How to Have the Same Drive As Contestants on The Biggest Loser

There’s one reason why anything gets done here on this planet we call “Earth,” and that’s motivation. Whether it’s taking the dog for a walk, cooking dinner for your family, going to the gym, or handing in your latest work assignment, you have motivation to thank for it. What motivates you to do each of these things may not necessarily be the same, but there is still some underlying motive for getting it done.

In the case of turning in your work, you might think that you’re doing it so that you don’t lose your job. You might also say you’re doing it for the money, your salary. When you dig a little deeper, though, you realize it wasn’t for either of those things. Those were just on the surface, kind of like an easy answer. What really motivated you was being able to support your family, have stability and security, be worry-free about financial matters, or afford whatever you want to buy. When you read through those motives, don’t they sound a little bit more like what you really want? Wouldn’t that drive you to work just a little bit harder, stay a little bit later, or take on a little more work than usual? Money does drive some people, but for most of us, the real motivator lies in a priority such as caring for your family.

Want to know how people lose massive amounts of weight on The Biggest Loser? Motivation. They all had what I like to call a “Big WHY.” Your “Big WHY” is your reason for doing things. It’s such a strong, powerful reason that you have no choice but to reach for your goals, regardless of what you come up against. Biggest Loser contestants face a lot of internal “demons.” They have a lot of work on the inside to do, work that makes them question everything they’ve ever known or thought about themselves. This is in addition to all the strenuous exercise they’re enduring. They really are changing their lives. And yet all of that work is worth it so that they can restore their health and be there for their wife/husband/kids for many more years.

I want you to think to yourself, for a second:

What goals do I have?

What reason do I have for creating those goals in the first place?

Does that reason really pull me? Is it strong enough to keep me going when the going gets tough?

If you don’t have a “WHY” that’s big enough, you’ll lose focus. You’ll lose momentum. You’ll give up the first time you hit a bump. If your “WHY” doesn’t seem compelling enough, go deeper. Look inside yourself to see what you really want. Maybe the goal you set for yourself isn’t really one you consider worth having. Maybe it’s a goal that someone else set for you. Maybe it’s not your highest priority. Whatever the case, you need to come up with a “Big WHY” or you can consider your goal to be just another “I want…” that you’ll never actually have. It’s that
important.

Once you reassess your goals and have a “Big WHY” for each of them, write those “WHYs” down. Put them in big bold letters and hang them somewhere you can see throughout the day: in your office, on the fridge, in your bedroom. You want a constant reminder of exactly why you’re committed to doing these goals. Which is another great point: you have to commit. Saying “I want to be fit” or “I’d like to make more money at my job” is not committing. It’s a way of saying “Yeah, that would be nice… if it fell into my lap.”

I’m not a big fan of all-or-nothing approaches, but I know that, when you’re committed to something, you’ll do anything it takes. It’s almost like you have no choice BUT to reach your goal. You haven’t allowed yourself any other option except complete success. The cool part about commitment is that your “Big WHY” will get you there. It’ll keep you focused. Now, you have your “Big WHY.” You’ve written it down and posted it somewhere prominent. I’m happy to say that you are now well on your way to success in whatever endeavor you’ve chosen. Congratulations!