The heat and humidity wrapped me in a warm, sweaty hug. My shins began to sweat. The air felt too thick to breathe. It’s July. All I did was open the front door. In an instant, I was second-guessing my life decisions and clothing choices
In an instant, my drive and motivation to tackle the outdoor project I’ve been eyeing have vanished. It appears that my motivation prefers lower humidity and slightly cooler temperatures.
Motivation is a hot topic in my therapy practice. More along the lines of “I don’t have any.” “Where did it go?” As if you could put an APB out on your motivation.
Then there’s a longing to find it. Or rather, for it to magically return, ready for action. Impatiently sitting on the sofa, willing it into existence. It’s as though motivation is an elusive concept meant for other people who have it all figured out.
What is motivation anyway? Merriam-Webster defines it as “the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something, the condition of being eager to act or work, and a motivating force, stimulus, or influence.” In short, motivation is a condition within us that seeks change, either in the self or our environment.
How does one lose motivation?
Motivation evaporates through the usual and customary channels: burnout from chronic overwork or stress, no identifiable progress, zero meaningful feedback, and vague goal setting. Then there’s depression, anxiety, poor sleep, and poor physical health appearing as direct biological suppressors, and a whole host of other procrastination measures (like the weather).
Honestly, at times, it seems as though the alignment of the stars and wind patterns could also send motivation packing.
Now that your motivation is gone, how do you lure it back? How do you even begin? I have some bad news. The popular belief is that you need to feel motivated before you act. Unfortunately, the research shows that motivation arises from actions. Yes, this means you have to take action first, then motivation will follow. In its simplest form, you show up for it, and it will show up for you.
There is good news. Engaging in a behavior, even without enthusiasm, generates emotional and neurological feedback that produces motivation. I can attest to this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve complained about a workout while doing it (I’m looking at you, HIIT) and then kept showing up again and again because it feels so good when I’m done.
It reminds me of Mr. Teriault’s physics class in high school: “An object in motion will stay in motion.” Doing something creates momentum, which creates the “feeling” of wanting to do more. Chances are, if you wait to “feel ready,” you might never make a move.
You might be saying to yourself, “This is great information, but how do I actually apply it when I don’t have any motivation at all?” I have a few ideas, all based on science.
1. Define the smallest thing you can do
One of the biggest killers of motivation is the all-or-nothing mindset. You know, if you can’t do it all, then you do nothing. Instead, define a baseline. What is the minimum you will do? “I will write at least one sentence” or “I will exercise for at least five minutes.” This small action keeps the streak alive even on hard days.
2. Set yourself up for success
Instead of relying on your willpower (which can be fleeting), reduce the obstacles to the behavior you want. For example, you could lay out your running clothes the night before or have a recipe and ingredients ready to prepare a healthy meal.
3. Create a routine
Feelings fluctuate (“But I don’t feel like it”). Routines don’t have to. There’s research on habit formation that consistently shows “behavior anchored to a consistent time, place, or trigger becomes automatic over time.” That means choosing a specific time and place to do the thing. The results? You expend less motivational energy to initiate the task, and you end up creating a habit. The cue does all the heavy lifting.
4. Create a feedback loop you can actually see
Effort without visible progress quickly drains motivation. Track even the smallest effort. Make the invisible visible.
5. Grab a friend
Accountability partners, communities, or even just working alongside someone (the “body doubling” effect) significantly extend sustained effort. There’s something about the shared experience that keeps you motivated.
6. Give it two minutes
Set your watch, microwave, or phone for two minutes. Then, commit to doing the thing until your timer goes off – with one caveat: Do it with full permission to stop after. Why? Not because two minutes is enough to accomplish anything, but because starting is the hard part. The brain’s resistance is almost entirely front-loaded. Once you’re in motion, it’s easier to remain in motion. Not to mention, it also tricks your nervous system. Declaring you’re going to do something for “just two minutes” doesn’t trigger the same resistance as “work on this for three hours.”
The through-line across all these ideas is building systems that make effort the path of least resistance. Then, when, not if, motivation is low, the behavior still happens.
I’d be amiss if I didn’t also include a few common traps – ideas that sound like they inspire motivation, but don’t.
∙ Waiting for the right mood. Waiting for motivation to sweep you off your feet means you’re likely waiting indefinitely. Action equals motivation, not the other way around.
∙ Consuming motivational content instead of acting. It’s great to get ideas. Watching and reading all about what you could do even produces a very brief emotional spike that feels like you’re doing something. However, it usually leads to more watching and listening and doesn’t typically equate to doing the thing.
∙ Placing pressure on yourself or the task. When you do this, it’s likely going to increase your stress levels, cause overwhelm, and deepen your resistance to doing the thing. Intentionally and purposefully lower the stakes. Try reframing it as, “I’m just exploring.”
Motivation may seem elusive, but it’s yours for the taking. Keep in mind your goal isn’t to magically generate motivation and then act. That will keep you stuck and frustrated. You’ll want to start moving forward, even unenthusiastically, taking the smallest step possible. Eventually, the momentum of your tiniest action will nudge your motivation into motion, making it easier to take the next steps. Then the next. And the next.