Motivation and Inspiration. Those two words are tossed around a lot and oftentimes used interchangeably. But they are not the same. There’s a difference between motivation and inspiration. 

You can versus I can

Motivation says, “You can do it.” Inspiration says, “I can do it.”

Someone can coach you and cheer you on and tell you, “You can do it.” But until you believe it yourself and say “I can do it,” change won’t last. 

Extrinsic versus Intrinsic 

Motivation comes from things and people outside of you. Inspiration blooms from the inside.

We all need people around us. How many times did we hear from sports players during the pandemic who said they missed fans in the stands? The cheers. The noise. The support. It certainly helps, but it can’t be everything. 

Short-lived versus Lasting

Motivation has a time limit. Inspiration lasts. Why? 

The fans aren’t there all the time. You don’t have access to a coach 24/7. The cheers die down. The exercise routine gets old. The “new way of eating” becomes boring. But you can wake up with inspiration every day. You wake up with you and with the things you have cultivated within yourself to do the thing you’ve committed to. 

Motivation will only take you so far. You must get inspired. 

It has to become about you, not about me. Not about someone on the outside directing or telling you. I can help you get there, but you have to dig deep to find your drive. 

This is why diets don’t work. It’s why workout plans don’t work on their own. Anything someone gives you to do/follow will not work unless and until you find the “want to” within you. 

That plan or that person can help provide initial motivation, but at the end of the day it’s just you with you. 

The key difference between motivation and inspiration is where the “boost” comes from. And the boost, the want to, the drive – it must come from within. Everyone and everything around you might fizzle out or go away at some point. But you are still you. Do you have it within you? When you can say, Yes I do!, then watch out. Nothing will stop you! 

To be sure, there’s nothing wrong with motivation. We all need a boost here and there. I’m the first to tell you that you can’t do this alone. Find a group of women to support you. Grab an accountability partner or a workout buddy. Use your Kitlife Planner (use code “marsha” for $5 off when you order!) to do your monthly check-ins. But know that if you’re looking for something that is lasting, you must look within.

There’s a place for both motivation and inspiration in our lives. If we do it right, we’ll have enough of both to keep us going. 

You can do it! I believe in you. Do you believe in you?

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