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How to use Motivation to Your Advantage When Making Changes.

After an appointment with her family doctor, Sophie decided that she wanted to lose weight, and join the gym. During our first few chats, she talked about having difficulty doing the exercises she planned for the week. She contacted a Health Coach because she needed support to increase her motivation to achieve her goal of exercising.


Sophie was hoping for good news at her next doctor's appointment, and that her blood tests to go back to normal. Even though Sophie was trying, she felt like she was running in circles.


While talking with Sophie, I was able to see that she had an external motivator, which is a motivation that comes from outside of the person. An example in Sophie’s case would be, fear of illness and shame in facing her doctor. For her, she needed to find a positive external motivation. That would be getting encouragement from a friend, and/or having positive experiences with her doctor.


Sophie was going to the gym with her husband but realized that their schedule didn't line up. So, she created a more flexible schedule for herself, instead of going with her husband, she went on her own. This way, she was able to adjust her schedule to her energy level during the day. She now goes to the gym on a regular basis, and says she has more energy. Sophie finds that the gym helps her relax, and she’s able to clear her head. She feels more empowered by going to the gym now, because she can do it on her own terms.


Because Sophie felt energetic from going to the gym consistently, that external motivation turned into internal motivation. Now that Sophie wants to go to the gym, she needs less encouragement from family and friends, and she is now able to motivate herself. Sophie’s exercise is no longer fueled by the fear and shame of a doctor’s appointment, but now it’s simply because she enjoys it!


Written by: Martine Hache

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