We often wait for the spark before we act. We tell ourselves: “I’ll start exercising when I feel more energized” or “I’ll look for a new job when I feel more confident” or “I’ll set boundaries when I feel stronger.”

But what if that feeling never comes?

The truth is: you don’t need to feel ready to begin. In fact, motivation often arrives after we’ve already started, not before.

Many of us grow up believing that motivation leads to action, and action leads to results. It sounds logical right? First, we feel inspired, then we act. 

But decades of research suggests that the reverse may be true. Behavioral activation, a widely used technique in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), suggests that an action, however small or imperfect, precedes motivation; when we take a tiny step, despite fatigue or fear, we begin to experience the emotional rewards of doing, and a sense of momentum builds. This momentum may drive the next small, imperfect action, and before long, we may have completed a small, imperfect task.  

Why we keep waiting

We wait for motivation for valid reasons. Sometimes, the fear of failure can make hesitation feel safer, and other times perfectionism convinces us that the timing must be juuuust right. And sometimes, a deeper voice of low self-worth tells us that a task is not worth starting because we probably won’t succeed.

But often, beneath the waiting, there’s something more tender: a desire to protect ourselves. If we don’t begin, we don’t risk disappointment or fall short. That kind of self-protection is human, and it deserves our gentleness, but it can also keep us stuck in place far longer than we want.

The courage to begin

The good news is, you don’t have to take a big leap: you just have to start where you are.

Think of something you’ve been avoiding – writing, exercising, connecting, resting. What’s the smallest version of that thing? Could you write one sentence, but not a chapter? Could you walk to the corner, not a mile? Could you sit in silence for a minute, instead of meditating for twenty?

The goal isn’t productivity. It’s presence. 

It’s about reminding yourself that you are capable of taking action, even if the action feels almost laughably small. And often, once we begin, we don’t want to stop. That tiny step becomes a doorway.

The research

Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer’s research on implementation intentions shows that people are more likely to follow through on their goals when they plan exactly when and where they’ll act.  In his studies, laid out in American Psychologist (1999) and subsequent research, Gollwitzer introduced a simple self-regulation strategy: “if‑then” plans (e.g., If I finish my lunch, then I will take one sentence to write). A meta-analysis of 94 studies showed this approach significantly increases the likelihood of goal attainment—even when people don’t feel motivated. It turns out that motivation isn’t the main predictor, structure is; creating cues that support action, rather than waiting for willpower, is more effective over time.

So when motivation feels absent, trust the process: setting small, planned steps, linked to everyday cues, can trigger the motivation you’re waiting for.

A note for when even small steps feel too hard

If you’re reading this and thinking, even that feels like too much right now, you’re not alone. When we’re in the depths of depression or deep burnout, even the simplest tasks, getting out of bed, brushing our teeth, answering a message, can feel impossible. In these moments, the goal isn’t to push yourself into action but to offer yourself compassion. Start where you are: maybe your first step isn’t doing anything at all, it’s just noticing how you feel, or placing a hand on your heart and acknowledging that this is hard. That counts, and that is enough.