Lincoln Ford, a Vet-tech at MIT-DCM, is a regular of the Alumni-Wang facility these days. While not brand new to working out by any means, he hasn’t been at it for too long either. “I have been working out about two to three years now, sometimes on and off, but for a year and some months now I have been consistent,” he shares. As someone a few years into their workout journey, Lincoln is a great example to study if you are trying to figure out the key to consistency in the gym. And as he tells it, it’s not so much about technique, as it is about your core motivation:

“Working out isn’t only about being strong or becoming a muscle head, but staying healthy and happy within yourself.”

What Gets You (Back) to the Gym

There are a lot of practical reasons why you might keep coming back to a gym. Maybe the times are convenient, or the location. Lincoln himself admits to loving that about Alumni. “I really like [that Alumni] is pretty close to the building which I am in,” he admits. Location is important of course, or you might never start going to a gym at all, but is that what keeps you coming back?

The specific answer to that question will be a little different for everyone, but Lincoln’s motivation hits at a deeper level than just which machines a facility has, or which classes it offers. Something within each one of us has to be motivated. Not just motivated to have the biggest muscles or the most endurance – goals which are great for those who desire them – but to be well. The motivation to be happy and well is one that can help all those other goals along the way. After all, while it’s great to win a race or swim the fastest lap, it’s nothing like the reward of health and happiness.

How to Stay Motivated

Of course, we don’t always feel like taking care of our health. Some days it’s hard to get to the gym no how self-determined you are. This is when the ‘little’ things, like having a favorite workout to look forward to, can help. “A little bit of weight lifting and an abs workout are my favorite,” shares Lincoln. It can take some trial and error, but finding a workout you love can go a long way towards getting you to the gym when you just don’t feel like it. The gym itself can help here too, or more importantly, the community there. A workout community that is inviting, encouraging and even just plain friendly, might be all you need to get your gym sneakers on and out the door.

Maybe the best motivation to be strong and well, at the end of the day, is the results. It can take a long time to get to your ideal fitness goals, but better wellness shows up almost right away. Feeling energetic, healthy and growing in strength might be all you need to keep you going. Lincoln has seen these results, and his motivation to keep pursuing strength and wellness is as strong today as he has become physically!

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