How to Find Motivation

Time, darling, is slipping through our fingers faster than a Cosmopolitan on a Friday night. Wasn’t it just yesterday we were toasting to the new year, setting resolutions with the best of intentions? Fast forward, and here I am, juggling meal prepping, early-morning workouts, and a full calendar—feeling like I'm trying to run a marathon in stilettos. Life, of course, happens, and plans rarely unfold as perfectly as we imagine. But, even with the occasional hiccup, I’m pushing through, determined to keep the streak alive. And let’s be real—I'm not the only one who's finding the struggle real.

According to U.S. News & World Report, 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. Yep, you read that right. I swear, every blog, podcast, and social media post has been quoting this stat all month. The knee-jerk reaction? Oh no, I’m doomed. But here’s the thing—it’s not the goal that’s the problem; it’s the motivation behind it. Duh, right?

Start Small

Listen, we can't all be superwomen (or supermen) overnight. You can't run a 5K on a whim, and you sure as hell can’t morph into your best self in one fell swoop either. Get real with yourself and set goals that won’t send you into a spiral of overwhelm. Take me, for example—I dream of doing yoga every single day, but let's be honest, it’s not gonna happen. So instead, I aim for three classes a week. It’s enough to keep me grounded without it feeling like a burden. A little consistency goes a long way.

Know What Drives You

We’ve all been there—setting goals for the wrong reasons. You know the ones that feel more like societal pressure than personal ambition? That’s a one-way ticket to disappointment. To truly stick with it, you need to tie your goals to something that really matters. Maybe it’s staying healthy for your future grandkids or managing your diet to prevent those family health issues from cropping up. Real reasons. Real stakes. That’s the fuel that keeps the fire burning when things get tough.

Ditch Perfectionism

Guilty as charged—I used to beat myself up every time I slipped up. But here’s the truth: life is messy. Nobody’s perfect. So stop measuring yourself against impossible standards. Learn to forgive yourself. So long as you pick yourself up and keep going, you’re already winning. The real failure is in staying down.

The Five-Second Rule

Here’s my secret weapon—no, it’s not a trendy detox drink, it's the Five-Second Rule. If I sat around and thought about hitting the gym, I'd probably talk myself out of it. So I had to trick my brain—before I could second-guess myself, I’d just leap into action. Grab the gym bag, throw on the sneakers—boom, done. The decision was made. Soon, it became second nature. And then I discovered Mel Robbins had coined the whole thing as the "Five-Second Rule," and suddenly it made sense: "If you have an impulse to act on a goal, you must move within five seconds or your brain will kill the idea." Simple, right?

So go ahead—get up, get moving, and start making it happen. The clock’s ticking, but it’s not too late.

Psssst...Want to learn more about the Five-Second Rule? You know where to find it.