A Motivation Shift: Turning “I Have To” Into “I Get To”
By: Michigan Fitness Association Marketing Team
Dr. Michelle Segar
Dr. Michelle Segar is a researcher, behavioral scientist, and bestselling author at the University of Michigan whose work focuses on lasting motivation and sustainable healthy habits. She advised organizations like the World Health Organization and trained thousands through her science-based approach to exercise and self-care. Known for her books No Sweat! and The Joy Choice, Dr. Segar helps people rethink movement as a source of joy and energy rather than obligation.
Fitness professionals across Michigan have heard it before: “I know I should work out, but I just can’t stay consistent”. Despite best intentions, motivation often fades when exercise feels more like an obligation rather than an opportunity. Workout motivation is precisely what Dr. Michelle Segar, a leading motivation and behavioral sustainability researcher at the University of Michigan, has spent her career studying. Her research explores why so many people struggle to maintain regular physical activity, and how shifting one’s mindset can change everything.
Dr. Segar’s work reveals a clear pattern: when individuals see exercise as something they “have to do”, motivation breaks down quickly. However, when they view movement as something they “get to do” — a privilege, a choice, or a form of self-care — consistency flourishes. The difference lies not in willpower, but in mindset.
The Psychology of Motivation
For years, traditional fitness messaging emphasized discipline, appearance, and external goals. Many people learned to equate exercise with guilt or duty—something necessary to “burn off” calories or meet a specific number on a scale. Segar’s research, published through the University of Michigan’s Sport, Health, and Activity Research and Policy Center, demonstrates that this approach often backfires.
When exercise is framed around pressure or punishment, it becomes emotionally draining. People are more likely to quit when they miss a session or fall short of expectations. Conversely, when physical activity is associated with immediate, positive experiences—such as energy, stress relief, or joy—the brain begins to link movement with reward rather than burden.
This concept is grounded in motivational science. Human behavior is more sustainable when driven by intrinsic motivation—the desire to do something because it feels good, meaningful, or personally valuable. Dr. Segar’s research shows that small mindset changes, like focusing on how exercise improves daily life rather than chasing long-term outcomes, make people more likely to stick with it for years, not weeks.
Reframing Exercise as a Privilege, Not a Punishment
The “I get to” mindset shifts how people experience movement. Instead of thinking “I have to go to the gym”, the thought becomes, “I get to move my body today—I get to feel stronger, calmer, and more capable”. Dr. Segar’s studies find that when individuals associate movement with gratitude and enjoyment, they report higher motivation and consistency with exercise. This change doesn’t require major lifestyle overhauls; it starts with reframing purpose. The difference between “have to” and “get to” may seem small, but psychologically, it’s powerful. The first implies obligation, whereas the latter reflects opportunity. This mindset invites flexibility, compassion, and appreciation—all essential for sustainable behavior change.
“When physical activity is associated with immediate, positive experiences—such as energy, stress relief, or joy—the brain begins to link movement with reward rather than burden.”
Practical Implications for Fitness Professionals
For professionals in the fitness industry, Dr. Segar’s findings offer a practical roadmap to help members build lasting relationships with movement. Trainers, instructors, and gym owners can support this shift in mindset by focusing on how exercise makes people feel, not just how it makes them look. Instead of emphasizing strict regimens or external goals, fitness professionals can encourage clients to notice small victories: improved energy, better sleep, less stress, or the simple satisfaction of showing up. This approach fosters self-efficacy—the belief that one’s actions make a difference—which in turn fuels continued engagement.
Dr. Segar’s research also highlights the importance of flexibility in fitness routines. When exercise plans allow for life’s unpredictability, people are more likely to adapt rather than abandon their goals. A missed workout no longer feels like failure; it becomes a natural pause in an ongoing process. This realistic mindset helps clients maintain motivation over time, even when schedules change or challenges arise. By cultivating positive emotion and adaptability, Michigan’s fitness professionals can transform their role from instructors to long-term motivators, helping people reimagine exercise as an act of self-respect and renewal.
“Instead of emphasizing strict regimens or external goals, fitness professionals can encourage clients to notice small victories: improved energy, better sleep, less stress, or the simple satisfaction of showing up.”
The Science of Sustainable Behavior
At the heart of Dr. Segar’s work, her studies show success in maintaining health habits isn’t about intensity or perfection—it’s about consistency and connection. People who tie exercise to personal values, such as having more energy for family, handling stress at work, or aging with strength, are far more likely to keep moving throughout their lives.
This aligns naturally with the Michigan Fitness Association’s mission of empowering communities to live healthier, more active lives through accessible and inclusive fitness opportunities. By incorporating these mindset principles into training and program design, MFA members can help Michiganders build a more positive, lasting relationship with movement.
It’s important to remember that physical activity is not a punishment for what we’ve eaten or an obligation to meet society’s standards—it’s a daily opportunity to care for your body and mind. In this sense, “I get to” isn’t just a phrase for motivation; it’s a recognition of privilege. The ability to move, sweat, stretch, and grow stronger is something to celebrate, not suffer through. Dr. Segar’s research underscores that motivation built on joy and gratitude leads to greater physical and emotional well-being. When people move because they want to, rather than have to, exercise becomes a self-sustaining source of pride instead of pressure.
For Michigan’s fitness professionals, embracing this science means helping clients find movement that feels good, flexible, and fulfilling. It means teaching that progress is built through compassion, not perfection. And ultimately, it means showing every person who walks through the door that fitness isn’t another task to check off the to-do list, it’s a privilege to embrace.