In the movie, Malibu’s Most Wanted, Taye Diggs plays the role of an out of work actor who is given the chance to play the role of a gangster. After being told of the role he is wanted to play, he asks,  “What’s my motivation for this role?”

This scene always tickled, as well as intrigued me. He needed a specific motivating force to achieve his or  goal. In acting, the goal is to give a convincing performance of the role you have been asked to play. In the fitness world, it is to obtain total body fitness and wellness.

I try to constantly instill this in my clients by asking, “What’s your motivation?” Why did you seek me out?” The answer is obvious. They want to be fit, but often after a month or two they seem to lose sight or forget what brought them to me in the first place.

I have a sign on the wall in my gym, asking about “your motivation” and I often pose the query to my clients during sessions. Remember what it is that brought you here and on the days when you just ”don’t feel it” and want to cancel a session or want to just go through the motions, bring to mind your motivating force.

It may be the person who lies next to you at night. It may be the younger person who sleeps down the hall. It may be the person you see in the mirror. It may be the person who works with you who looks half her age. It may be the 5k run coming up at the end of the summer. It may be the high school or college reunion in the spring. The reasons are myriad and no one is better or more real than the next.

As a trainer I too have days when I just “don’t feel it” and have to remind myself of what it is that motivates me. Whether its my desire to be the best trainer in the land or to reach a higher level of fitness, I have to use it as fuel in my tank on days when I'm running on empty.

So on days when you don’t want to take your 3 mile run or your 30 minute swim or go to your pilates class or your fat burning bootcamp, stop and think about why you decided to get fit in the first place. Write it down or take a picture and put it were you can see it everyday, look at, grab your gym bag and go!

You KNOW its what you need and KNOW how good it makes you feel!