Training has to become a habit in order for it to really have an impact on your health and wellness. For many of us, heading to the box is the best part of our day — something we look forward to after working hard for the last eight or nine hours. Sure, you have those days when it’s really hard to get to the gym because you’d rather be home watching TV. Or you might have days when you feel like a complete failure. But overall, fitness brings you pleasure, and you’re able to roll with the highs and lows. What happens, though, when it starts to become something you dread?

It’s a topic Khan Porter touched on when we caught up with him in Sydney, NSW, for an episode of The Journey. After years practicing the sport, he realized he had lost his way a little and knew he had to refocus. “I think for the last few years, I’ve hated training. It’s been a necessary evil to allow me to compete,” he said. “After last year’s Regionals, not qualifying for the Games, I kind of took a little bit of time off training.”

He eventually got back into it, joining along in the classes at his gym and rediscovering what it was that drew him to the sport in the first place. With a hectic schedule and many responsibilities, fitness started to once again be something he looked forward to every day. “It fired me up to start training again.”

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He makes a crucial point: maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle isn’t doable when your motivation is off.

For Porter, his motivation used to be competing; and then one day, the reason for everything — the Games — was no longer on the table. At that point, one might ask themselves, “What am I doing this for?”

What’s your why? Why do you train? Is it for you? Do you train because it makes you feel happy and fulfilled? Does it help you respect your body, eat properly, and stay energized? These are all excellent motivators to stay fit.

Don’t let that driving force leave you. Don’t let being the best in the gym, competing at a certain level, or the desire to impress someone else be the reason you go to the box. It’s so much easier to live a healthy lifestyle when it’s something that brings you joy. If you start to resent it, it might be time to pause, take a step back, and reevaluate your approach.

That’s not the only great advice Porter had. Check out the full episode to learn more about him.