Recognizing the meaning behind your motivation will help you stick with your health goals — even when times get tough. Learn five do’s and don’ts for staying motivated.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

What motivates people often varies, but to create a level of inspiration that will stick, you need to get clear on your values. Ask yourself: “What are some things that make my life complete? What gives me meaning?” Then ask yourself why. Recognizing the meaning behind your motivation will help you stick with your health goals — even when times get tough.

Not all strategies you might use to motivate yourself are actually helpful. Consider the following do’s and don’ts of staying motivated:

1. Do set goals that are appealing to you. Making a change is easier when you value your goal. You’ll be more likely to stay the course because you will be doing things you generally enjoy. Living a healthy lifestyle isn’t always easy. But it doesn’t have to feel like a chore.

2. Don’t act on fear-based goals. If a doctor told you to lose weight to avoid getting diabetes, you’d probably clean up your diet and start exercising immediately. But would those healthy habits last? Probably not. People tend to be driven by fear only for a limited time. Fear captures your attention, but it isn’t conducive to lasting change.

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