When Motivation Runs Dry: What Actually Keeps You Going

Amy English
Aug 27
4 min read

Have you ever hit a point where it feels like motivation just... disappears?

Maybe you’ve been showing up, doing the workouts, drinking the water, eating the veggies, and suddenly you wake up one day and think, I don’t want to do this anymore.

You’re not alone. Motivation is fickle. It comes in short bursts, but it’s not something you can count on to carry you long-term. And if you’ve been relying on motivation to keep you going, you’re probably exhausted.

This week on Fat2Fierce®: The Confidence Chronicles, I’m talking about what actually keeps you going when motivation runs dry. (🎧 Listen to the full episode here.)

The Myth of Constant Motivation

Diet culture sells us the idea that if you’re not motivated 24/7, you’re failing. That if you don’t leap out of bed excited to meal prep or go to the gym, you’re doing something wrong.

But that’s just not true. Nobody feels motivated all the time. Not even the people who look the most disciplined from the outside.

Here’s the truth: motivation is a spark, not a fuel source. It’s the habits, routines, and default choices you’ve built that carry you when the spark isn’t there.

Think about brushing your teeth. You don’t wait to be motivated. You just do it, because it’s part of who you are.

The same is true with how we care for our bodies.

What Carries You When Motivation Isn’t There

Habits

The small things you’ve repeated so many times that they’re almost automatic. For me, it’s filling my water bottle first thing in the morning or putting my workout clothes out the night before. They’re little, but they carry me.

Routines

Routines create structure. They make showing up predictable and simple. My routines remind me to move, to get to bed on time, and to take care of my energy.

Default choices

These are lifesavers. When I’m not motivated, I fall back on my defaults. Instead of skipping movement altogether, I go for a 20-minute walk. Instead of giving up on dinner, I make eggs and veggies. Not perfect, but aligned.

Your defaults don’t have to be fancy. They just need to keep you moving, even when motivation is nowhere to be found.

Stories of Not Quitting

I want to share a couple of real-life examples from just this past week, where I was tempted to give up, and what I learned instead.

The Medication

My doctor prescribed me a medication to help with insulin resistance. And at first, I actually saw the scale moving, which felt amazing after months of not budging.

But then came the side effects. I had such a bad reaction that it took me out for two full days. There was pain, discomfort, and exhaustion.

In the past, I would have pushed through and told myself, “The weight loss is worth it.” I would have suffered silently. But not anymore.

This time, I said no. I stopped. I reached out to my doctor, and now I’m meeting with a GI specialist to make sure everything’s okay and find a different solution.

It would be easy to throw in the towel and say, “F it.” But instead, I’m focusing on the bigger goal: reducing my insulin in a way that actually supports my health, not punishes my body.

That’s a huge shift from who I used to be.

The Podcast

And here’s another one: I almost quit this podcast this week.

I didn’t feel motivated. I didn’t have a topic. I just wanted to quit. I even thought, “82 episodes is a nice number to stop at.”

But then I asked myself: Does this feel like a clean ending… or does this feel like giving up out of frustration?

I knew the truth. It wasn’t a clean ending. It was me feeling defeated and deflated.

So I sat down, opened my notebook, and started brainstorming. And guess what? The episode you’re reading about right now is the one I almost didn’t make.

That’s the power of not quitting. Not because motivation suddenly showed up, but because I chose to show up anyway.

Why This Matters

Every time you show up without motivation, you’re building self-trust. You’re proving to yourself: I can count on myself.

That’s what creates confidence... not waiting for inspiration, but taking small steps even when you don’t feel like it.

And that’s what keeps you moving through the hard seasons, whether it’s a medication setback, a plateau, or just a week where life feels overwhelming.

A Challenge for You

Here’s what I'm inviting you to try this week:

Name one habit that’s already automatic for you. (Celebrate it!)
Pick one “default choice” you can lean on when you’re not motivated.
Ask yourself: If I want to quit, does it feel like a clean ending, or like giving up?

For me this week, my three wins were: