If you are having trouble finding motivation or helping someone else who is struggling, keep reading!

Instead of waiting to feel motivated, take action to create it.

We often think that motivation comes before action but sometimes waiting for the feeling to strike can be counterproductive.

In fact, there is a growing body of research that suggests that taking action before feeling motivated can actually increase motivation and lead to greater success. Read that statement again.

Doing something before you feel like it can lead to more success. In other words, taking action creates momentum.

Even if you don’t feel motivated at first, take a small step in that direction. As you make progress, you start to feel a sense of accomplishment and this can fuel further motivation and momentum.

If you begin practicing this strategy you begin building a habit. Habits are so powerful because they are representative of a pattern. Our brains love patterns and prefer to take the “known” route.

When our brain has an option of an established pattern it perceives the action as safe, secure, and preferred which is why some habits can be so hard to break. We can talk about breaking habits that don’t serve us another day. 🙂

Bottom line, when you make a habit of taking action, even when you don’t feel motivated, you start to rewire your brain to automatically take action in the face of challenges.

So, how can you apply this principle to your life?

• Start small and keep going.
• Resist the urge of “go big or go home”
• Instead, apply “start small and become sustainable.”

You want to exercise 3x a week for 30 minutes? How about starting with a 5-minute walk? See how that feels after a day then keep building on that.

You want to read a book every month? Start with reading one page.

You want to increase/improve your sleep habits? Try going to bed 10 minutes earlier than normal.

 

You get the idea.

ACTION —> MOTIVATION = MORE MOTIVATION

The takeaway is that while motivation is important, taking action before feeling motivated can be a more effective way to achieve success.

By creating momentum and building habits, you can train your brain to automatically take action even in the face of challenges or low motivation.

So, if you’re feeling stuck or unmotivated, try taking some small action anyway and see where it takes you.

Have a wonderful week!