Every month, there are days when I feel unstoppable. I wake up motivated and feel like nothing can stop me. I want to learn everything, do everything, build everything.
And then there are days when life just sucks. Getting anything done feels difficult, especially during the days when I’m more emotional and everything annoys me. Those are the days when I retreat into my little cave and want to be left alone.
But I’ve noticed that even on those days, there are a few things I will still do: reading and practicing Spanish.
I’m currently learning Spanish through Duolingo and keeping my streak going. Whether I’m excited, motivated, tired, or completely unmotivated, I still do it. These two habits have become something I don’t negotiate with myself about anymore. They are almost like brushing my teeth or eating. I just do them.
And I think that’s the difference between motivation and habit.
Motivation comes and goes. Some days I have so much of it that I feel like I can conquer the world. Other days, I can barely convince myself to get off the couch. So if a habit depends entirely on motivation, what happens when motivation disappears?
I’m trying to add exercise to the list.
So far, exercise has been much harder to make consistent. The longest I’ve managed was one whole month. Then work got busy, I stopped for a few days, and somehow those few days turned into weeks. The longer I stopped, the harder it became to start again.
I’ve read that once you stop for a few days, it can become harder to get back on track. I don’t know if there is really a magical three-day rule, but I understand the idea. The longer you stop, the more comfortable stopping becomes.
I also salute people who exercise before sunrise. I’ve tried it a few times and it is harder than it looks.
Maybe one day.
For now, I’m trying not to make exercise into another thing I have to be perfect at. I want it to become as ordinary as reading and Spanish. Something I do even when I’m not particularly motivated.
The goal isn’t to never fall off track but simply to become someone who keeps coming back.