It’s coming up on the end of this year, and maybe you’ve been working out the whole year, maybe it’s been sporadic, maybe you’ve never worked out before but have been curious. 

Around this time of year, people say that their motivation gets really high to workout when the New Year begins, but it’s not there or they lose it around the holiday season.

Let’s talk about motivation, specifically, why it’s not the magical fuel most people think it is.

Motivation is great when it shows up, but it’s also fleeting. It comes in waves, it disappears without warning, and it definitely doesn’t show up on command. If you’ve ever waited to “feel motivated” before starting a workout routine, you’ve probably learned this the hard way.

That’s why the real key to getting stronger isn’t motivation at all, it’s action.

Action builds consistency. Consistency builds confidence. And confidence keeps you coming back, even on the days when motivation is nowhere to be found.

We see this play out all the time. People don’t succeed because they’re endlessly motivated (not even our coaches!), they succeed because they learn how to take small, doable steps that stack up over time. When you show up and do the work, even at 60–70%, you build more confidence that you can do things even if you don’t necessarily want to.

But taking action can be scary, and I get that. 

Here are a few ways to turn motivation into action (and make progress that actually sticks):

1. Set the bar lower than you think you should. A lot of people wait for the “perfect” day or the “perfect” amount of energy to start training. But progress usually begins with doing something small and doable. A 30-minute workout, 10 minutes of movement, or showing up for one coached session, all of that counts, and all of it builds momentum.

2. Create structure instead of relying on willpower. When your training lives on your calendar like any other commitment, you remove the daily decision-making tax. Structure makes it easier to follow through, even on low-motivation days.

3. Track wins, not perfection. Every rep, new skill, or heavier weight is proof that you’re getting stronger. Seeing that progress builds self-trust, one of the things motivation can’t reliably give you.

4. Get support so you don’t have to figure it all out alone. A coach (oh heyyy), a plan, or a consistent training space removes the guesswork and makes it much easier to keep moving forward. Most people struggle not because they’re unmotivated, but because they’re trying to do everything on their own.

Motivation might get you started once, but action is what keeps you growing. And once action becomes a habit, motivation tends to follow, not the other way around.