My motivation started out as my son who’s 9 now. Now, it’s ME. I want to be fitter, thinner (lost nearly 50# so far!) and do better at martial arts. To accomplish this, I need to work out and eat right.
Today was Movie Day—a day in which I do nothing but watch movies, and I try to have one at least once a month.
You see, I love movies :-)
And today, perhaps to rekindle my inner child, I spent 91 minutes watching a movie that I literally watched every day for an entire summer when I was 12 years old: Rocky IV.
Now, you may not agree with me that Rocky IV is one of the best movies of all time, but if you’re a Rocky fan at all, you’ve GOT to agree that it’s the absolute best out of all the Rockies (and there will be time to debate that later if you don’t :-)
I mean, what a great story, right? Rocky, avenging his best friend Apollo’s death by defeating the highly-favored, monstrous Russian on his own turf in Russia−even for someone who’s seen it 79 times like me, it’s pretty intense stuff.
But apart from that, even if you somehow didn’t care for the movie (and I can’t imagine how), Rocky IV can still teach you something extremely valuable and applicable to you and your own goals.
And that is, the raw power of motivation.
Let’s be honest, if Rocky had gone in to fight the Drago prior to Apollo or at any other time, under any other circumstances, he would have got his butt handed to him. The dude was a monster, and had Rocky outmatched in every possible way.
But because Rocky had something extremely powerful to motivate him (the fact that this guy killed his best friend), he was able to seemingly defeat some crazy odds and emerge victorious.
Let me ask you a question: What’s YOUR motivation? What is it that gets you up in the morning and over to the gym before work when everyone else is sleeping in?
What is it that allows you to regularly pass up the quick and easy (and frankly, delicious) foods that so many others regularly indulge in?
Do you have a REAL source of motivation? If you don’t, it’s highly likely you’re going to get “knocked out” by all the temptation and “easy ways out” that surround us on a daily basis.
Let’s face it, it’s a heck of a lot easier to eat whatever, whenever, and skip the whole workout thing then it is to live a fit, healthy lifestyle.
You absolutely have to have a very powerful source of motivation, because without one, your toast.
So do you have a source of motivation that keeps you going strong toward your goals each and every day? What is it?
Reaffirm it by posting it in the comments section below to start today off with renewed focus (and if you don’t value your “reason” enough to post it below, it’s probably safe to say that you don’t really have one).
Talk to you in the comments section!
Joel
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I love the Rocky movies!! Brings back such wonderful memories of my childhood. I totally agree that you have to have a strong motivation or you will fail and I have in the past. However, this time I found the right motivation and I have continued to be successful!! I actually have a couple things that help keep me motivated everyday: 1) Being proud of myself is the foremost!! I can look in the mirror and be very proud of all that I have accomplished so far and know that I have the determination to see this journey through to the end! 2) My 4 kids. I want to be able to play with them, watch them grow up and be able to play with grandkids some day. I need to be fit and healthy to accomplish that goal.
Great comments re motivation. Some people have that gene in them and others dont. In some of us it takes the form of competitive fire or spirit. Others no matter how hard they try the motivation may be there at the start but dies out quickly unless there is something to spark them to hang in there. Personally I think everyone needs support from friends, family or within. Everyone needs encouragement to keep going. At my gym there are a few people who I see once in a while on the treadmill or eliptical trainer that are extremely obese, I am talking 150-200 lbs overweight. My first thought is to go over and say congratulations , you are making a good decision to be here and should keep it up. On the other hand I am feeling that they may be very self concious already and I shouldnt say anything cause I dont want to discourage them. If these people could find a training partner and rally together they could keep it going.
I think that this is what helps motivate people on the biggest loser, the competitive spirit and need to survive to get the carrot dangling in front of them all the time.
Personally my motivation comes from my competitive side and a natural need to overcome the odds.
I was a professional winter athlete for 22 years and for the last 10 have not worked out, but continue to enjoy my sport on the weekends in the winter.
Recently I had to have hernia surgery and was told I had to lose 10 lbs before they would do surgery, I thought they were crazy, then I weighed in and took a good look in the mirror and thought Whoa the Dr’s are right.
So I started in the gym and new it would take a few weeks to build an aerobic base from which I could start lifting weights. I changed my eating habits and took all processed food out of the cupbords. I started in August, lost the 10 lbs , had surgery in misd Sept, and am still training. Now at 51 years old I have challenged myself to lose more body fat and gain muscle and get my body ripped to maybe go to a competition down the road. The biggest challenge is not sticking to a program but convincing myself to over come 13 knee surgeries on one leg, 2 major lower back surgeries ( I have no discs in L4-L5 and L5-S1) and both shoulders with severe deteriorated AC joints.
My motivation is to look better on the beach, feel better overall, more energy and overcome what most people (even myself previously) would think is a hopeless physical deterioration.
