Consistency is the most important skill you can develop if you want to reach your goals. And yes, it’s a skill — something you learn and practice, not something you’re simply born with. Motivation and passion can help you get started, but even the things you love will eventually feel difficult. That’s when consistency matters most.
Anything worth doing requires effort and dedication, and training is no exception. Staying consistent in your fitness journey is what separates short-term effort from long-term success. Whether you’re working out to get stronger, improve your health, or feel better about yourself, the truth is simple: progress comes to those who keep showing up.
Motivation vs Discipline: Finding What Really Works
Motivation is great because it gives us the initial impulse to start something. It’s that rush of energy you feel when you decide to make a change. Motivation is like filling up your car’s gas tank and taking off full speed on the highway. The problem is that, just like fuel, motivation runs out. Unless you stop to refill, you’ll eventually lose momentum.
That’s where discipline comes in. Discipline is what keeps you moving when the excitement fades. It’s the quiet decision to show up, even when you don’t feel like it. In the context of fitness and working out, discipline is about understanding that not every workout will feel inspiring or enjoyable, but doing it anyway builds strength far beyond your muscles. Research shows that building consistent habits is more effective for long-term behavior change than relying on motivation alone (Lally et al., 2010).
Being consistent and disciplined with yourself means treating your workouts like non-negotiable appointments. You don’t skip brushing your teeth or going to work, and your training should hold the same weight. Every time you follow through, you strengthen that skill of consistency. Every time you skip, that skill dulls a little.
Of course, life will sometimes get in the way. You’ll get busy, tired, or distracted, and that’s okay. The key is to avoid the all-or-nothing mindset. One missed workout doesn’t mean failure; what matters is what you do most of the time. Staying disciplined is about progress, not perfection. A flexible yet consistent approach yields greater physical and mental benefits over time (Kaushal et al., 2017).
If you struggle to stay consistent, start with small steps. Commit to short workouts when your schedule is tight, or set a minimum goal, such as “move for 20 minutes.” Over time, these small actions compound, and your body and mind begin to crave that structure. The more you practice discipline, the easier it becomes to maintain — even on the hard days.
Recently, while reading It’s Not Magic by John Amaechi, I came across some advice that was both simple and powerful. When we want to make a significant change and establish a new routine, such as working out five times a week at 5:00 a.m. before work, the best approach is to break it down into smaller, more manageable steps, rather than diving in too quickly and burning out within the first month.
Start by waking up at 5:00 a.m. every day — that’s it. Once you’ve been consistent with that, move on to adding a short 15–20 minute workout three times a week. Eventually, you’ll reach your full goal, and because you built those smaller habits first, staying consistent will feel much easier.
This kind of approach highlights what I mean by discipline as a skill. It’s not about doing everything perfectly from the start. It’s about practicing consistency and insistence, over and over, until it becomes second nature.
What to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Working Out
It all sounds great in theory, and yes, breaking big goals into smaller, realistic steps is what keeps progress sustainable. However, the reality is that even with a good plan and good habits, there will be moments when you are not feeling your best, whether mentally, emotionally, or physically, and there is absolutely no desire whatsoever to do a workout; all you want is to go to bed or eat some comfort food. We all have those days, no exception. Those are the moments you have to dig deep and put that skill into practice.
The first step is to remind yourself that showing up in any capacity still counts. Even a light workout, such as a walk or ten minutes of stretching, is better than doing nothing. Research indicates that small, repeated actions can help reinforce long-term habits and enhance motivation over time (Lally et al., 2010). When you keep your commitments, even on low-energy days, you send a message to yourself that your goals are essential.
Second, focus on the why behind your workouts. Are you training to feel stronger, improve your physical health, reduce stress, or enhance your mental well-being? Connecting with your deeper reason helps you overcome temporary resistance. Studies show that exercise not only improves mood but also reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, making it a powerful tool for mental well-being (Harvard Health Publishing, 2021).
Finally, remove the pressure to be perfect. Consistency is not about hitting every session at 100%. It’s about creating a mindset that values effort over excuses. Some days you’ll crush your workout; other days, simply showing up is the win.
Final Thoughts: Train Your Mind Like You Train Your Body
I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but it’s true: staying consistent with your fitness goals is not a race. It’s not about going 100% all the time — it’s a marathon. There will be moments when motivation is high and you can push harder, but there will also be times when you feel like giving up. That’s when practicing this skill matters most. Even if you need to slow down, keep showing up and maintain the momentum. As long as you stay in motion, you’ll reach the finish line.
References:
Amaechi, J. (2021). It’s not magic: The art and science of high performance. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
Harvard Health Publishing. (2021, October). Exercising to relax. Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax
Kaushal, N., Rhodes, R. E., Meldrum, J. T., & Spence, J. C. (2017). Increasing physical activity through principles of habit formation in new gym members: A randomized controlled trial. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 51(4), 578–586. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-017-9881-5
Lally, P., Van Jaarsveld, C. H., Potts, H. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998–1009. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674
