You’re in the gym or at the track, working out hard. But suddenly, you hit the proverbial wall. One more rep is just not happening. Or maybe your alarm has gone off and you’re still in bed, unmotivated to swap your lounge clothes for workout wear, and feeling less than enthused about slipping on your running shoes and getting your butt in gear.
When you need help breaking through these motivational barriers, sometimes all it takes is repeating the right phrase. A mantra can reset your outlook and help you dig deeper, work harder and push further. “A good mantra gives you a breath of motivation, confidence and energy,” says Kristin Traskie, an American College of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer and fitness and wellness program coordinator at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. “It gives you the power to positively own and identify your greatness and reminds you that you can do this—whatever the goal is at hand.”
Not just any words will work, though. “A mantra has to speak to you,” says Reebok athlete Christian Harris. “It has to be something that can apply to you in every aspect of life, something you take with you everywhere.”
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