We always start a new challenge or journey, whether it's sports-related or self-care, with high expectations and enthusiasm. Over time, however, we can settle into a routine and lose that initial motivation, finding excuses not to continue. 

But why do we give up? Why is it easier to surrender than to persevere?

The reasons for a lack of consistency can be many.

Consistency: a matter of long-term vision

Being consistent is a discipline that goes beyond time and scheduling commitments. It's a matter of long-term vision and perseverance.

When you dedicate yourself to a sport or discipline, it's essential to keep alive the initial motivation that drove you to start. You need to be well aware of the triggering reason, the positive feeling, that spark that encouraged you to begin.

This motivation is often linked to a gap or a goal you want to achieve, but over time it can fade, especially when the finish line seems near. It's easy to slow down just when you're closest to the goal, because the result seems already within reach.

It's important to remember that positive changes take time and consist of a series of small daily successes. It's necessary to maintain regularity and determination in the long term, ignoring the impatience to see immediate results.

There are several strategies to train consistency and keep motivation high over time.

You know you can. And that's all you need.

Or, on the contrary, you want to get straight to the point, forgetting that changes often need time and are minimal evolutions that sum up small daily positive events, almost imperceptible day by day, but that will become very evident once completed.

Both are paths that hinder positive change.

So how do you train consistency?

Always put yourself first.

Always remember that you are at the center. Taking yourself out of the center of your own interest means giving yourself less importance, and that would be a shame.

You are doing it for yourself.

Every time you feel like putting aside what you started, remember that you are doing it for your own good. And even if at that moment you don't feel like putting yourself first, it's important that you do.

You are the person to love the most. Your well-being determines the balance of your life and of those around you.

5 rules to transform the vicious circle into a virtuous circle.

Training consistency is possible; you just need to follow some effective rules to not lose sight of your motivation.

1. Develop a routine

Don't start with a big commitment right away: choosing to train for an hour might seem feasible at first, but then become discouraging. Create the habit by setting small commitments, perhaps even trivial ones at first. Even fifteen minutes is fine, but that's what it has to be.

2. Create a suitable space

Location is key: you must like not only the discipline, but also the place where you practice it. If you train at home, create a welcoming environment that reflects you. Furnish or color the space with your personality.

If you go to the gym, look for a location you like, even if it means not choosing the one down the street. It's even better if it has a bar or a relaxation area like a sauna or massage center, useful for rewarding yourself once the sessions are over.

3. Be patient: the result will come.

You just have to be patient; at some point there will be a breakthrough: those pants will fit you again, that weight will drop, that routine will yield results. To see yourself in a completely new light, you need to focus on a distant and broad horizon. 

4. Look for motivations to overcome excuses.

You need to think differently: instead of telling yourself you don't feel like it, change your thought by thinking about how satisfied you'll be with yourself once you've completed the commitment. Don't say "I don't need it," but think about how happy you'll be once you achieve the result. You need to change your approach to thinking: stop sabotaging yourself. Build yourself up positively. And most importantly, reward yourself when you achieve small and big goals. It's not a given that you succeeded.

5. Set an alarm to remind you of your commitment with a motivational phrase.

When you feel like giving up, set a second alarm to remind you not to quit. You know your tendency to make excuses: overcome laziness and make light of yourself. Identify your gray areas: organize yourself now, while you are motivated and in a good mood. Do you know you might lose determination? Involve a trusted person to support you and face the journey. Together, being consistent will be easier.

Lack of consistency often stems from negative thoughts about ourselves, which leads us to tear ourselves down rather than improve ourselves positively. Change your approach now. Identifying and sharing the excuses you usually use to sabotage yourself and give up is the first step to overcoming them.

Tell us: what excuses do you use to sabotage yourself and give up on your goals?