We all need something we can relate to, something we can hold on to, something we can draw hope from, something we can motivate and inspire us. This is to ensure we enjoy long-term success in our health & fitness journey.

As Sun Tze, the famed fourth-century general and author of The Art Of War once remarked, "every battle is won before it is fought." There is indeed much truth in this.

In anything we do, we need to be clear of the purpose, of why we are embarking on this mission. Similarly, before anyone starts a workout regime, he needs to know what are the forces that motivate him....what are the forces that will propel him forward to the next league which is where he wants to be. Simply following the Joneses or being led blindly by the nose is not going to turn him into a hunk or lean, toned guy-next-door. In fact, he is just going to hang up his workout gear and banish his running shoes to the cold palace cabinet faster than you can say 'run'.

Feeling motivated is easy for all of us. We just need to be hyped up for that moment by someone we know who has a better body than us or flip the pages of a health magazine to be inspired. Staying motivated is a completely different ballgame altogether. It involves sustaining the motivation for the long-term until we attain our goal. Now that is the difficult part.

In order to make our job less difficult, the very first step is to obtain clarity in why we wish to work out. When you are able to pinpoint with utmost clarity, then not even the strongest wind or mind chatter will sway your conviction. 

Many of us mistake ends motivation with means motivation. Yes, that's the means to an end. To lose weight is primarily a means motivation. Yes, we want to lose weight. But why? If we can answer the 'why' question, we would have resonated well with the ends motivation. I want to lose weight so that I will look younger, feel sexier and fit into that bikini. Ah...now that is the primary factor why we embark on a weight loss programme. 

Being able to relate directly to our ends motivation is the primary key to long-term success. It provides us with the sustenance to carry on till the very end and achieve our goals.