How to Maintain Long-Term Motivation

Recently, I signed up for an Olympic triathlon. I got into multi-sport racing about five years ago, and I’ve done an Olympic duathlon and a sprint triathlon already.

I didn’t have much momentum in my workouts when I signed up for the race. I signed up at the end of May, and I hadn’t done a bike ride longer than twenty miles since the previous October or a swim longer than 1,000 meters since the last December. An Olympic-distance triathlon includes a 1,500-meter swim, a 24.8-mile bike ride, and a 6.2-mile run. I had a long way to go.

Then, something unexpected happened.

I signed up for a race on a Saturday and decided to train the following Sunday morning before church. I woke up early, rode the entire 24.8 miles on my bike, and ran 6.2 miles immediately afterward. Two days later, I went to my local YMCA and swam 1,500 consecutive meters. I repeated the bike-run progression the following week and swam 2,000 meters without stopping.

This newfound endurance blew me away. Did something magical happen when I signed up for the race?

I became curious and started doing some research. Soon, I learned that I had three things after signing up for the race I didn’t have before.

I established a clear goal.

Before I signed up for the race, I didn’t have a clear purpose for running, biking, and swimming. I could still benefit from exercising, but I had nothing specific to work toward other than getting in better shape or beating previous records. Defining a clear goal gave me a more profound sense of purpose and direction and made it easier to follow through on specific actions.

I created accountability and commitment.

When I signed up for the race, I promised myself (and the staff that plans the race) that I would participate. I spent money to secure my spot and put the date on the calendar. Suddenly, there was a much deeper level of accountability and commitment. If I decided not to train, I wouldn’t be able to perform in front of others, or I may choose to back out of a commitment I already made. Neither outcome is positive.

I sparked my intrinsic motivation.

A large body of research suggests that intrinsic motivation is more powerful than external motivation. Not only is intrinsic motivation more likely to lead us to action, but it’s easier to sustain over time. When I signed up for my race, I became excited about the opportunity to pursue a new goal. I felt challenged because the goal wasn’t something I’d done before. I also had something to look forward to, enhancing my motivation to continue training and preparing for the race.

I share this story because I hope something in my story can apply to your motivation. Struggling to make progress on a goal? Consider how clarifying the desired outcome, establishing meaningful accountability, or boosting your intrinsic motivation can help you get to where you want to go.

Do you have a story about a single decision or action that sparked your motivation in a powerful way? Please share with me in the comments. I would love to hear and celebrate with you!