprechaun on my shoulder starts whispering "ah c'mon now you are tired, let's give up and slow down for a bit" the 20 minuter of the other day really boosted my confidence and I use that as a benchmark. I also think of all the beautiful clothes hanging in my wardrobe that never fitted quite right ( and therefore never got worn as I felt so fat and self conscious wearing them) and soon will fit if I keep on going. When I'm on to the 25 minuters+ 3 x a week I plan to use my own playlists, and the fashion song "flawless" is on my playlists. Every time that comes on, it spurs me on and I dream of strutting on my own catwalk with my new runners figure! !

[Hidden]

i pretend i am at the olympics running for the county and everyones cheering me on, god i sound like a nutter

[AliB1 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

loving this! did you get gold?

[Gingystrider Graduate]

I force myself to go out thinking how much better I feel after but I loudly moan and groan the whole time I'm getting ready!

[sfb350 Graduate]

I tell people what my target is beforehand, knowing that I won't want to admit failure. When I did my 20 minutes today, I just enjoyed myself but it did cross my mind that I could be doing this on the beach when we're on holiday - and without feeling too self-conscious

[bizzyb Graduate]

I eyeball a post or something a little bit ahead and aim just to get there, just before I get to the mark I eyeball something else a bit further on and repeat it until I get to the end. Sometimes I'm doing it every 10 yards! but have always managed to pull on to the end

[AliB1 Graduate]

Just what I needed to read after the week I've had. Will be putting it all back into practice next week in particular I think I'll be racing formallyfoundonthecouch for that gold medal!

[groovychick54 Graduate]

For me it's thinking about all those poor service personnel who have lost limbs and would love to be able to run again on their own legs. Also friends I have who are not in the greatest of health who would give anything to be able to even walk for 30 minutes non stop.

[ClearlyAM Graduate in reply to groovychick54]

that's an awesome way to think about it! Thanks

[Burstcouch Graduate]

Decided this running was mind over matter. Keep talking to yourself and saying ' I can do this'.

Hard to start the run, great feeling when you finish.

[ChrisMcB Graduate]

Great ideas, ill try some out and get back with what works for me!

[TrickyHicky Graduate]

I repeat the mantra "It doesn't matter how slow I run, I'm lapping everybody on the couch!" or if I'm really flagging just "I'm lapping everybody on the couch!"

Probably the best phsycological trick I've learnt is to smile, yes I know it sounds mad, but believe me it works, smile when you're doing the activity you want to do more of in your life and you convince your sub-conscious you really like it. Try it next time you're out for a run.

I also like to think that anyone driving past might actually think I'm a "real" runner if they see I'm smiling

[blueboots Graduate in reply to TrickyHicky]

I do the smiling thing too.

[petka001 in reply to TrickyHicky]

Smile- yep, it works.

Here's my other one: I love running outside, through woods, I Refocus and consciously look out/up, make sure I'm really noticing what's around not just being mechanical, (I tend to have favorite trees on my routes, a favorite bridge), that gets me out of my negative or cluttering thoughts and back into the moment.

[smokeysalmon02 Graduate]

My mum and I go running with C-2-5-K. When we're finding it hard we imagine we're climbing the foothills of a mountain and by the time we're running 5K we'll be right at the peak in the sunshine

[Jenbie Graduate]

I did the 20 minute run yesterday, which has been a massive mental block for me the whole way through the programme, and I just had to tell myself that I knew I could do 8 minutes with no problem to get to 10 minutes, then that I knew I could 8 minutes then another 8 to keep going, When she said there was 2 minutes left, I told myself I had run for 18 minutes, so I was damn well not stopping with 2 minutes to go. I also tell myself just to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and if things are really hard, that I have had two children and not to be such a wimp. Or I have Jillian Michaels from Biggest Loser USA in my head shouting and swearing at me! Increasingly I just need to tell myself to keep going, because I know I can do it. Now I have got past the 20 minute one, I feel like the sky's the limit!

[ShoutingWoman Graduate]

I always tell myself that I won't feel any worse and probably much better after a run. So far, I've always felt better afterwards. And the fact that any physical effort is better than none. And there is a certain feeling of smugness when one is sat on the sofa later with a glass of wine or whatever is your fancy that the run you did earlier "entitles" you to it. Anyone who is exercising 3 x a week is doing so much better than all those sitting on the sofa doing zilch. Personally for me, the mental benefits are as important, if not more, than the physical.

[Greg_M Graduate]

I am with Theresa, and some of the others in being pretty frank with myself though I suspect I involve some slightly more industrial language than the ladies

[juicydee Graduate in reply to Greg_M]

Love it Greg! I remember a post a couple of weeks back when someone said 'So I said f*** it I'm going to run up that hill!'. I could so identify with that.... (and she was a laydee......so there goes your theory )

[CaroleC Graduate]

I remind myself that I always feel better after a run. The hardest part is getting out the door and the first ten minutes - after that it's all ok. Yes and the thanking your lucky stars that we are all fit enough to be able to run; we need to remember and celebrate the fact that we can do this!

[Ausencia]

I keep saying to myself that I'm getting off the couch and running, which is something I couldn't do six months ago.

[Cazabees]

I remind myself just how good running is for my heart Sounds weird but at the end of the day running is great cardio and every time I run I feel stronger. I know of people who due to being inactive became very overweight and it's causing massive strain on their heart. Once I've reminded myself of that I don't need much more encouragement to get out the door

[Mrs_Miggins Graduate]

Work out beforehand how far I run in 10 minutes (which is usually 1 lap around the local nature reserve and then I know I only have 3 laps to run!) That way I'm not constantly waiting for Laura to tell me when each 5 minute section is up! If I wait for Laura to tell me how much time I have done/got left I become demoralised.

Changed my route today but had worked out how far it would be in advance so I knew that by the end of the run I'd have done my time. Worked a treat! Get Memory Map or something similar for your pc. You can work out how far your run is and how long it will take so no more listening for each time check!

[Katlikegirl Graduate]

I often begin, thinking, 'Right, I'm going to do this.'

This soon turns into, 'I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die!'

So I have to have a little word with myself and say, 'Well everybody dies sooner or later.'

'But I'm going to die today!'

'Did you die the last time you went for a run?'

'No.'

'Well it is unlikely that you will die today then. Isn't it?'

'That is flawed logic.'

'You're still running, aren't you?'

'Well, yes, I am.'

'And you haven't died yet, have you?'

'No, but I feel like I'm going to... Wait a minute, I'm quite enjoying this! Yay me! I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!'

'See, told you so.'

'I'm the one doing the running.'

'Me too, we can do this together.'