Motiv-8: Use AI to Get Motivated

As human knowledge expands, so does our digital universe. With the advent of Large Language Models (LLMs), we're not just observing this universe, but engaging in a dialogue with it.

In the first three weeks of our 10-part journey, we saw how we can use AI for summarization, text analysis, and research. This week, we’ll see how we can take AI from a robot that does mundane writing tasks and information processing to a robot that communicates effectively and persuades us.

In this article, I’ll introduce Motiv-8, a fitness motivation companion that resides in your browser and provides you with weekly advice. I’ll delve into how you can similarly personalize your communication with AI and use this to build effective habits.

If you can't wait to dive in, feel free to skip ahead and access the Motiv-8 prompt directly through this link: Motiv-8

The Challenge of Personalized Fitness Motivation

The world of fitness, much like any journey of self-improvement, demands more than just knowledge or intent—it calls for consistent motivation. This often means having someone or something that pushes us to perform better, to maintain discipline, and to persevere through challenges. Until recently, this role was filled by online trainers or fitness apps. However, both of these modes of motivation have their flaws.

Online trainers often lack the time to meet one-on-one and provide you with the right advice you need in the moment. Availability is the greatest problem in this case.

Fitness apps usually have a 'one-size-fits-all' approach that can sometimes fail to resonate with our unique personalities and preferences. Based on data you provide, they may generate a plan after which there is no feedback available if, for example, there is an unexpected obstacle along the way.

Leveraging AI for Personalized Fitness Motivation

With the advent of AI, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT, we now have the opportunity to bring personalized, persuasive communication into our fitness journeys. The following factors make LLMs like GPT great contenders for personalized motivation:

Of course, AI language models cannot provide perfect, or even complete advice. Instead, they are useful for occasional motivation that helps you stay on track. The fact that the style of output can be modified allows for you to make your training journey fun - for example, you can ask the AI to motivate you like Coach Carter. The vast information stored by the LLM means it can motivate you in the style of any famous character or person you want!

Introducing Motiv-8: Your Personal AI Fitness Companion

Motiv-8 is a AI-powered fitness motivator that exists in the form of a prompt, designed to live within your browser. By understanding your fitness goals, obstacles, and underlying motivations, Motiv-8 provides personalized advice and motivation tailored to your needs. Unlike the standard motivational quotes that fitness apps tend to offer, Motiv-8 crafts responses that take into account your unique circumstances, giving you the push you need to make progress in your fitness journey.

Every week, you can engage in a conversation with Motiv-8 using ‘Update’ to update it on your progress, detailing changes in your goals, successes, and challenges. Motiv-8 listens and provides bespoke responses, encouraging you to stay on track, overcome hurdles, and strive towards your goals. The power of Motiv-8 lies in its ability to adapt its communication style to suit your preferences—be it gentle encouragement or a more assertive push, Motiv-8 ensures the motivational dialogue is aligned with your needs.

How to use Motiv-8

You can find the prompt here: https://lowtech.ai/rhiaan-jhaveri/motiv-8-personalized-fitness-motivation

I will begin by entering all my personal goals and requirements. Some fields have suggested inputs if you click on the little icon on the right. Have fun with the tone, though.

Here is an example input and output:

INPUTS

Tone: authoritarian

Gain or Lose: gain

Weight Change: 3 kgs

Time Span: 2 months

Underlying Motivation: confidence and body image

Potential Obstacles: sedentary work till 5 pm every weekday

OUTPUT

Alright, let's get one thing straight. You're not here because you "want" to gain 3 kgs in 2 months. You're here because you NEED to gain 3kgs in 2 months. This isn't a luxury, it's a necessity. It's not just about looking good, it's about the confidence, the pride, the self-esteem you'll feel when you see that change in the mirror. It's about becoming the best version of yourself. Let's make that clear.

Your work may be sedentary, but your life doesn't have to be. Your day doesn't end at 5 pm, it STARTS at 5 pm. You have a whole evening to commit to your goals, don't let your work day define your energy.

Every day, when you leave work, think of it as clocking into your second job - your body. And let me tell you, that's the most important job you'll ever have. Because it's not about money, it's about your health, your happiness, your self-worth.

You will face obstacles, you will feel like it's too hard, that it's impossible. But let me tell you something, NOTHING is impossible. You are stronger than you think, and you are capable of more than you know. But you need to start believing in yourself.

So stop thinking about it and start doing it. Commit to the process, invest in yourself. And remember, it's not just about gaining weight, it's about gaining a new lifestyle, a new mindset, a new you.

Now, get out there and show the world what you're made of! You can and WILL achieve this goal. There's no other option. Failure is NOT in your vocabulary. Go conquer your world.

Wow! Not bad for a chatbot, right? See what happens when I feed it this update:

INPUT

Update: It’s been two weeks and instead of gaining weight, I lost 1 kg. However, I will have a week-long holiday this month.

OUTPUT

Alright, listen up. So you lost 1kg. Is that what you're going to focus on? That's the past. The past doesn't define us, it's what we do NOW that counts.

Yes, it's a setback, but let me tell you something about setbacks. They are opportunities. Opportunities to learn, to grow, and to come back stronger. Don't think of it as a failure, think of it as a lesson. What did you learn from it?

Take a look at your lifestyle, your diet, your exercise regimen. What needs to change? What needs to improve? Let's take this loss and turn it into a gain. You still have 1.5 months left. That's more than enough time to achieve your goal.

Now, you have a week-long holiday coming up. I see two ways you can approach this. You can use it as an excuse to slack off, or you can use it as an opportunity to double down on your efforts.

This is your chance to take control of your situation. You have complete freedom to plan your meals, your workouts, your rest. Use this time wisely. Plan your meals, plan your workouts, plan your rest. Use every single day to its fullest potential.

Remember, you're not doing this for me, you're doing this for YOU.

So, stop dwelling on the past and start planning for the future. You can either let this setback define you, or you can let it motivate you. The choice is yours.

I know you're capable of achieving this goal. I believe in you. Now it's time for you to believe in yourself. Get back up, dust yourself off, and let's hit this goal out of the park.

Failure isn't an option, it's a stepping stone to success. You've got this. Now go out there and show me what you're made of!

Pretty neat - we fed Motiv-8 two unprecedented changes to our plans, and it responded effectively (in my opinion) to the occasion.

Remember, this is just one prompt that is geared towards one type of goal (weight loss/gain). Feel free to create variations of this prompt for your own needs and specific goals. Use it creatively in a way that motivates you best - if you want the AI to pretend you’re on a quest to climb Mt Everest and battle zombies and use storytelling to encourage you, go ahead. After all, the advantage of using AI is the personalisation.

PS: If you do make a mountain-climbing zombie-battle based prompt, don’t hesitate to share it with others here.