7 Scientifically Proven Rules To Achieve Your Fitness Goal

What really drives you is the exact opposite of what you think, new science shows. Here’s how to tweak your technique to achieve any goal.

To tap the true power of motivation, you need to ditch the strategies you’ve used in the past. “Many of the things people think will help them achieve a goal can backfire d make them less driven,” says David Gard, a professor of psychology at San Francisco State University, who has spent years researching what spurs us on. Fortunately, David and other experts have discovered what does work. The six surprising tactics that follow may seem counter-intuitive, but they’re scientifically proven to get you across the finish line.

Lose Plan B

Having a contingency plan can set you up for failure because it prevents you from fully committing to your goal, researchers from the University of Zurich reported. Here’s how: Say you really want to attend your gym’s Monday, Wednesday and Friday spinning classes every week. But you tell yourself that if you can’t make a class, you’ll do a weekend yoga session instead.

Plan B becomes an all-too-convenient excuse to cut class. The minute something comes up – you feel tired that day, or you would rather watch Empire – you default to yoga. Forget the safety net and you’ll try a lot harder to achieve your original goal.

Stop focusing on short-term satisfaction