Motivation is a large part of accomplishing any goal, especially ones that require continuous physical output to achieve them. However, one person’s inspiration may be completely different from another person’s, as there is no set motivational trigger that works the same for everyone. Therefore, the trick is to find that element that works to motivate you to not only keep at your fitness goal, but to tackle daily strength training sessions with conviction and power. Physical training can be difficult, not only because it takes a great deal of exertion to get through a workout, but also because it requires consistency in order to produce results. Therefore, when you are active in weight training or other forms of rigorous fitness programs, you have to battle the thought of exertion today as well as continuously. If you want to reach both short term goals and long term goals in your exercise programs then you also have to exercise your mental capacities and tap into the source that motivates you most.

Here are four of the most popular motivational tips that have been used by athletes and individuals from all walks of life. Browse through them and see if maybe one or more of them might help motivate you to achieve greater degrees of performance in your fitness program.

Music

Music is a powerful motivator that is and has been successfully used for inspiration by millions of people to obtain their goals. This is especially true today with the widespread use of iPods and other portable music devices that allow runners, treadmill joggers, and anyone else active in fitness and sports programs to listen to their favorite jams while exercising and training. The type of music that inspires is totally dependent on individual preference. So, whether you prefer rap, heavy metal, classic rock, pop, or some other genre of music, plug into a music list that gets your juices flowing and attack your workout!

Role Models

Role models are widely used by up and coming sports athletes to motivate them through grueling workouts and vigorous training sessions. Bodybuilders might look to Arnold Schwarzenegger or Phil Heath for inspiration, weightlifters to Tara Nott, football players to Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, or Deion Sanders, and basketball players to Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. Regardless of who it is that motivates you to hit the gym or other incessant periods of training, the idea is to set that person before you and use their inspirational career to cause you to strive to achieve your personal dream.

Competition

Competition is another powerful motivator. Human nature causes us to despise losing, and winning actually gives us a high. Therefore, many athletes and people active in fitness routines use competition to drive them to achieve and even surpass their goals. Michael Jordan used to scour through newspapers to see what his competitors were criticizing him about and use that negativity to inspire him to perform better in order to prove them wrong. You might see your competition as the opposing team, player, contestant, or simply the person next to you. Any of these can inspire you to push harder, longer, and faster in order to beat them and obtain that glorious feeling of victory. You can even consider yourself the competition and constantly strive to lift heavier weights, throw faster pitches, swim farther distances, etc. than you ever have before.

Visualization

Another strong motivational technique, visualization has become a top form of inspirational power over the past 50 years or so. By focusing on a mental image of what you want to transpire, amazing feats of success can be realized. Arnold Schwarzenegger used to envision his biceps as mountains and developed some of the most amazing guns in the bodybuilding world. Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics became one of the best shooters in MBA history by constantly visualizing each shot going through the hoop until his visions became reality. Some people aren’t comfortable with holding mental images for long periods of time. If you’re one of these then you can use additional techniques such as cutting out and pasting your face to your favorite idol’s body.