Episode 188: Tricking My Mind Into STARTING to Workout: How I did it
Summary
Earlier this year I found myself waking up every morning saying “I know I should work out”. Better yet, my FAMILY would say something like “you now, I’d like to see you move, or walk, or work out”....which was so fun to hear. I asked myself WHY I didn’t want to work out, or even worse, I wasn’t sure how to get started, especially since I didn’t like working out. I started asking how I could trick my mind into working out, by surrounding the event with stuff that I LIKED. Things like great music, fun clothes, and a great reward once the workout was completed. Somehow, someway, the negative stigma of what I once dreaded is gone, and I am four months and counting of consistently working out 3 times a week for 20-30 minutes. Today, I explain exactly how I did it, and how I now look forward to working out.
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This Week’s Blog Post:
Tricking My Mind Into STARTING to Workout
Welcome to My Life as a Landlord. In this episode, I stepped completely outside my usual real estate and landlording conversations and shared something very personal. I talked about how I hated working out and how, for a long time, I simply didn’t do it. I explained that this episode came from a place of honesty, sparked by joining a challenge that encouraged me to do something uncomfortable and different from my norm.
Realizing I Had to Move
I shared how a friend finally called me out and reminded me that everyone has at least 15 minutes a day to move their body. That conversation stuck with me. I realized I didn’t even need to work out every day, just every other day. I talked about how I decided to stop making it a debate in my head and instead focus on finding a simple, realistic way to start moving consistently.
Surrounding the Hard Thing With Things I Like
I explained how I figured out how to trick my brain by surrounding workouts with things I genuinely enjoy. I talked about buying a small amount of workout clothes I actually liked wearing, listening to music that makes me feel good, and using an app that adapts to how much time and equipment I have. I shared how music, clothes, and an environment I enjoy helped make working out feel less overwhelming.
Creating a Simple Routine That Works
I walked through the routine I built—setting workouts for specific days, laying out my clothes the night before, looking at the workout ahead of time, and not allowing myself coffee until after I finished. I talked about giving myself permission to adapt, take breaks, use a chair, or go slower when needed. The key was removing pressure and making progress instead of aiming for perfection.
What Changed Over Time
I shared how, over months of consistency, something surprising happened, I started to feel better. I talked about how I didn’t miss workouts, how my strength improved, and how movement became part of my life instead of something I dreaded. I wrapped up by encouraging anyone struggling to start something hard to surround it with things they love, stop negotiating with themselves, and just begin. Sometimes, tricking your brain is exactly what it takes to create lasting change.