Hi friend,

You ever feel like motivation is this on-off switch? Like you either have it or you don’t, and if you don’t, well… what now? You just sit around waiting for it to show up?

That’s the problem. We’ve been taught to believe that motivation is the prerequisite for action—like you need to feel motivated before you can start. But the reality? Motivation isn’t what gets you going. Momentum is.

Clock it: Momentum over motivation.

Because momentum nullifies that black-and-white thinking. It removes the need for the perfect moment, the perfect energy, the perfect spark. And instead of waiting for some magic feeling to show up, you just start moving—even if it’s slow, even if it’s small, even if it’s messy.

Because once the ball is rolling? Oh, it’s rolling.

Most people believe motivation is something you either have or don’t have. And if you don’t, they think they have to outsource it—to caffeine, to validation, to guilt, to some chip on their shoulder that forces them into action.

But motivation isn’t a fixed lever. It’s not some magical switch that, once flipped, makes everything easy. It’s a fluid spectrum, something you can build, something you can move through—just like any skill.

What most people don’t realize is that motivation has levels. And the key to breaking the cycle is to recognize where you are and leveraging what you got.

The 5 Levels of Motivation (And How to Move Through Them)

There’s a spectrum that people move through when it comes to motivation. And the thing is? You’re not stuck. You can move through them. You can generate momentum at any moment.

1. Amotivation (No Motivation At All)

This is where you don’t see the point. You don’t feel capable. You’ve tried before and failed.

→ What to do: Forget perfection. Forget doing it right. What’s one tiny win you can get today? 60% effort is still effort. Just do something—a walk, a stretch, one small act to prove to yourself that you can start.

2. Extrinsic Motivation (External Rewards & Consequences)

Now you’re tracking streaks. Watching numbers. Maybe you’re motivated by seeing progress, or by not breaking the chain. It’s still external, but hey—it’s movement.

→ What to do: Use it. Track, measure, log your wins. But also start shifting the focus to process-oriented wins over just outcomes.

3. Introjected Motivation (The “I Should” Phase)

This is where people get stuck. They train because they “should.” They run because they “should.” But who’s saying they should? Nobody’s forcing them. It’s just old mental wiring making them feel obligated.

→ What to do: Shift your mindset. Instead of guilt, think respect. Instead of “I should,” try “I get to.” You don’t have to force yourself into movement. You’re building something bigger—trust in yourself.

4. Identified Motivation (Shifting to Identity & Values)

Here’s where things start clicking. It’s not just something you do—it’s something you value. It’s meaningful to you. You see how it impacts your life.

→ What to do: Lean into autonomy. You choose how you move. This is your training, your routine, your body, your process. Make it something that excites you.

5. Intrinsic Motivation (You Just Do It)

At this point, you don’t even have to think about it. You just do it because it’s who you are. It’s automatic. It’s identity-driven. You don’t need external motivation anymore—you just perform.

→ What to do: Keep it fun. Keep it fulfilling. Keep pushing new challenges so you stay engaged. But also, watch out—don’t let it become rigid. Being a “fit person” doesn’t mean always training. It means knowing when to train and when to rest.

So How Do You Actually Start?

Here’s the thing—no one jumps straight to intrinsic motivation. You build momentum first. And to build momentum? You need activation energy.

Think of it like lighting a fuse. Sometimes, all it takes is one small spark to create an explosion of momentum.

The problem is that people get stuck in repeating cycles:

• They try something.
• They lose steam.
• They repeat the same pattern.
• They tell themselves they’ve failed.

But you are not stuck.

All it takes is recognizing the pattern, disrupting the pattern, and creating a new one.

So if you’re in a cycle where you feel like you “just don’t have it in you,” I challenge you to reframe it.

Because you do have it in you. You always have. You just needed a different way to see it.

And right now, in this moment, what’s one tiny action you can take to spark that momentum?

Not tomorrow. Not next week. Right now.

Because once the ball is rolling, nothing stops it.

Let’s move.

Until next time,

Much love,

Calvin

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