You have that thought, that project, or that ambition that won’t leave your head. But for some reason, it stays there. You are anticipating the right motivation to finally begin. Days turn into weeks, and weeks become months. We’ve all been there, looking for the right time or that moment of resolve to get things going.
This never-ending search for motivation leaves us feeling defeated and purposeless, and it lowers our self-confidence.
The Real Problem: Fear of Commitment, Not Lack of Desire
The main problem isn’t a lack of desire or talent; it’s the scary feeling of being committed. We are reluctant to begin because we fear we will have to commit to something we can’t handle.
The Easy Answer: Start small and build up speed.
Instead of trying to catch a vanishing feeling, offer yourself something real to hang on to. It’s not motivation that makes you act; it’s action that makes you motivated.
Here’s a big change in how to do things:
- Schedule Minutes, Not Hours: Don’t promise to work for two hours straight from the start. Instead, set aside 15 to 30 minutes to only touch the task. The goal is not to finish the task but to simply begin. When you start by spending a few minutes, you significantly reduce that mental barrier. It seems like something you can handle, and not too much.
- Let Engagement Work Its Magic: When you dive in for even a short time, your brain starts to change in amazing ways. It starts to get involved, learn about, and get used to the job. When your allotted time is up, your mind is typically already in a state of flow. That first barrier is gone, and it becomes natural, even easy, to keep going. Starting with a small push creates its own momentum, making it difficult to stop.
Success doesn’t come from a sudden surge of inspiration; it comes from doing tiny things consistently that develop engagement and inner drive.
Take that small step, see how things go, and see how soon “just starting” turns into progress that can’t be stopped. You need not wait for motivation to pursue your goals; you simply need to take the first step.
Are you finally ready to get started on your goals and plans for your life? Just take that first little step. The only motivation you need to get started is the courage to begin.