Have you ever worked up the motivation to actually go to the gym, start working out, and then just find you have no drive to complete the workout and call it a day? Everyone has been there, and everyone will be there again.

Some days, you’re in the zone and are ready to crush a workout, whereas other days, it is a mental battle to get through it all. It takes a lot to be able to set yourself up mentally to go into every workout 100%, but there are many tactics you can use to get there.

As you get tired during your workouts, it’s always important to remember why you’re there in the first place. What is your overall goal? What are your short goals? How is this workout going to help push you towards these goals? Thinking of this can definitely help push you through your workout and keep you on track.

On the same sort of note, it’s also important to remember how far you’ve come, and why you’ve come so far! Think of where you were when you started, and how much progress you’ve made on your fitness journey. You got there from putting in hard work, day in and day out. You know that some days it sucks, but, as they say, no pain no gain! Working out is not easy, but that’s the point. So your current workout may be a pain in the ass (literally and figuratively), but keep pushing because it is worth it!

Another way to help you get through your workout mentally is to remember that you don’t have to do any one exercise. If you are doing barbell rows and realize you really struggle with completing them because you just downright hate them, then switch it up! There’s T-bar rows, dumbbell rows (single arm and double arm), machine rows, lat pulldowns, pull-ups, and more! Don’t feel like you’re trapped into doing one specific workout because you saw someone on Instagram doing it; find exercises that you actually enjoy so that you will want to do them.

One of the best methods to pump you up and keep you motivated through your workout is music! Pump-up music has been scientifically proven to raise one’s heart rate and cause mental stimulation. Find some tunes that really get you amped up, and allow them to get you in the zone for your workout. Whether it be AC/DC, Lady Gaga, Weird Al, or the BeeGees, if it gets you amped up then you’re set.

Lastly, find a time of day that works best for you. Are you a morning person and find that exercise really gets you going for the day? Get your workout in before work. Are you a night owl and stay up pretty late? Head to the gym later in the evening. Do you find that you want to work out but once you’re home from work, you don’t want to do anything anymore? Make it a habit to go to the gym on your way home from work. It doesn’t really matter when you work out, just that you do work out.

All in all, everyone is different and finds different ways to motivated themselves. There are so many different ways to mentally stimulate yourself to give it your all, so find what works for you and you’ll be golden!