My goal was to at some point be able to do a standard deadlift with significant weight without injuring by back and to do full squats without injuring my knee further.
I am now doing 3 sets of 8 deadlifts with 200 lbs, 3 sets of 12 full squats with 150lbs. I built up to it very gradually since August and made it to this level about 2 weeks.
So my motivation is to compete within myself and overcome what others thought I couldnt do, even my doctor.
I was so embarrased in the gym at first as I could do only one chin up, and couldnt do a second one 2 minutes later, Now I am at 1 set of 14, 1 set of 9 and a third set of 7. I can actually start to see my six pack coming through and muscles and tendons all over that I havent seen in 20 years.
Anyone can do it, you need to look deep within and when you have plateaus and set backs, keep plugging away and eventually it will show positive changes, The old cliches, DIG DEEP and “when the goin gets tough the TOUGH get GOIN ” apply everyday.
Good Luck to you all.
My motivation is my grandchildren…..I want to be as healthy and live for as long as I can to see them experience life.
my motivation is the girl i love of course. and goku from dbz lol. o and ronnie coleman
1) I want to live a long, healthy life (not great family genes).
2) I want to do #1 so I can also have the energy to play with my children and see them grow up … and maybe one day be a healthy toned g-ma
3) With the cheat days, I don’t feel deprived. For the first time in my life, I have a bowl of swiss individually wrapped chocolates on my desk at work for my clients and I don’t touch them unless it’s atleast a high carb day. And, I can control my portions … again a big first for me.
4) This may sound hokey (is that a word) but I want to be a role model for my family, friends, and clients.
After watching Biggest Loser season finale last night (they offered the non-winner “miss congeniality” $1,000 for each additional pound she shed!), I jokingly said to my husband I would take $100 a pound…and he agreed. I have until March 13th to reach my final goal weight and it’s all or nothing. That’s nice, but the ultimate motivation has to be a little deeper than that…I think health, self-respect and just looking great. I can already “feel” myself in my new form, going shopping tonight, might just have to buy those too small for now jeans!
I have movie morning every Saturday. We get up at 5 am every day, so can’t sleep in on the weekends. While everyone else is still snoozing, I’m watching a movie or two. Love all the Rocky’s, but IV and I really rock!
I love all the Rockys, even if some of them are horrible.
I like the interplay between Rocky and his son in V and Rocky Balboa.
I like his emphasis on “HomeTeam”. Everybody needs to know who their ‘HomeTeam’ is.
I also like the enduring love between Rocky and Adrian that runs through all the Rockys. I love the opening scene in Rocky Balboa where he’s at the cemetery, just sitting remembering his beloved Adrian. And then he carries a part of her in his relationship with his adult son, once Rocky and his son reconcile by working through their differences, esp the pressure his son feels having to be “Rocky’s son’.
I too am a movie buff. I think there are some great training scenes in Karate Kid–‘wax on, wax off’…’Daniel son, concentrate…concentrate’. And then the training scene in The Last Samurai is fantastic where tom cruise is becoming a ‘samurai’ by taking it on the chin by one of the master samurai leaders.
My motivation is feeling good about myself and happy in my body. And also looking good for my boyfriend! I love running to the classic Rocky theme tune… Never fails to get me going!
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 sums up my motivation… “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Jesus died for my sins and rose again. That’s where my motivation comes from. And I agree Rocky IV is a great movie. I remember being so pumped after watching it that my 10 year older brother an I started boxing to burn up some of that energy.
I’m 52 years old, but feel like 17! I watch what I eat and exercise and make sure to have fun every day! Lifestyle choices like these are easy when the payoff is the energy and vitality to live life to the fullest every day. Bad food choices make my stomach feel yucky and lack of exercise makes me sluggish – who needs that!?!
I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea in the summer of 2006 when i weight 285 lbs. My oxygen levels would drop to 72% when sleeping due to not being able to breathe. I found getting use to using my Bi-PAP machine difficult, so i didn’t. I was also told the only way to have a chance of getting rid of this condition was to lose the weight. Surgery (removal of tonsils) would only solve it about 50% but the throat would eventually grow back or some reason, that the effectiveness would drop down to about 25-0% within 6 months, and the obstructions would return.
I am now 5′ 8.5″ 225 lbs, and I have a fiancee and wedding coming up. I want to be healthy for her and myself. I don’t want surgery, and I don’t want to have to use the BiPaP machine. I have not been reassessed, but I am certainly now healthier. I still have 50 more lbs to be at a more ideal weight, and 35 lbs to lose before the wedding in May.
I plan to be the thinnest Man on the alter!
My motto: “Health First — Anything Else, Next.”
I have had both excellent and poor health; and, it impacts EVERYTHING. I want to participate in my own well-being in this challenging world. Every day I work with very sick and injured people — and, at least for adults, the majority of conditions seem to relate to what one has chosen to ingest, risk, or ignore year after year. No matter our resources, there is always a choice between better or worse. I now aim for better and have Energy all day, Every day! — Thanks for your help with this life-goal, Joel.
