How to Get Yourself into Action
1:51:32 2024-11-16 634

We commonly understand motivation in a linear way: you feel motivated to do something, and then you go do it. However, the reverse can be equally true: you do something, and then you feel motivated to do it. First comes the action, then comes the feeling.

Motivation itself can be quite fickle, and as much as we would like to control it—like any feeling—we really cannot. If it was that easy, instead of reading this article, you would just flip a switch.

So, instead of waiting for motivation, you focus on the other part of the equation: taking action. At any time, you can make the conscious decision to act on what matters to you.

I know, I know: If it was that easy, we wouldn’t be sitting here, right? So instead of doing the hard part right away, here’s the principle:

“Do something.”

Do something. Literally anything. Make it small, and make it smaller still until you reach a point where you are willing to take action. Is it too hard to go for a 30-minute run? Then make it 10 minutes. Make it two. Make it ten seconds. Make it about opening the door. Make it about putting on the shoes. Even the smallest of action matters and can make a difference, even if it feels ridiculous. One small action may motivate you to take another. Or it may not. You will only know for sure when you take the first step.

Oftentimes, our mind gets in the way of us doing the things we care about, and we get stuck with difficult thoughts, struggle with unwanted feelings, find it hard to focus, lack direction, or perceive ourselves as incapable and unworthy. In these moments, one of the most effective ways to get unstuck is by returning to our body, and focusing on our sensual perceptions while we’re taking small steps in a meaningful direction.

In other words, we do something, and we pay attention to what this feels like. And then we take another step, and focus on noticing yet again. Do something, small and gentle.

Deliberately creating a sense of agency and possibility is incremental—one step at a time. That is true personally and it is true socially.

 

Forgive Others   2025-07-23
Reality Of Islam

A Mathematical Approach to the Quran

10:52:33   2024-02-16  

mediation

2:36:46   2023-06-04  

what Allah hates the most

5:1:47   2023-06-01  

allahs fort

11:41:7   2023-05-30  

striving for success

2:35:47   2023-06-04  

Imam Ali Describes the Holy Quran

5:0:38   2023-06-01  

livelihood

11:40:13   2023-05-30  

silence about wisdom

3:36:19   2023-05-29  

MOST VIEWS

Importance of Media

9:3:43   2018-11-05

Illuminations

friendship

2:42:26   2023-02-02

the effect of words

5:58:12   2021-12-18

be yourself.

8:30:23   2022-03-03

good people

11:34:48   2022-06-29

pure nature

7:34:7   2023-02-28

prophet adam & the apple

1:16:44   2018-05-14



IMmORTAL Words
LATEST Study Reveals the Shocking Amount of Plastic We Breathe in Every Day Third Phase of AI Is Here. Here is How Agents May Impact Our Lives. Yellowstone Aspen Forests Are Already Responding to The Return of Wolves The Key to Success in Your Work and Life The Fields of Patience Interpretation of Sura Hud - Verses 105-107 Eating Eggs Can Actually Lower Bad Cholesterol, New Study Says We Have a New Record for The Most Accurate Clock Ever Built Almost 50% of Microplastic Pollution Comes from Cars. Here is Why. When Does the Relationship Become Stifling? Interpretation of Sura Hud - Verses 102-104 Patience in Performance of Obligations (Obedience)