Going to the gym on January 1 is not so different than having a really great first date after being off the market for a while. You come away invigorated, feeling excited for what your future might hold.
But by the second or third week of January, your gym visits likely feel more like going on your 31st first date in a month. Your motivation has pulled a disappearing act. The uncomfortable moments that seemed manageable at the beginning of the month — your thighs chafing on the treadmill, the miserable gym showers — now seem unbearable.
When willpower fails, turn to the greats. Strong women — from Serena Williams to Simone Biles to Oprah Winfrey — have said some seriously motivational things about pushing through physical and emotional hardships.
Let their sage words inspire you on those days when you feel like you can't make it off the couch, or repeat them to yourself when you're thinking about quitting mid-rep. When the going gets tough, the tough use mantras.
For motivation year-round, check out @Onherturf for quotes and inspiration from the next generation of badass women and female athletes. Follow us here to join the movement.
"Everyone's dream can come true if you just stick to it and work hard." - Serena Williams, pro tennis player
"We can push ourselves further. We always have more to give." - Simone Biles, Olympic gymnast
“The backbone of success is... hard work, determination, good planning, and perseverance.” - Mia Hamm, soccer star
"Just believe in yourself. Even if you don't, pretend that you do and, at some point, you will." - Venus Williams, tennis champion
"People always said it would feel like this, and it was the greatest feeling I believe I’ve ever had. I started to cry when I saw that 26-mile marker and realized my dream had finally come true." - Oprah Winfrey, after running a marathon in 1994
"I am 100% convinced that working out is part of what makes me so happy." - Jennifer Lopez, singer, dancer, and actress
"Over the years, I have really figured out what works for me. It's not about what anyone else is doing. I can't worry about whether I am doing everything that another player is doing, which can be hard sometimes. I have to trust my training and know my body and figure out what will get the best out of me." - Megan Rapinoe, soccer star
"What I've learned is that to really be successful is to love every single thing you do and to find joy in that, and I had to be really honest with myself and finally, for the first time, ask myself what it is that makes me happy... We're the biggest people we can invest in." - Katelyn Ohashi, former Olympic gymnast
"Champions keep playing until they get it right." - Billie Jean King, former number one-ranked tennis player
"When I'm not feeling my best, I ask myself, 'what are you gonna do about it?' I use that negativity to fuel the transformation into a better me." - Beyoncé, singer, actress, and dancer
"Nothing in life is worthwhile unless it's kind of hard to get there." - Carli Lloyd, soccer champ and two-time World Cup winner
"Knocked down 999 times, stand up 1,000." - Lindsey Vonn, retired Olympic Skier