As a member of a men’s team, I have learned the importance of having a purpose in life. So it was startling to realize that having a motivation (e.g. for losing weight) is exactly the same… and I don’t have one. So the fact that I have mild arthritis, a bum shoulder, and a bad hip joint means that I REALLY need to find something beyond mere desire.
@James Foster –
James, Rocky V deserves a #15 ranking at best :-) Could it go any lower?
What motivates me. well try this one on for size. about 3 years ago now , I took a shower and came out. I looked at this Mass of a shape that wasn’t me. I weighed at the time 330 pounds. I decided the weight had to go. I dropped 165 pounds in 9 months by Becoming a Vegan. (Incidentally I found out Sylvestor Stallon has a book called Sly Moves) in it their are Vegan plates to eat from . I am also motivated by the Fact that I am now becoming a Movie Star myself. Just google my name. So in closing what motivates me is weight loss, Success and always knowing I am and wil go to the TOP…
My motivation is to finally be my best self. I have spent too long hiding in the shadows and not shining out, because I was afraid to be noticed, afraid to be beautiful. Maybe this doesn’t make sense to everyone, but maybe some who read this will be able to identify. For me, this is a holy war, to defeat the inner demon that has kept me down.
Gotta say that I love all the Rocky movies but my fav. is also IV. When I watched him train like a madman in Russia, it was AWESOME!
I started my weight loss/fitness journey in June of this year. To date, I’ve lost almost 25lbs. I haven’t always ‘stuck with the program’ and have had a few setbacks. I began to hit a plateau and almost gave up and gave in but I didn’t. However, I seemed to have lost some key motivation; something to keep me really inspired.
Well, the other day, I happened to come across a You Tube video of Jennifer Nicole Lee, the fitness model & mother of 2 who transformed her body. After watching that video, I was soooooooo inspired as I’m also a mom. This is when everything seemed to ‘click’ for me. I plan on letting NOTHING hold me back from accomplishing what I set out to do in the first place!
Joel, I have a few sources of my motivation.
1. my 4 year old son
1a. my 3 month old daughter
2. I got a very real look into my future in 2006 and 2007. My dad had open heart surgery and a stroke in those years. I was heading down the same path and had to make a change. Jan of 08, I made that change, ate better, started exercising again and have pulled off 45 lbs since then, 6 inches of of my waist and feel MUCH better.
btw, watching any amount of any rocky movie makes me want to work out
I would think being called Super Joel would motivate you. haha.
I just wanna be healthy for my kids and look good for my woman.
To be 2010 masters gold medal track cyclist!
Rocky IV for motivation??
Well, yes a great movie as were all the ‘Rocky’ series. But my motivation comes from trying to get well and to get back in shape. After a long illness, it’s a bit difficult to just get up & going! However, I have a million things that I want to do with my life now that I am getting well. That is my motivation along with the fact that I want to be able to play with my 3 grandkids–which is something I haven’t been able to do for over a year.
I think everyone has their own reasons for wanting to get fit, lean and healthy. Sometimes it’s just wanting to look good in a new outfit you have your eyes on! Bottom line…as long as you DO have a reason and can get yourself motivated–that’s the whole thing in a nutshell…
I guess my motivation is I was the youngest of four brothers. They were all big kids from the day they were born, while me on the other hand was always little, they callred me “The runt” so I decided that I was going to prove them all wrong. So far its worked out pretty well I’m 17 yrs old I weigh 185 at 5 percent body fat. Thanks Joel
P.s This isn’t a poor me storie. I love my bro’s they are all awesome, they just loved to harass me :p
@Ramondo –
Ramondo, you need to check out Dr Swank’s MS diet. He spent his life treating those with MS naturally and having amazing results. (Basically those with MS are allergic to saturated fat)
I have had MS for 12 years, since I was 23 yrs old. You would never know it though. I, too, am determined not to end up in a wheelchair or bedridden. Traditional medical science says there’s no cure for MS and you’re out of luck. Over 3000 people who changed their diet following Swank’s recommendatons say otherwise! When I’m tempted to eat a piece of chocolate cake (or whatever) I just picture a little wheelchair on it–easy to say no if that’s the price!
My motivation is a pair of hand painted jeans that have been hanging in my closet for a looong time! I have promised myself that these Wiley Coyote-Road Runner inspired creations will be back on my body to be admired instead of in my closet where no one can see them but me. They are one-of-a-kind, painted just for me by an art student at the college where I used to work over ten years and 30 lbs ago. I am part way there and can’t wait to get the rest of the way!! But, with all of your help I know I CAN and WILL do this! By the way, I was never a Rocky fan but there are some people pretty close to me that inspire the heck out of me, like a cousin who has been blind since the age of 7 who has climbed just about every mountain in the world including Everest!
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...