I used to think of the gym as exercise. Everything I did was considered working out or exercise. The elliptical, running, weight lifting, it was all exercise.

And because it was exercise, I got burnt out quickly.

After a few months of exercising, I would get tired and lose motivation quickly. Let’s face it. Exercising is hard work. It’s a pain in the ass (figuratively and literally). You have to physically and mentally exert yourself, you usually end up smelling bad, and you’re most likely sore the next day.

For me, it’s hard to maintain momentum when I consider my physical activities as exercise. The word exercise does not inspire me. It does not make me want to go to the gym or go out and run 10 miles. It feels like a chore, a dread.

But it’s different now. I don’t exercise any more.

I train.

Instead of getting my workouts in, I get my training in. I’m always training for something, whether it’s for a marathon, a triathlon, or even just a plain ol’ pull-up. There is always a reason for all the training that I do. There is always a bigger goal to achieve every single time I step into the gym, every single time I go for a run or a swim. Training helps me set these goals. Exercise did not.

When I train, I feel like I exercise with a purpose. It makes me feel accomplished and powerful, strong and invincible. If I can do half of a pull-up, I’m satisfied and beaming for the rest of the day. I go into the gym, and I already have a plan of attack because everything I do is for a specific reason.

I train MY MIND – to be more disciplined, to be more controlled, to be more patient.

I train MY ENDURANCE – to be able to swim longer, to be able to run farther, to be able to sprint faster.

I train MY STRENGTH – to be able to do 10 real push-ups in a row, to be able to do 1 unassisted pull-up, to be able to do 1 cartwheel, 1 handstand.

I train for myself because it makes me feel better, stronger, and faster each and every day.

I couldn’t find the same motivation when I thought of my workouts as exercise. It just left me dreading the gym. It left me feeling obligated instead of willing. But with training, I never get stuck in a rut. There’s always something to strive for. I can always be better.

There might not be anything to exercise for, but there will always be something to train for.

Do you differentiate between exercise and training?