Finding What Motivates You: Staying Inspired Through the Highs and Lows of Ballet

Pursuing a career in ballet is no easy feat. The long hours, repetitive training, and uncertainty around ballet auditions and performance opportunities can take a toll, even on the most passionate dancers. There will be days you feel on top of the world, and days where progress feels painfully slow.

But just like stacking paper—layer by layer—you get 1% better every day. The key is resilience.

At BalletScout, we believe that success in dance doesn’t come solely from talent or luck, but from developing the right mindset, habits, and support systems. Here's how you can find (and keep) your motivation, even on the hardest of days.

💡 Motivation Starts with Action

One of the most common misconceptions about motivation is that it’s what gets you started. But often, the opposite is true. As author and habits expert James Clear writes, “Motivation often comes after starting a new behavior, not before.” (source)

Getting started is an act of active inspiration. Like a dancer stepping into class, the momentum builds as you move.

🔁 Build Daily Rituals that Trigger Motivation:

• Keep your theraband near your bed or barre to encourage daily foot exercises.
  
  
• Set out your workout clothes the night before to help you commit to cross-training.
  
  
• Stash your pointe shoes and toe pads where you’ll see them before every class.
  
  
• Reward yourself with a favorite coffee shop stop before open class.
  
  

It doesn’t need to be complicated. A simple ritual—like brushing your hair into a bun or lacing your shoes—can spark the energy you need to show up consistently.

🤝 Find Your Community

While ballet is often viewed as an individual pursuit, it thrives on shared effort. Your motivation is deeply connected to the dancers around you and the communities you serve.

Studies in athletic psychology reveal that “a sense of community among players provides a nurturing environment that fosters intrinsic motivation.” (Taylor et al., 2007)

In a company or pre-professional program, this sense of connection can become one of your biggest sources of motivation. The late-night rehearsals, the shared dressing rooms, the pre-show rituals—they all create bonds that fuel your perseverance.

👯‍♀️ Ways to Strengthen Your Dance Community:

• Stay engaged in online networks like the BalletScout Discussion Group.
  
  
• Support and celebrate your classmates' performances and wins.
  
  
• Take part in outreach performances that connect you to local audiences.
  
  
• Remind yourself that your dancing contributes to something bigger than yourself.
  
  

🎯 Remember Your “Why”

On the hardest days, when your body aches and the progress feels slow, it helps to come back to your why—the reason you started dancing in the first place.

Josh Spell, mental health consultant and former dancer, refers to this as your “Inner Why.” (source) Whether it’s the music, the movement, or the memory of watching your first Nutcracker, reconnecting to that initial spark can reignite your internal motivation.

Ask yourself:

• What inspired me to dance in the first place?
  
  
• What do I feel when I’m truly “in the moment” on stage or in class?
  
  
• What do I hope to share with the world through my dancing?
  
  

Write it down. Post it near your mirror or keep it in your dance bag. Let it be your anchor on the tough days.

🎭 The Motivation Mindset: For Ballet Training and Beyond

Whether you’re preparing for a major audition, recovering from injury, or pushing through a plateau in your ballet training, motivation won’t always come easy. That’s why it’s essential to build it into your habits, community, and identity.

Here’s your motivational checklist:
✅ Create small, daily rituals that reduce resistance
✅ Connect with other dancers—virtually or in-person
✅ Reflect regularly on your purpose and passion

At BalletScout, we’re here to support you through every stage of your journey—from finding the right ballet auditions, to navigating training programs, to discovering your next ballet job.

✨ Your next breakthrough might not happen in a performance—it might start with a single breath, a small habit, or a moment of reflection. Keep going. You've got this.

👉 Explore more motivational resources and practical tools by visiting www.balletscout.info. Learn all you need to succeed in dance and build your path—one step (or pirouette) at a time.