How do you know when you're most motivated? It's not always easy to tell. But when you know, you can use it for some powerful physical activity-related behaviors!

1. Finding the
Motivation Wave
How to know when to seize the moment!
Focus: Get physical activity
Jenny Hong (jyunhong@stanford.edu)

2. Why care?
What is the motivation wave?

3. What is the Motivation Wave?
Motivation is not constant. Sometimes we’re pumped.
Sometimes not so much.
If we graphed motivation against time, it’d be a wave

4. What is the Motivation Wave?
Motivation is not always high, but when it is, we can
be extremely powerful.
In fact, we can even use motivation not only to be
powerful in the moment but to structure behavior for
the future. It’s like storing up for a rainy day.
This is called harnessing the motivation wave.

5. What is the Motivation Wave?

6. What is the Motivation Wave?
In order to harness the motivation wave, we need to
know when to act! How do we find when we most
want to stay fit? Only then can we reap the benefits
of motivation.
Fortunately, there are concrete ways to detect peaks
in this wave.

7. Detecting Peaks
Look out for these!

8. Detecting Peaks
There are three categories of signs:
World: your physical environment
Individual: look within yourself
Neighbors: your social environment
Together, they spell W-I-N!

9. World
We often leave traces of ourselves as we go on our
day. These traces often leave valuable clues!
Other times, we experience our environment
passively, but we are still influenced.
Both are valuable signs of when to take action!

10. World: Traces
Online
Actively searching (YouTube / Google history)
Browser history, high activity on certain posts on Twitter
/ Facebook feeds
Offline
Did you linger a little longer when looking at your
running shoes? Have your meals been healthier
today?

11. World: Influences
Do you look at fitness ads on the road or pay attention
to your company’s program brochure?
Did you notice a little more enthusiasm when you
walked past the yoga center by the mall?

12. Individual
We think, therefore we do.
Internal states (thoughts, feelings)
Physical states (heart rate, sleeping)
and external actions
are clues as to how motivated we are.

13. Individual: Internal
This is tricky! Time for some introspection!
What are you thinking?
Fitness-related words? Thinking about the new gym
that opened? Or positive words? Thinking optimistic
thoughts?

14. Individual: Physical
Calmer heart rate? This might be a sign of focus.
Sleeping better? Fuller sleep means you’ll have more
energy and better mood for the day.
Smiling more? This reveals you might be feeling better
inside!

15. Individual: Actions
Are there usual habits that have recently grown?
Look out for behavior you don’t usually notice: Taking
the stairs instead of the elevator—what caused that?
It might be a spike in motivation for physical activity!

16. Individual: Actions
Let’s analyze recent physical activity-related actions:
Control
Did you make your own decisions? Feel like you
took control and succeeded? You chose to
walk on your own without following your
company’s program?

17. Individual: Actions
Let’s analyze recent physical activity-related actions:
Near success
You know just where you went wrong and and
know you can get it right the next time
Streaks
You just made some success, however tiny. It
feels good to keep it going. This often motivates
people.

18. Individual: Actions
Even if you find control, near success, and streaks in
actions besides physical activity, they can often
improve general mood and give you the energy to
keep on.
For instance, with streaks, success at work might
prompt you to succeed in physical activity. You want
to work your way up to winning at every part of your
life!

19. Neighbors
Our social environment is critical in motivating us. The
behaviors and successes of our friends influence us.
Trends in the group may influence you with or without
your realizing it.

20. Neighbors: Examples
Commuting with the same group of people? Did they
all take a detour to the gym after work? Peer pressure!
Does it always come up in conversation? Planting little
seeds in your mind…
See the effects of physical activity on friends! Did they
become more fit? Do you see yourself wanting to do
the same?

21. Conclusion
By being more attentive in your world, in your
individual self, and in your neighbors, you can detect
when your motivation is peaking!
Remember: you want to W-I-N!

22. Thanks for viewing!
Feedback? Successes?
Jenny Hong (jyunhong@stanford.edu)