The Real Reason You Can’t Stick to Exercise (and How to Change It) | Episode 31

Be honest. Have you ever told yourself, “I should exercise,” and then didn’t?

Maybe you made a plan, wrote it in your calendar, and even imagined how great you’d feel after. But when the time came, you skipped it. You knew it was good for you, you wanted the results, but somehow the consistency never stuck.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

The truth is, exercise isn’t hard because we lack information. It’s hard because we haven’t built the right mindset and systems to help us follow through.

In this article, I won’t give you another workout routine. Instead, I’ll share the mindset shifts and simple systems that finally helped me exercise consistently, even while juggling family, work, and a busy life.

For many years, I had a love-hate relationship with exercise. I knew it was good for me, and I kept making plans. I would start strong for a few days or maybe a week, but sooner or later, I would stop.

I once signed up for a year-long gym membership and only went once, for the orientation. I never canceled it because I kept telling myself I’d eventually go back, though I never did.

So I tried exercising at home. I bought workout videos, dumbbells, a jump rope, a hula hoop, and even cute workout clothes and shoes. At one point, I bought a rowing machine, but it ended up collecting dust and sometimes even served as a clothes hanger.

I thought motivation was the problem, so I tried vision boards and photos of fit bodies with my face pasted on them, hoping it would spark action. I imagined myself posting transformation pictures online, waiting for the validation that would keep me going. None of it worked.

The truth was, I was busy. Between raising my family, running my business, and trying to get enough rest, exercise always felt like “extra work.” My inner dialogue went something like this:
“I’m too busy today.”

“I deserve to rest after yesterday.”

“I’ll start once life slows down.”

Can you relate?

The shift finally came after I turned 44. Now, one and a half years later, I’m exercising consistently. What used to feel like a battle is now part of my rhythm. I don’t debate with myself anymore. I just wake up and move.

That is the power of habits.

When something is not yet a habit, it feels like pushing a heavy boulder uphill. But once you develop the right mindset and systems, your brain rewires itself. Eventually, it becomes automatic. Exercise becomes like brushing your teeth—something you don’t negotiate with yourself about, you simply do it.

Looking back, I realized I was making the same mistakes that many people do when they struggle with exercise.

For years, my unspoken reason was to look good: to have toned arms, flat abs, and legs that made me feel confident in photos. But surface-level goals didn’t give me enough fuel.

What I discovered is this: when exercise is tied to something meaningful, like protecting your health, showing up fully for your family, or living with energy and joy, it becomes much easier to stick with it.

Here’s a simple way to uncover your own deeper motivation:

This exercise, often called The Deep Why, helps you uncover the emotional core of your goal. For me, it became this: “I’ll exercise because it gives me energy and good health, so I can do the things I enjoy, be there for the people I love, and contribute to the world for longer.”

That reason still motivates me far more than the dream of a six-pack ever did.

Motivation feels great when it shows up, but it is unreliable. Some days it’s there, some days it’s not. The same goes for willpower. If you rely on those alone, exercise will always feel inconsistent.

The truth is, habits are what keep you going when motivation disappears. Once something becomes a habit, your brain works with you, not against you.

One of the most useful resources I found was James Clear’s Atomic Habits, where he explains four rules of habit formation. Here’s how I applied them:

For years, I believed I was too busy to exercise. But I came to realize that exercise doesn’t take away time. It gives back energy, focus, and resilience. Without it, everything else suffers eventually.

The turning point was when I stopped seeing exercise as an “extra” and started scheduling it like a non-negotiable appointment. Protecting that time was a game-changer.

If you’ve been struggling to stay consistent, here’s one small action you can try:

This is not about perfection. It’s about proving to yourself that you can start, and once you do, momentum grows.

Imagine waking up with energy instead of dragging yourself out of bed. Imagine showing up to work focused and confident, and ending the day with enough stamina to enjoy time with your family.

That’s what’s possible when exercise becomes part of your rhythm, not just a temporary effort.

If you’re ready to stop depending on bursts of motivation and finally create habits that last, I’d love to support you.

Book your FREE Coaching Consultation today! Together, we’ll uncover your deeper why and build a system that makes exercise—and self-care—a natural part of your life.

00:00 – Introduction
01:57 – My Story: From Struggle to Consistency
05:48 – Mistake #1: Not Having a Clear and Compelling Reason to Exercise
08:21 – Mistake #2: Waiting for Motivation to Show Up Before Starting
09:13 – The 4 Rules of Habit Formation
19:08 – Mistake #3: Treating Exercise as an Optional Extra
22:28 – How to Actually Make Space for What Matters
24:54 – What Happens When You Shift Your Perspective
26:58 – Quick Action Steps You Can Try
28:13 – Your Journey to Growth Starts Here