“Half the battle is won when you take the first step,” they say. But why is taking that first step so difficult? Why does it feel like the whole universe is conspiring against us just to stop us from getting that important task done? Why does everything else, other than what needs to be done, start to seem interesting?

Even when we get determined to get started, although we don’t “feel like it”, we find ourselves scrolling through the internet looking for just that perfect video that will give us enough motivation actually to take some action. Some even claim to be the one video that will change your life forever. However, you find yourself down the rabbit hole, listening to one motivational video after another without ever getting out of your couch and actually doing something.

This is because our brain tries to protect us from anything that scares us. New things always scare our brains because new things are unknown, and the unknown is scary. So, whenever we try to do things that are out of the ordinary, we are faced with the dilemma of stepping into the unknown, and the primitive parts of our brain will try to keep us safe by not letting us start anything that it isn’t sure of. It will make us analyse and overanalyse every possible scenario and keep us in the “analysis paralysis” phase rather than get out of our comfort zone.

So, what should one do while waiting for motivation to strike like Newton’s apple? Stop waiting for the apple to fall and give that tree a good shake.

Waiting for motivation can lead to procrastination and a decline in overall motivation, perpetuating a cycle of inaction. Conversely, taking action, even without initial motivation, can initiate a positive feedback loop where achievement fuels motivation. Here are a few ways to stop waiting for motivation and create it yourself:

Make your goals clear: Everyone has dreams. But without clear goals, a vague dream is just that, a dream. Having dreams is not a bad thing. They will keep you awake at night, but won’t keep your days occupied. Dreams aren’t enough to guide your feet toward your destiny. To be able to turn your dreams into reality, you will first need to know which direction to head to. Clear goals serve exactly that purpose: clear objectives provide a sense of direction and purpose, motivating individuals to channel their efforts toward goal attainment instead of being paralysed by the fear of the big, unfathomable dream.

Take action for a fixed period: If you are dreading getting started, set a timer for five minutes and start working. After five minutes, feel free to stop if you don’t feel like continuing. But more likely than not, you will continue to work for more than 5 minutes.

Set a deadline: Have you ever procrastinated until the last minute but then suddenly felt energised on the deadline day, completing the task in one go? What changed? It was the same task and the same you, but the sense of urgency a deadline brings helps you stop overanalysing and take action. Create your own deadline if necessary to break free from the mental loop of analysis-paralysis.

Establish accountability with peers: Consider this—if I challenge you to walk up a treacherous and slippery mountain for a whole day, will you do it? Now, if I arrange it with a few of your closest friends and call it trekking? Sometimes, doing things on your own can be scary. But, if you find people on the same journey as you, it helps you get started and not just start; you will actually be more likely to finish it without feeling a hassle. Whether it is a weight loss journey or finishing that syllabus, finding people with similar goals will help you find that motivation and help you reach your destination with more ease.

Use rewards and incentives: Sometimes, the sense of satisfaction we feel on completing a task is not enough to keep us going. Like a child being lured with a piece of candy upon finishing their homework on time, you might need to provide yourself a reward upon taking the steps towards your goal. Every now and then, when you find yourself finishing a task along the way, reward yourself with something that makes you happy. The little things you do to appreciate yourself will help you feel less stressed and more excited about the next step you need to take.