Episode 26: Finding Motivation Through Courage: The Second M of Weight Loss

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Motivation doesn't come before action; it follows it. Courage is what gets you started, and only after you begin taking action does motivation actually show up to help keep you going.

• Courage is the first essential component of change, not motivation
• The lower brain doesn't control speech, so saying intentions out loud activates the higher brain
• Formula to remember: Courage + Action = Motivation
• Stacking small wins creates momentum that builds natural motivation
• Not everyone will support your health journey, and that's okay
• Creating rituals and systems makes healthy choices easier
• Meal prep isn't just about food—it's about building legacy and teaching self-care

Pre-order my new book, The Plus One Theory, and its companion workbook through my crowdfunding campaign. Even $5 helps and we have amazing rewards for work teams, wellness groups and individuals. Visit PamDwyerSpeaker.com for more information and join me for part two of our 3M series on July 7th.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Hey friends, welcome back to the Plus One Theory.
I'm your host, Pam Dwyer, andyou know how we do it here.
We talk about real life andreal struggles and how to keep
going by doing just one morething than you think you can If
you're new here.
The plus one theory is allabout the power of small,

(00:34):
intentional steps One moreminute of movement, one more
kind word and one more ounce ofgrace for yourself.
Kind word and one more ounce ofgrace for yourself.
It adds up.
Just a quick note I'm not adoctor or a licensed mental
health professional.
Everything I share comes frompersonal experience and real

(00:56):
life lessons.
Always consult your care teamfor any changes to your health
and wellness routines.
Okay, be sure to do that if anychanges happen.
So today we're going to talkabout motivation, the second M
of my 3M strategy for weightloss.

(01:17):
Now, motivation doesn't comefirst, courage does, and let me
tell you why.
So let's just say it we wait onmotivation way too much.
That's what I think.
We treat it like a friend who'salways late.
As soon as motivation shows up,I'll get moving.
But here's the truth Motivationusually doesn't come until

(01:41):
after you've already started.
It's not motivation that getsyou up early.
It's courage.
It's courage that ties yourshoes and heads out for a walk
when your body wants the couch.
It's courage that makes thefirst move, even if your mind is
still whispering.
Just skip today.

(02:01):
So we're going to start doingsomething a little new.
I'm going to give y'all journalprompts because I want you to
journal.
So maybe if I give you theactual prompt, you might journal
today your own feelings, yourown thoughts.
So here's the journal prompt.

(02:21):
Where in your life are youwaiting for motivation when what
you really need is courage?
That's your first question.
The second one is what's onething you could do today Scared,
unsure or tired, just to showyourself it's possible.

(02:41):
So like, if you don't want todo something, do it anyway.
That's what you got to do.
That takes courage, and thenthe motivation will follow suit,
I promise.
Okay.
So let's talk about courage.
What it looks like Couragedoesn't always look bold and
dramatic.
Most of the time it looks likesaying something I'll try again

(03:05):
tomorrow, or I'm still worthshowing up for, or that didn't
go well, but I'm not quitting.
When I was almost 300 pounds,struggling with constant fatigue
, migraines and shame, it didn'tfeel like courage.
But every appointment I madeevery change I tried.

(03:26):
That was courage in action.
So I'm going to try anotherjournal prompt here on what I
just said.
So what's the most courageousthing you've done for your
health this year, and whosupports your courage?
Who drains it?
How can you protect your energy?

(03:46):
That's what you need to writein your journal and see how you
feel, because we're going torevisit this not every Sunday,
but well, maybe we should.
Maybe we should revisit itevery episode to see what your
answers are, so you can reflectback on what you were feeling
and then it's going to tie intothe new episode.

(04:08):
I like that.
So I know.
If any of you have listened toall of my episodes, you know
that I've talked a lot aboutlower brain chatter versus the
frontal cortex or the CEO.
So here's a fun fact the lowerbrain, the primitive,
survival-driven part of us.

(04:29):
It doesn't control speech.
Did y'all know that the frontalcortex, the CEO of our brain,
does.
So that means if you saysomething out loud, your higher
brain takes the lead.
So when that lazy voice saysyou're too tired today, you've

(04:49):
had a really hard day, you canliterally say back to it out
loud I'm going for this walkright now.
Or I'm choosing energy today,or I'm worth this effort.
It sounds silly, but it reallyworks.

(05:10):
So here's the journal prompt forthat.
What does your lower brainusually say to stop you?
And remember, your lower brainis not a bad part of your brain,
it's just trying to protect you, trying to keep you happy
instead of sad and depressed.
And also, what phrase can youstart saying out loud to

(05:32):
override it?
Yeah, that's a good prompt.
So courage plus action equalsmotivation.
Remember this formula Again.
I'm going to say it againCourage plus action equals
motivation.
Don't wait to feel like it.
Just do one small thing and letthe momentum follow you.

