Motivation, Occupational Therapy
3. Motivation series: why you don’t need to feel ready to start
The motivation myth: Why waiting to feel ready keeps you stuck and how occupational therapy can help
One of the most pervasive and ultimately unhelpful myths surrounding motivation is the ingrained belief that you need to feel motivated a surge of enthusiasm or a sudden spark of inspiration before you can actually take action. From an occupational therapy perspective however we understand that passively waiting for motivation to magically appear can often leave you feeling stuck in a cycle of inactivity and frustration. The empowering truth is that action itself frequently creates motivation not the other way around. It’s about getting the ball rolling even with a gentle push to start seeing the benefits and allowing that momentum to build.
The powerful motivation-action loop: How doing fuels wanting
Think of motivation and action as being intrinsically linked in a dynamic loop a bit like pedalling a bicycle. When you initially take action even if it’s a small and seemingly insignificant step your brain registers this progress. That sense of accomplishment however minor it may feel initially acts as a positive feedback signal sparking a little flicker of motivation which in turn makes it easier to take the next step and then the next. This is why the act of doing often precedes the feeling of wanting to do. It’s about breaking the inertia and getting things moving.
Consider a time when you had to really push yourself to start a task you were genuinely dreading maybe tackling a pile of laundry cleaning out a neglected cupboard forcing yourself to go for a walk or finally responding to those emails that had been sitting in your inbox for days. Remember that initial resistance the mental hurdle you had to overcome just to begin? But after a few minutes perhaps even just a minute or two you likely found that the task wasn’t quite as arduous as you had anticipated. That’s because the simple act of taking action kick-started a sense of momentum making the task feel less overwhelming and even a little bit rewarding as you started to see progress.
Don’t wait just initiate: The occupational therapy secret to overcoming inertia
Occupational therapy often emphasises the principle of graded activity a powerful strategy for breaking down tasks into smaller more manageable chunks making them feel less overwhelming and easier to initiate. When motivation is low the sheer size of a task can feel like an insurmountable barrier. By applying the concept of graded activity you can bypass this initial resistance and simply focus on taking that first tiny step.
Instead of waiting to magically “feel” like exercising don your trainers and step outside your front door even if you only intend to walk to the end of your street and back. Instead of waiting for a sudden burst of energy to clean your whole kitchen set a timer for just two minutes and see what small tasks you can accomplish in that short amount of time perhaps just clearing the dishes from the sink. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect level of inspiration to start a new habit like learning a language or playing an instrument commit to doing a very small version of it today maybe just learning one new word or practicing for five minutes. The hardest part is so often simply getting started but once you do you’ll often find that the task becomes easier to continue and that initial action can be the very spark that ignites your motivation.
Building bridges not just wishing: Occupational therapy and habit formation
While that initial burst of motivation can be helpful it’s also notoriously unreliable. Some days you’ll wake up feeling energised and ready to conquer the world while other days even getting out of bed can feel like a monumental effort. Relying solely on this fluctuating feeling of motivation is not a sustainable strategy for long-term engagement in activities. This is where the power of habit comes in. Occupational therapists are experts in helping people develop routines that make desired tasks more automatic rather than requiring constant conscious effort and willpower. Think of habits as building bridges over the river of procrastination allowing you to cross over to action without having to rely on the unpredictable currents of motivation.
Here are some occupational therapy informed strategies for building habits:
- Pairing a new habit with an existing one
This is known as habit stacking. For example if you want to incorporate more stretching into your day make it a habit to do a few stretches while the kettle boils in the morning a task you already do automatically. - Setting up cues in your environment
Make it easier to start the desired action by strategically placing reminders or tools in your environment. For instance if you want to exercise in the morning lay out your gym clothes by your bed the night before creating a visual cue that prompts you to take action. - Making tasks easier to start
Reduce the initial friction associated with starting a task. If you want to journal regularly keep a notepad and pen by your bed so you can easily jot down your thoughts first thing in the morning without having to search for supplies.
When an action becomes an ingrained part of your daily routine you don’t have to expend mental energy thinking about whether you feel like doing it you simply do it on autopilot freeing up your cognitive resources and reducing your reliance on that often-elusive feeling of motivation.
Action first motivation second: The empowering occupational therapy message
The key takeaway from an occupational therapy perspective is to stop waiting to feel perfectly ready or motivated to begin. Instead embrace the empowering idea that you can take small initial actions even when you don’t feel particularly inspired and allow that action to be the catalyst that ignites your motivation. It’s about shifting your mindset from waiting for the feeling to initiating the doing.
Take the first small step towards a better you today
If you are in the UK and find yourself frequently stuck in a cycle of waiting for motivation to strike preventing you from engaging in activities you want or need to do consider reaching out to an occupational therapist. They can provide personalised strategies and support to help you break down overwhelming tasks build helpful habits and ultimately discover that taking action even small action is often the most effective way to cultivate the motivation you’ve been waiting for.
What’s one tiny action you can take today whether you feel like it or not to start building your momentum and letting motivation follow?
Journey to motivation: a guide to enhancing your motivation
Original price was: £22.00.£12.00Current price is: £12.00.
This downloadable and printable workbook will support you in understanding and enhancing your motivation, which is essential for engaging in the meaningful daily activities that drive wellbeing. By exploring your personal motivators, developing practical strategies and overcoming barriers, you’ll learn to harness your energy for a more fulfilling life, using occupational therapy principles to enhance your daily experiences.
