I am quite a keen runner and after a long break from running I am enjoying getting back in to it. I love being a coach and coaching myself as well as clients at my London hypnotherapy practice!
When our son was very young the time I got to go for a regular run around London parks was whilst pushing him in the pushchair and with our dog on a running line round my waist! As my fitness has returned and the runs get longer it can be a challenge to maintain my son’s interest, which is quite understandable!
Often we motivate ourselves and others through external consequences, either a carrot or a stick. I can still clearly remember teachers saying ‘if you don’t be quiet I’ll have you all in detention’. This is known as extrinsic motivation, it is subject to an external factor.
It is often used in sports performance and other coaching but actually research is demonstrating it is not the most effective way of getting results. This opens up a whole new way of thinking for sports performance clients at my London hypnotherapy practice.
Research has shown that most effective way to motivate people is through intrinsic motivation, utilising motivation we have within us. The theory of was initially developed by Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan, professors in the Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology at the University of Rochester in the US.
“We have an inherent tendency to seek out novelty and challenges to extend and increase our capabilities to explore and learn.” Edward L. Deci
The elements of intrinsic motivation include:
- novelty
- challenges
- extend & increase capabilities
- explore
- learn
- autonomy
- purpose
Reflecting on this I realised how I could utilise these elements in my running as well as my coaching. Running in London parks we often run past a playground or a duck pond and there comes a request to stop from the pushchair so he can play/feed the ducks. More often than not my response has been ‘not this time’ as I have a set distance in my mind I want to complete, thinking that the run is unsuccessful if I do not achieve that distance.
Re-evaluating my running using the principles of intrinsic motivation I reminded myself of my purpose of going for a run, which is to get fit and there are many ways to do that. I decided to say ‘yes’ more often to my son’s requests to stop and explore/play which would increase his enjoyment of the experience.
Whilst he was playing I could explore other exercises (such squat thrusts, press-ups, lateral jumps, sprints) that would add novelty to what had become a rather repetitive and predictable running routine. I quickly found these new exercises were using muscles I don’t normally flex, making them a quite challenge! I also found because I was doing a wider range of exercises my overall fitness increased, quickly increasing my capabilities and performance.
So my purpose was still being met but I was having more fun and so was my son!
As a result my motivation for going for a run/exercise has increased dramatically, no longer thinking ‘I’ll go tomorrow‘ and now looking forward to the new and novel challenges it brings. I recognised it was me being flexible with what I was doing that made the difference.
Just because you have always done something that way, doesn’t make it the best way….also just because it has worked up to now doesn’t mean there isn’t an even better way you haven’t yet discovered! That is the beauty of having a coach whether for sports performance, life or business. We often cannot see out own blind sports, which is what I have my own coach.
“Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it.” A. A. Milne
Action:
- What goals do you have that you would like more motivation to achieve?
- What is the purpose of this goal?
- How can you add more novelty to what you are doing? Have you got stuck in to a predictable routine of action?
- How can you make it more challenging? Perhaps you could review what you are wanting to achieve? Don’t have realistic goals, they won’t really enable you to stretch yourself and reach your true potential. Shoot for the stars.
- Is there something new you can learn which will assist you in your purpose? (e.g. asking a trainer to teach you some new exercises/machines in the gym)
- What other ways can you bring in the elements of intrinsic motivation?
Have fun!
Contact me if you think I can help you with sports performance or life or business coaching at my London hypnotherapy practice.
