1. Setting goals – both performance-related goals as well as more general ones – will keep you motivated both in the beginning stages of learning a new sport as well as when practicing it for a few months or even a few years.
Make your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound, but don’t go crazy about it – if your primary reason for exercise is health and fitness, you don’t have to track every single aspect of your performance. Set simple goals so you can track your progress and get motivated by it, not necessarily to become a world-class athlete.
2. In the case of being more experienced with a given sport, not only set new long-term goals, but also set goals that will lead to quick, visible improvements (usually related to things you don’t practice often, but are a welcome change from the primary focus). These fun “side missions” will help you keep more enjoyment in your regular sessions.
3. Start a chain in your calendar and cross off days with a big red X each day you exercise. It sounds like a silly thing to do, but it can be enough to help you stay motivated until the habit of exercise becomes a permanent thing in your life.
4. Don’t think in terms of “all or nothing” on your lazy days. If you can’t make yourself go to the gym, put on your jogging shoes, or attend a yoga class, at least do an easy alternative – some bodyweight exercises at home, a brief walk, or a bout of dynamic stretching. It’s better than nothing, and you’ll reduce the risk of falling out of your habit completely.
5. Keep records of your workouts. Even noting it down on a piece of paper with a few words describing the session will be enough to keep track of your progress and increase your motivation to keep going as you see your progress.
6. Give yourself rewards for performing exercise – especially on the days you don’t feel like doing it. Make sure that your rewards are beneficial to you, or at least don’t set you back fitness-wise. Think relaxation and enjoyment, not wild indulging.
7. Music can reduce the perception of effort while exercising. If you practice a certain type of activity by yourself, listening to music can be a good way to get yourself more excited about the workout and make it feel less strenuous. Alternatively, listen to podcasts or audiobooks.
8. The sunk cost fallacy (tendency to keep investing in things you’ve already invested in, even if it’s no longer something you want to do) can help you stay motivated to exercise. Buy a long-term gym pass (or a pass for whichever place you visit to practice sports) and remind yourself of it next time you don’t feel like working out. Your brain will irrationally trick you into thinking you’re losing a lot by letting your pass go to waste. Consequently, you’ll be more likely to use it.