Forget motivation. This is what really gives you results.
Recently I have been having a lot of conversations with my own clients – as well as observing and assessing coaching sessions at the college – and seeing people who are struggling to achieve their goals – be it getting fit, eating healthier, or changing their careers. I hear things along these lines:
“I am able to stick to the plan for a few weeks, then I go back to my old behavior.”
“I am ‘good’ during the week, and then it all goes to pot on the weekends.”
“I was doing so well, and then XYZ happened, and I wasn’t able to stick to the plan.”
“I’ve tried EVERYTHING, and nothing works.”
We’ve all been there. Fired up with excitement about a new goal. For the first few days (or weeks), we’re unstoppable. Then… life happens. Work gets busy. It’s the weekend. Motivation fades. We don’t see results as quickly as we’d hoped. Something new catches our attention. And we’re on the hunt for THE thing that will get us the results we want.
However, it’s this constant yo-yoing which is stopping you from achieving your goals. The truth of the matter is that there is no magic programme, diet or supplement which will transform you in 12 weeks – real results are driven by one thing: CONSISTENCY. Doing the same thing, day in, day out, for weeks, months and even years. What I’ve noticed – with myself as well as clients – is that most people struggle not because they don’t have the ability or the willpower, but because they can’t stick with the process long enough to see results.
If you’ve ever wondered why consistency is so hard, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken. If this resonates, I’d love to chat with you! Click here to book a discovery call and let’s find out what is stopping you from becoming the best version of yourself.
Let’s break down the common roadblocks to consistency, and then explore how to build habits that last.
Why do we struggle with consistency? Let me outline some common barriers I’ve noticed:
Trying to do too much, too soon
This is the classic ‘January Resolution’ plan: you go from Christmas indulgence to smoothies and salads, commit to 2 hour workouts 6 days a week, quit sugar and alcohol, throw your phone into the bin and only read at night instead of scrolling through TikTok…. It’s THE NEW YOU! What may seem like an exciting proposition at first, turns out to be not sustainable. The “all-or-nothing” approach is a recipe for burnout, and usually will end up in ‘nothing’. The gym I attend, for example, is packed with new people in January (and May, surprisingly – maybe people are panicking about the approaching summer?), and by February (and June) it’s back to the usual suspects which I have been seeing in there for years.
Going to extreme measures
Drastic diets: whilst it may seem virtuous to eliminate everything from your diet, I will guarantee that you are not going to stick to a diet which you don’t enjoy and contains none of your favourite foods. Punishing workouts: a recipe for injury, especially if you don’t allow any time for recovery by going 6 days a week. Rigid schedules may work for a week or two to make you feel on top of things, but what happens when life “lifes”? One thing I have learnt over the past 13 months is that you need to fall in love with the process. If the path to your goals is lined with actions you hate, it’s going to be hella hard to stick to them for the long term. This is why, when I work with my clients, I always include foods they love in their nutrition plans, as this is the best way to ensure someone sticks to the plan for good. I’ll let you in on a little secret: I eat dessert every. single, night. Real dessert, with (*gasp*) sugar. I look forward to it, and it has kept me on track for over a year towards achieving my body recomposition goals.
Expecting overnight results
We have been led to believe that we can transform ourselves in 30 days or 12 weeks. And whilst you can definitely see some changes happening during that time if you’re consistent, real change—whether it’s physical transformation, financial growth, or skill mastery— often takes A LOT longer than that. I would say 6–12 months at least. The quick fix doesn’t exist, and searching for it only keeps you stuck. Which leads me onto the next barrier to success:
Chasing the next shiny thing
When you’re looking for the quick fix to overhaul your life, I can guarantee you that you’ll stumble across a new programme, app, or “life-changing” method promising faster results. But constantly switching means you never give one approach the time it needs to work. I see this time and time again in my practice, with clients who claim they have ‘tried it all, and nothing works’ but then realising that they have never given any given programme enough time to see real change.
And finally – this is a big one: Letting feelings decide your actions
Motivation is the spark that sets new habits in motion. If you didn’t feel motivated to change, nothing would happen. But you cannot rely on motivation to keep you consistent. If you only act when you “feel motivated,” you’ll act far less often than you need to. Consistency comes from habits, not from waiting for the right mood to strike. I will bring you in on a secret: more often than not, I don’t feel like going to the gym (unless it’s a deadlift day!); or spending 2 hours on a Sunday meal prepping my food for the week ahead. My mind starts making all sorts of excuses: you’re tired, you’re busy, why don’t you do it tomorrow? And it would be so easy to give in and watch a movie instead. But I have worked on building habits and consistency, and I don’t let the feeling override the action. I am also very clear on my ‘why’ and how implementing these habits will make me the person I want to be on the other side of this action. It’s taken me years to get to where I am now, but I have finally built some consistent habits which are getting me closer to my goals.
