You Don’t Need Motivation — You Need Momentum

A few weeks back, I started re-reading Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. — one of those books that’s become almost mythical among athletes and coaches. There’s a line in it that has stuck with me for years:

“What was the secret, they wanted to know… And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes. The trial of miles; miles of trials.”

If you’ve never read it, it’s worth tracking down — it’s as much a philosophy book as it is a running story.
(Get it here if you're keen - I think it's about $10 on kindle: https://www.amazon.com.au/Once-Runner-John-Parker-Jr/dp/1416597891 )

That’s it, right there — the secret that isn’t a secret.
The work. The miles. The boring, basic, unsexy consistency that no one really wants to hear about.

We live in a world that celebrates motivation.
Motivational videos. Motivational quotes. Motivational coaches. It’s all designed to give you that short hit — that spark that makes you feel ready to take on the world.

But the truth is: you don’t need motivation. You need momentum.

The Myth of Motivation

Motivation is a sugar hit.
It feels great in the moment, but it fades as soon as life gets messy — when you’re tired, stressed, or busy.

If you’ve ever set the alarm for a 5 am session and then rolled over because you “didn’t feel motivated,” you know what I mean. Motivation depends on how you feel, and feelings are unreliable. They change with the weather, with your sleep, with the kids, with work, with the traffic.

Momentum doesn’t care about feelings.
Momentum just needs movement.

Once you start moving, everything else becomes easier. The hardest part is getting from stillness to motion — from “I should” to “I’m doing.” Once you’re moving, even a little, you can steer it. You can build on it. You can keep it rolling.

Momentum is Built, Not Found

Here’s the thing: momentum doesn’t arrive. You create it.

Every time you show up — even when you don’t want to — you add a brick.
Every time you finish a session — even if it wasn’t your best — you add another.

After a while, you’ve built something solid enough to stand on.
You don’t have to think about whether you feel like training anymore, because it’s just what you do.

That’s why people who’ve trained for years don’t rely on motivation. They’ve built systems that make the next step automatic:

• They have a set session time.

• Their gym bag lives in the car.

• They prep meals on Sunday.

• They keep promises to themselves, even when no one’s watching.

And that’s where the magic happens — not because of one big effort, but because of thousands of small, consistent ones.

Momentum is Emotional Armor

The beautiful thing about momentum is that it protects you from the emotional rollercoaster.
You don’t beat yourself up after a bad week; you just get back on track.
You don’t need to re-light the fire every Monday; it’s already burning low and steady.

Think of it like training a heavy bag. You don’t need to throw haymakers every round — you just need to keep your hands moving. When you stop moving, you start thinking. And thinking is where doubt creeps in.

When you have momentum, the decision to train doesn’t feel like a negotiation.
It’s just part of the rhythm of your life — like brushing your teeth or going to work. The resistance fades away because doing has become your default setting.

Start Small, Stay Steady

If you’ve lost your rhythm — maybe after winter, injury, or life getting in the way — don’t wait for motivation to return. It won’t.

Start smaller than you think you should.
Come in twice a week. Move a bit outside. Go for a walk. Jump into a short session instead of the big one. The goal isn’t to be perfect — it’s to build momentum.

It’s easy to underestimate how powerful a single “yes” can be.
“Yes, I’ll train today.”
“Yes, I’ll go for a walk.”
“Yes, I’ll prep dinner instead of ordering takeaway.”

Each one seems tiny, but they compound.
That’s how people change their bodies, their minds, and their lives — not in one giant leap, but in a thousand tiny nudges.

The Real Secret

So if you’re waiting for the spark — stop waiting.
It’s not coming.

The people you think are “motivated” aren’t. They’ve just built enough momentum that stopping feels weirder than going.

They’ve learned that progress isn’t about the perfect program, supplement, or playlist. It’s about showing up. Again. And again. And again.

That’s what Parker meant by the trial of miles; miles of trials.
You don’t need to be fired up. You just need to move.
Keep moving, and you’ll find yourself becoming exactly who you were hoping motivation would turn you into.

Ready to Build Some Momentum?

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to start — it’s now.
The secret isn’t motivation. It’s motion.

Come down, start where you are, and let’s build some momentum together.

Book a free consultation at Round 1 Fitness
We’ll get you moving — and keep you moving.