Why Can’t I Stay Motivated?
Have you ever found yourself wondering:
Why do I keep procrastinating?
Why do I keep sabotaging myself?
I know what to do—so why am I not doing it?
Or maybe you tell yourself, I’ll start tomorrow, instead of taking action today.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is such a common struggle, and something I work on with my coaching clients on a regular basis. I also cover this in depth in this podcast episode:
The good news is there are solutions. So, let’s break them down.
Why Motivation Goes AWOL
There are so many reasons why we struggle with motivation:
- Feeling overwhelmed by everything we think we have to do
- Setting unrealistic goals and feeling like a failure when we can’t meet them
- Falling into a perfectionist mindset—believing we have to do everything perfectly or we may as well not do it at all
- Struggling with mental energy—when life feels exhausting, making good choices can feel incredibly hard to do
We often think we need to do it all: Hit 10k steps every day, eat perfectly, never miss a workout.
But you don’t. Consistency matters more than perfection.
If you aim for perfection, you’ll feel like you’re failing every time you slip up, or don’t quite manage to tick all the boxes. That mindset leads to feeling pressure to get it right all the time, and can really sap your energy and motivation.
There is a better way.
Instead, let’s simplify the process.
Step 1: Focus on the Basics
Rather than trying to overhaul everything, focus on the key habits that will move you forward.
Ask yourself: Am I doing the best I realistically can?
Try rating each habit from 1-10:
Food planning – Do I have meals/snacks planned that support my goals?
Mindful eating – Am I paying attention to hunger, fullness, and emotional eating triggers?
Steps/movement – Am I moving my body in a way that fits into my life?
Workouts – Am I aiming for 3 sessions per week and making them realistic?
If you’re struggling, make it easier for yourself.
- If you don’t have time or energy, what’s the simplest plan you can follow?
- Plan ahead to reduce decisions in the moment
- Remove unnecessary pressure—just focus on today
One key tip: When you don’t have a lot of mental energy, set yourself up for success by making healthy choices as easy as possible. Lay out your workout clothes the night before, prep simple meals in advance, and set reminders on your phone to keep yourself on track.
Step 2: Strengthen Your Mindset
Why are you doing this?
If motivation is low, remind yourself of your reason why. Create a vision board, write down your reasons, or keep a daily reminder somewhere visible. When you’re tempted to give up, revisit your goals and remind yourself why this matters to you.
Overcoming Temptation
When cravings or excuses pop up, ask yourself: What do I think I’ll be missing out on? Then flip it:
- Say no just for today, then reflect – did you actually miss out? Or did you gain something instead?
- Notice how you feel after making a good choice – energy, confidence, self-pride.
- Train your brain to see that it feels good to say no to things that don’t serve your goals.
Often, we tell ourselves, I don’t care as an excuse to make the easy choice. But the truth is, you do care—about your health, your confidence, and your future. Catch yourself in those moments and remind yourself what truly matters.
Reframe Your Perspective
- Healthy eating and movement are not punishments—they are self-care.
- If we see them as chores, we’ll always struggle with motivation.
- What if this could be fun? What workouts do you actually enjoy? What meals feel good to eat?
- Exercise and healthy habits unlock energy, confidence, and happiness – but your brain may resist. That’s normal. You can train it to think differently by looking for wins, and choosing to feel good about each good habit you follow through on.
Be Kind to Yourself
- You are human. Life is busy. You will have setbacks.
- Beating yourself up drains energy and motivation.
- Self-compassion doesn’t mean giving up or ‘letting yourself off the hook’—it means acknowledging challenges, adjusting, and moving forward.
A big part of staying motivated is learning to let go of judgment. If you slip up, instead of telling yourself I’ve ruined it, ask: What can I learn from this? How can I make it easier next time? Letting go of judgement protects your energy and opens your brain up to finding useful lessons. Every setback is an opportunity to learn something that helps future you.
Step 3: Take Action and Build Belief
Sometimes, the problem isn’t motivation – it’s belief.
Your brain looks at past failures and assumes, I can’t do this. But that’s just because you haven’t proven it to yourself yet. So what’s the solution?
- Take small steps—focus on one day at a time.
- Remove the pressure—what if you just did your best today?
- Celebrate wins—every good choice reinforces belief that you can do this.
- Learn & move on—if something didn’t go to plan, adjust and keep going.
Each time you make a positive choice, you show yourself that you can follow through. Over time, this builds trust in yourself, and motivation naturally increases.
Why Can’t I Stay Motivated? Final Thoughts:
Making a healthy choice isn’t about restriction or willpower – it’s about choosing to take care of yourself.
Every time you make a good choice, you’re choosing long-term health, happiness, and confidence over a momentary impulse. That’s powerful.
So, what’s the plan?
- Keep it simple—realistic habits that fit your life.
- Frame it in a positive way—you get to do this.
- Focus on today—can you plan and execute just today?
- Enjoy the process—health isn’t about suffering, it’s about feeling good.
Think about what could trip you up. If that happens, what will you do?
Having a plan in place helps you stay on track when challenges come up.
And most importantly—remember that progress isn’t about being perfect. You win or you learn. If something doesn’t go as planned, reflect, adjust, and move forward.
This is exactly what we do in online coaching – helping you build a simple, sustainable plan that works for you.
There’s no getting away from the fact that trying to lose weight and build healthy habits on your own is HARD. So if you’re tired of feeling stuck, I’m here to help. Check out the link below for more information and to apply for coaching:
Online Weight Loss Coaching with Hayley