So, how do we build consistency? Let’s have a look at some tools I like to share with my clients.
Get crystal clear on your ‘WHY’
Most people say they want to lose weight, get fitter, feel better, be less stressed etc. But they are unclear on their “WHY”. Without a compelling reason for your goal, it’s easy to quit when things get hard. Take some time to really visualise the future version of yourself and what this person’s life looks like, as well as how they feel. What does your future self do on a daily basis – do they prioritise sleep or do they sit on the sofa watching Netflix till 2am in the morning? Do they meal prep so they always have quick and healthy meals on hand, or do they wing it and resort to takeaways on nights when they are working late? Do they sit and do the hard tasks (like writing monthly newsletters consistently!) or do they postpone and tell themselves they’ll start next week? Do you feel worthy of being this future version of yourself? When you are crystal clear on your vision, it will help you push through the days when motivation is low and discipline needs to step in.
Start small and set yourself up for success
First of all, if you’re struggling with consistency, I cannot recommend James Clear’s book ‘Atomic Habits’ enough. This book highlights the importance of creating small, sustainable habits which are done consistently for weeks/ months/ years which will drive incredible results. When you are looking to change an aspect of your life or health, set yourself up for success. If you want to improve your diet, start by making a small (but powerful) change such as eating a balanced, fuelling breakfast. Do this every day for weeks, watch your energy transform! This will motivate you to add in another change further down the line. Other small, achievable habits you can repeat daily without fail could be:
- Walking for 20 minutes every day
- Prepping lunch for the next day before bed
- Turning off all technology by 9 p.m. and having a relaxing wind down routine.
Will these 3 habits turn you into the shredded Adonis you visualised earlier? Maybe not immediately, but they will set the stage for adding in more habits (such as getting to the gym 3x week and meal prepping your food) which will get you well on your way.
Small wins compound into big results—and they’re much easier to stick to. Small habits also help restore your confidence in yourself, as you will notice that you are able to keep the promises you keep to yourself.
Habit stack for easy wins
“Habit stacking” means linking a new habit to something you already do, so it becomes second nature. What do you already do every single day? What new habit could you stack onto your existing ones? Here are some examples:
- While cooking dinner, prep breakfast for the next day (you can also cook a bigger portion of dinner so you have lunch sorted for the next day too!)
- Get off the bus one stop earlier to add more daily steps
- Do a short stretch routine while your coffee brews
- Listen to an educational podcast during your commute
Plan for Real Life
Life can get messy. If your plan works only when things are perfect, it will fall apart as soon as they aren’t. Plan for real life: decide on your non-negotiable habits and plan them into your daily life. For me, for example, training 3 times a week is non-negotiable. For the past 3 years, I would aim to train 3 times a week but as soon as my work got busy, I would prioritise work and let the training slide, which meant that I could go weeks without stepping into the gym. Now, I plan for busy times in my life: when my daughter is home from school for the holidays, I get up earlier, have breakfast and go to the gym before my husband has to go to work. Do I love doing that? NOPE! But I love being strong, and the feeling of accomplishment after a good lifting session. If I am unable to go to the gym during the week because I’m lecturing, I will carve out some time on the weekend to go. Sure, there are times in which this doesn’t happen perfectly every week, but I have made this habit a non-negotiable for me and will plan it around my busy schedule. If I am away for a week and cannot train, that’s no biggie – I consider it a de-load week, try to get my steps in whilst away, and then go back to training when I’m back. Same goes for meal prepping: I meal prep some food every Sunday so that my lunches and dinners can be easily assembled during the week – and the weekend (this is where most people let it all go to pot)! Whilst often I’d rather be sitting in the garden reading my book on a Sunday afternoon, I know that those 2 hours of meal prep will see me through my busy week and help me work towards my goals.
You may want to look at your week ahead and schedule your habits like appointments. If it’s not in your calendar, it’s probably not happening. Treat your habits like you would a meeting with your boss—you wouldn’t cancel just because you’re “not in the mood.” Some examples could be:
- Schedule Sunday meal prep so you’re ready for the week
- Block out gym sessions in the family calendar before work or on the weekend
- Set an alarm to remind you when it’s time to wind down for bed
At the end of the day, consistency isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up again and again, even when life gets busy. My coach calls it ‘consistent imperfect action’ and I think this is the best mantra for working towards your goals. It’s about small, steady actions, done day in and day out, over bursts of intensity followed by long breaks every time.
Remember: change is a long game. Give your habits the time they need to work, and you’ll be amazed at how far you can go! If you are struggling with consistency, I would love to chat to you! Click here to book a discovery call and let’s discuss how having someone like me in your corner can help you outline a clear path towards achieving your goals and becoming the future version of yourself!
