How to stay motivated to walk every day

By Jenny Xu, CEO of Talofa Games · Updated

Short answer

The easiest way to stay motivated to walk is to make the walk small, regular and rewarding: tie it to something you already do, start with a goal you can hit on a bad day, walk with someone, and give yourself a reason to look forward to it. A walking game like Monster Walk adds that reason: every step clears the fog, saves monsters and unlocks the next part of the story.

8 ways to make daily walking stick

  1. Start smaller than you think. A goal you can hit on your worst day keeps the streak alive.
  2. Stack it on a habit. Walk after coffee, after lunch, or during a phone call.
  3. Count every step, not just "workouts". Errands, pacing and the treadmill all count.
  4. Have somewhere to go. A podcast queue, a café, or a quest to finish.
  5. Walk with someone. A friend, a dog, or a team in a game keeps you accountable.
  6. Make it visible. Seeing progress (a map clearing, a level going up) is more motivating than a number.
  7. Plan for bad weather. Pick something that still counts indoors.
  8. Don't punish a missed day. Pick the habit back up tomorrow.

Why walking games help

Games give a walk a story and a next step. In Monster Walk, the steps you take from Apple Health or Health Connect clear the fog on your map, save monsters who join your team and unlock new regions, with challenges sized for whether you walk a lot or a little. Players walked more than 1 billion steps in its first two weeks.

FAQ

How do I motivate myself to walk when I don’t feel like it?

Make the goal tiny, attach it to something you already do, and give the walk a payoff, such as a podcast, a friend, or a walking game where your steps unlock the next part of the story.

Do steps indoors count for walking games?

In step-powered games like Monster Walk, yes: steps come from Apple Health or Health Connect, wherever you take them.

Try Monster Walk, free:

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Talofa Games is a games-for-good company that makes fitness games: Monster Walk, Run Legends and Pulse Match. See key facts and sources.