We’ve all been trapped in the waiting room of motivation. We believe the sequence goes: Inspiration → Motivation → Action. We wait for the feeling of being “pumped up” or “in the mood” to start that project, workout, or difficult conversation. This is a fundamental error that keeps us stuck. The real, neurochemical sequence is often the reverse: Action → Momentum → Motivation.
The Flaw in Our Mental Model
Motivation is fickle, emotional, and unreliable. It’s a feeling, and feelings are like weather—they change constantly. Basing our productivity on a feeling is like trying to build a house on sand. When we say “I don’t feel motivated,” what we’re really saying is “I don’t feel like experiencing the discomfort of starting.”
The “Do Something” Principle, Defined:
When you find yourself paralyzed, waiting for motivation, you give yourself one simple instruction: Do the smallest, most trivial, first physical action related to the task. Ignore the outcome. Ignore the quality. Just create motion.
Why It Works: The Science of Momentum
- Newton’s First Law of Psychology: An object at rest tends to stay at rest. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. A body in motion creates a psychic state of momentum. The hardest part is changing states from rest to motion. A tiny action changes your state.
- The Power of Initiation: Your brain rewards initiation. When you take that first concrete step (e.g., opening your laptop, putting on your running shoes, washing one dish), you trigger a shift. You move from the abstract, overwhelming realm of the task (“write a report”) to the concrete, manageable physical world (“open a new document and type the title”).
- Reduces Anxiety Through Focus: Anxiety and overwhelm exist in the future—in the imagined difficulty of the whole task. Action forces your brain into the present moment, focused on the next micro-step. You can’t be anxious about the 10-mile run when all you’re thinking about is tying your left shoe.
Practical Applications: From Procrastination to Motion
- Can’t start writing? Don’t try to write a page. Just open the document. Then, just type the date. Then, just write one terrible sentence. You are now writing.
- Can’t start cleaning? Don’t look at the whole messy room. Just go pick up one sock and put it in the hamper. Action complete. You’ll likely pick up the next thing.
- Can’t start exercising? Don’t think about the 45-minute workout. Just put on your workout clothes. That’s the “Do Something” task. Now you’re dressed for it—might as well do five minutes.
- Can’t make a hard decision? Don’t try to solve it in your head. “Do Something” by taking out a pen and paper and writing down the pros and cons. The action of writing clarifies thought.
The Genius of the “Ridiculously Small” Commitment
The action must be so small that it feels almost laughable. The goal is to make it impossible to say no. “I’m too tired to put on my running shoes?” No, you’re not. This isn’t about the action’s size; it’s about breaking the psychological barrier of zero.
The Result: Motivation Catches Up
You won’t feel motivated before you start. But after you “Do Something” for two minutes, you’ll often find the resistance melts. The momentum builds. You’ll think, “Well, I’m already here, I might as do a little more.” The motivation—the energy, the focus, the inspiration—follows the action. It’s a chemical reward your brain gives you for getting started.
Your New Anti-Procrastination Mantra:
Stop asking, “How do I feel?”
Start asking, “What’s the next tiniest action I can take?”
The next time you’re stuck, don’t wait for the motivation train. It might never come. Just start walking down the tracks. You’ll find the train pulls up right behind you.