Find your true source of motivation

“Incentive, inspiration, drive, enthusiasm, impetus, stimulus, spur, impulse, and driving force are just some of the synonyms I found when I looked up the word motivation in the dictionary.” Read more of this extract from celeb trainer, David Kirsch’s new book, The Ultimate New York Body Plan.

One of the prerequisites to successfully completing any challenge is motivation. Without it, any challenge, including this one, will ultimately become too daunting to see to completion.

Whether the “Extreme Makeover” women, one of my Victoria’s Secret models, or you, the challenge is the same. We all need to find that special something that takes us beyond the ordinary. We must soar—not merely sail. At the risk of sounding too clichéd, I can’t stress strongly enough the importance of striving to be the best that you can be.

Such traits will follow you throughout this challenging program and won’t desert you when the going truly gets tough.

The trick is to find and identify a challenge—something that evokes passion and meaning in your life. It is important to identify whether you are motivated for a cause, such as getting ready for a high school reunion or your wedding, or whether you are self-motivated and interested mostly in selfbetterment.

I caution you, however, against setting your sights on a particular number on the scale. On this program, you will exchange fat for muscle.

Many of my clients have lost stunning amounts of fat, but their weight didn’t drop quite so dramatically on the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat. It’s also more compact and powers your metabolism. Each pound of muscle you build burns an additional 35 to 50 calories a day just to maintain itself.

So even if your weight remains stable on the scale, exchanging a few pounds of fat for a few pounds of muscle will result in a slimmer, firmer, sexier body!

Over the course of the two weeks, you will be transforming your body into a more efficient fat-burning machine. This will result in your body’s ability to maintain your new self.

Of course, you may initially have decided to tackle the two-week Ultimate Body Plan because you wanted to look great in a swimsuit or stun your high school buddies at your next reunion. To uncover the true source of your motivation, however, look a little deeper. The pride found from looking great in a swimsuit pales in comparison to the pride and confidence gained from successfully completing the program without cheating or backsliding.

Then, just imagine how confident and successful you can become when you maintain your results.

To find the true source of your motivation, contemplate the following questions:

• Why am I taking this makeover challenge?

• What do I hope to accomplish in 14 days?

• What do I hope to discover about myself during the next 14 days?

• What mental and spiritual strengths do I hope to build upon during the next 14 days?

Those last two questions may seem out of left field to you at this point. You may be thinking, “I want to look great in a swimsuit. What does that have to do with discovering something about myself?”

Let me explain: Sculpting an amazing butt is quite motivational, but the loftier goal is finding your “soul light,” the place inside you that, once lit, will guide you through your toughest travails.

I have said it countless times—to all my clients at one point or another: “It’s not just about a perky butt!”

Unlocking and finding that place that we all have inside us is the secret to transforming and maintaining amazing physical, mental, and spiritual results.

Inner peace is often hard to grasp but easy to recognize. Recently, I was running to meet friends for dinner. I had been writing and lost track of time. I was feeling particularly stressed and could not find a taxi.

I found myself getting caught up in a New York moment—not very pretty—when a homeless person stopped me and asked me if I had any spare change. In that split second I realized that this was all happening for a reason. I reached into my wallet, and the smallest dollar denomination I had was $20.

I had been out only five minutes, and I was freezing. This guy had been out all day and night. I gladly gave him the $20 and told him to find someplace to get warm. That small act of charity allowed me to reconnect with my soul and, in the process, release unwanted toxic energy and replace it with positive energy, which I could feel pulsing through my body.

My mother discovered her soul light and inspiration to exercise recently when she was admitted to a hospital for surgery. As she was being administered the intravenous drip, the nurse told her to breathe deeply and think of something calming.

For my mom, that meant thinking of my aunt (her youngest sister), who had been her best friend and who had passed away 13 years earlier. Mom heard my late aunt tell her she was going to be fine, that it wasn’t her time yet. With that pleasant thought, Mom drifted off peacefully and awakened from the surgery feeling a little groggy but full of positive energy.

Mom insisted on going home that day. When I visited her, she was full of life. I believe my mother had an epiphany that day on the operating table. If at 67 years of age she could find the strength, courage, and fortitude to rise above a little adversity (and pain), then it was time to rethink and reprioritize the things that were most important to her. We spent the day looking at pictures and reminiscing about old times and people who had touched us over the years. We’d done that many times in the past, but this time it was different.

Rather than taking on a sad tone, the experience was positive and uplifting. Every experience and each person in those old pictures represented a time and a moment that was very special. Together those moments formed a lifetime of love, learning, and growth that strengthened and enriched us.

On the way home from my parents’ house, I telephoned my mother and told her how proud I was of her strength and courage. Since that day, my mother has started eating better and has pledged to start exercising again. I have purchased her a new recumbent exercise bicycle and put her on my nutrition plan.

This all started with the power of positive thought and energy.

As far as I’m concerned, the power of positive energy is one of the most important mental practices needed for success. You must be positive in order to tap into your soul. You must let go of fear and self-judgment. By doing so, you allow yourself to connect spiritually and emotionally in a way that forms a formidable one-two punch.

Being a graduate of The Ultimate New York Body Plan will give you the strength, courage, motivation, and determination to keep that soul light lit and to continue to challenge yourself throughout your life. Perhaps you will strive to do better in school, seek a better job, or maintain more stable personal relationships. If you follow your soul light, you will be guided down the correct path. You will soar to new heights, and you’ll feel better as a person as a result. Oh, and you’ll look fantastic, too.

The true source of motivation

To persevere on The Ultimate New York Body Plan, start thinking like a marathon runner. When ticking off one mile after another, the runner doesn’t think about the number of calories she’s burning or the shrinking size of her thighs.

Rather, her motivation comes from the physical sense of accomplishment in pushing herself to her limit and beyond. Her motivation comes not only from the bragging rights of successfully completing a marathon, but also from the deep sense of pride that bubbles up from the inside once she’s faced her demons and persevered.

Think of your Ultimate Body the same way. Yes, you will sculpt the best body of your dreams. Yet, rather than focus your mental satisfaction on physical appearances, discover the deep well of motivation that bubbles up from the inside when you commit yourself to a challenging program and stick with it.

When you push yourself to your limits and beyond, you’ll not only achieve the physical results you seek, but you’ll also discover your inner strength, fortitude, and motivation.

Extract from The Ultimate New York Body Plan by David Kirsch (McGraw-Hill, paperback available from April 2008, £9.99), and his website www.davidkirschwellness.co.uk