Happy New Year! Stop Waiting to Feel Ready

Everyone always says you just need to “find motivation,” like it’s some magic thing that appears out of nowhere. I used to believe that too. I’d tell myself I’d start studying when I felt like it or work out when I had more energy. But that day never really came. I kept waiting to feel ready, and all that did was waste time.

What I’ve learned is that motivation doesn’t come first; action does. You have to start before you feel ready. At first, that sounds backwards, but it’s true. When you actually do something, even if it’s small, your brain starts to wake up. You feel a little more focused, a little more capable. It’s like once you get moving, motivation catches up to you.

For me, this clicked when I started forcing myself to do tiny things. If I didn’t want to study, I’d just open my notes and read one page. If I didn’t want to go outside and run, I’d tell myself to do it for just five minutes. Almost every time, once I started, I didn’t stop. That little push at the beginning made all the difference.

The people who seem super motivated all the time aren’t special; they just don’t wait to “feel it.” They build habits that keep them going, even on lazy days. Motivation fades, but consistency stays.

So don’t wait around for the right mood or the perfect time. Just start. Even if it’s small, even if it’s messy, even if you’re tired. Because once you do, that motivation you’ve been waiting for finally shows up right after you take the first step.