An effective motivational strategy: Just get started

We all have time-wasters that bog us down in business and life. For example, many of us squander our hours and minutes awaiting “motivation.” 

People have a quasi-mystical view of how motivation works. They esteem it an inscrutable influence that either visits us or doesn’t. It’s only until this property infuses us that we can truly begin our work in earnest -- at least in the view of many.

Despite the commonness of this assessment, it’s completely backwards.

Rarely does that spark ignite us when we’re sitting there waiting on it. Most often, it’s the act of doing something that generates the enthusiasm to keep doing it. 

Writing is an exercise permeated with this misconception. Too many writers wait for the Muse to come calling. No visit from the Muse, no starting the project. The best course of action, however, is to just start writing, with or without inspiration. 

What’s likely to emerge initially is substandard content, but that’s OK. Dare to write a mediocre or even embarrassingly bad first draft. It can be wordy, sloppy, riddled with passive voice, lacking imagination and passion. Just put down the words anyway, because good writing is in the editing and rewriting (something the computer age has made so much easier).

You may notice that while reworking and polishing your first effort, something unexpected happens. After forcing yourself to take action (maybe because of an impending deadline), you begin to feel some of that elusive motivation bubbling up. The quote at the start of this blog is vindicated time and again: Motivation follows action. 

Most of us have experienced something like this. Maybe regarding physical exercise. The motivation is nil and the thought of getting on that equipment is unpleasant. But then you start working out and it doesn’t seem as bad as you’d imagined. You may even feel a surge of motivation that, five minutes ago, seemed out of reach. 

People caught in a paralysis of demotivation over yard work, the dishes or some other unpalatable task can testify that this principle is true. Simply start. Before long, the action may just provide the motivation.