Where does motivation go?

Last week, during one of my podcasts, a question came up:

Why do people feel so motivated at the beginning of the year… and then lose that motivation so quickly?

By March, gyms are quiet.

The hikes, the trails—empty.

That initial energy seems to disappear.

Why does this happen?

Not because people are weak.

And not because they lack discipline.

But because the foundation is often misunderstood.

Motivation built on pressure— on “I should,” “I have to,” “this is expected”— does not last.

Goals that are too rigid or unrealistic

leave no space for life to happen.

When progress feels invisible, the mind loses interest.

And when we disconnect from ourselves—

pushing, forcing, overriding—we eventually stop.

Because the body does not respond to force.

It responds to safety.

People don’t lose motivation.

They lose connection—to themselves, to their why, and to the way they are walking the path.

That’s why in my book “Liberation from the Diet Prison; A Journey to Body-Mind Harmony”, I focus on very small attainable and enjoyable steps.

So that movement can gently return to your life— or, if it’s already there, to evolve in a way that feels natural, sustainable, and truly yours.

Love, RO