I was thinking today that maybe when you are motivated makes a big difference too.

I mean if I have to miss a workout for uni work or whatever (which happens way too often lately) and i think - shit now i might not achieve my goals / i might get obese if this keeps up / i'm not doing very well then it doesn't seem to motivate me at all. It's more depressing and scary really.

Like if I am driving and I absent mindedly do something silly then I feel stupid and it seems to be a self fulfilling prophecy and i do something else that's just stupid.

However if i drive and before anything happens I have consciously though I will drive according to this sytem and have these checks etc then I will feel more in control because I have a strategy and I will apply it.

I think things that occupy your mind before and while you're training rather than things you fear when it's not going well might be better motivators.

Perhaps that's partly why positive goals are good for motivation - they're more likely to be on your mind all the time without stressing you out.