(05:57):
So I mean, like, when I don'twant to walk, when I don't want
to take my walk, I really y'all.
I really hate exercise, but Iknow how important it is that I
move my body, that I buildmuscle instead of lose muscle,
and so I just go.
I ignore everything that istelling me, giving me excuses to

(06:20):
not go, and I just startwalking.
Here's a tip Stack your wins,celebrate even the smallest
victory.
I woke up and I stretched forfive minutes.
That counts.
Chose water instead of a sodathat counts.
Prepped a meal Huge.
So here's your journal prompt.

(06:41):
What are three small wins fromtoday that you didn't celebrate
and how can you stack anotherplus one on top of those
tomorrow?
Now let's talk about somethingdeeper, when people around you
resent your change.
I know this sounds impossibleto some of you, but a lot of

(07:06):
times people in our circleresent our change, or maybe they
think we think too much aboutlosing weight or being healthy
they start getting annoyed withit because they want to go out
and eat pizza and celebratesomething maybe.
And you're like I can't eatpizza, why don't we go to

(07:27):
someplace with a salad bar orsoup?
I mean, being a post bariatricpatient, it was a big adjustment
, not just for me but for myfamily and my and my friends,
because I don't eat much anymoreand so eating out just seems
kind of silly unless I eat offtheir plate.

(07:48):
But they don't want me to eatoff their plate, they don't want
to share with me.
So I have to order either offthe kids menu or do the thing
where I pack up half the plateand I eat it tomorrow.
So this is very real.
So if your friends are rollingtheir eyes when you skip dessert

(08:08):
, maybe your partner iscomplaining that you're obsessed
with health now, or maybepeople aren't used to the
boundaries you're setting.
Here's the thing Not everyone isready for your growth,
especially if it reminds them oftheir own stuckness Is that a
word?
But of their own struggles.

(08:29):
How about that?
It's not your job to shrinkback.
Your job is to shine and staysteady and be the example.
So here's the journal prompt.
Are you ready?
Who in your life feelsuncomfortable with your growth?
Okay, why might that be?
And how can you lovinglyprotect your space and still

(08:50):
keep moving forward?
Ooh, that's a tough one, I knowI can share.
This is new, this journalprompt thing.
So if you don't like it, justsend me an email or a text and
say I really, really just wantyou to share your feelings with
me and your thoughts.
I don't want to do the journalprompt.
Want you to share your feelingswith me and your thoughts.

(09:10):
I don't want to do the journalprompt, but I think that I'm
going to give you my answer thefollowing Sunday.
I'll give you my answers tothese prompts.
Oh, that'd be cool, okay?
So now we're going to trickyour brain.
So let's get.
Let's get practical.
Motivation is often aboutoutsmarting your resistance.
Motivation is often aboutoutsmarting your resistance.

(09:33):
Here are my brain tricks Layout your clothes the night
before, prep healthy snacks intosmall baggies and set a reward
for completing your walk.
Maybe it's your favoritepodcast or show, like the Plus
one theory.
And remember meal prep isn'tjust about food, it's about
legacy.
That's such a cool word andwhat it means.

(09:56):
When you cook with your family,you're teaching them self-care,
you're building memories,you're creating time for
connection, not just dinner.
So here's our journal prompt forthat thought.
What's one ritual?
Wait, what's one ritual you canstart to make health easier

(10:17):
this week?
And how can you make healthyhabits feel more joyful?
I love joy.
I love to feel joyful.
I don't like to feel sad orfrustrated.
Too much energy.
I like to pour all my energyinto joy.
All right, so let's wrap thisup.

(10:37):
So today we focused on mindsetas the foundation.
That's the first M.
Courage as the real startingpoint.
Motivation as the reward forshowing up.
You're not lazy, you're notbroken and you are not weak.
You're just in progress, a workin progress, and progress is

(11:03):
beautiful.
So I've got a final journalprompt for you.
Beautiful, so I've got a finaljournal prompt for you.
What does it mean to finishstronger than you started in
your life right now.
Oh, I love that one.
If this episode hit home for you, I invite you to support my new

(11:25):
book, the Plus One Theory, andits companion workbook, now
available for pre-order throughmy crowdfunding campaign.
Even $5 helps and we haveamazing rewards for work teams,
wellness groups and individuals.
I mean, if you work in anoffice, that could use the plus
one theory in there, you know.

(11:45):
Convince your boss to have alittle workshop and I'll come
and do a workshop with them,especially if you get your work
to donate to my campaign.
So how do you do that, you ask?
Well, you go to Pam Dwyerspeakercom, which, by the way, I
have a whole new look for.

(12:05):
You should go check it out.
I organized all the links.
I mean, I was getting more andmore links, so I organized it so
you could click on what youneed.
And don't forget, I'll bespeaking to the Seeger Circle
again on July 7th with part twoof our 3M series.
It's a live session with polls,chats and Q&A.

(12:28):
So if you want to join, theZoom link is at
PamDwyerSpeakercom or on mysocials.
Until next time, keep showingup, keep adding one more and
let's finish stronger than westarted.