The Myth of Motivation
(or: Why Waiting for a Feeling to Save You Is Keeping You Stuck)
Let’s talk about motivation, shall we? That magical, mythical unicorn we’re all hoping will knock on the door carrying purpose, clarity and maybe a green juice.
Motivation gets wheeled out like it’s some divine force that’ll descend upon you mid-binge-scroll, tap you on the shoulder and say, “Right then. Let’s change your life, shall we?”
Motivation is the fairy godmother of the self-help world. She shows up in Instagram quotes, TED Talks and the smirking face of that bloke who gets up at 4:30am to ice-bathe himself into transcendence. She’s glorified like a bloody deity—Praise be to Motivation, our Lord and Sweaty Saviour.
But here’s the thing.
Motivation is a myth.
A glamorous, overhyped fiction.
Like detox teas. Or inner thigh gaps.
Waiting for motivation is like waiting for your Uber Eats delivery to fix your marriage.
It’s cute in theory, but absolutely not the point.
You don’t need motivation. What you need is momentum. And possibly a coffee.
The idea that we must feel inspired to act is one of the most brilliantly convenient lies ever told. Because if you buy into it, you get to avoid doing anything hard until you feel like it. And let’s be honest—when do you ever feel like it?
Let’s break this down:
1. Feelings Are Flaky Bastards
Your feelings are like toddlers with too much red cordial. Loud, irrational and prone to meltdowns in public. If you let your feelings run the show, you’ll spend most of your life horizontal in trackpants watching a documentary on sloths and wondering why your dreams haven’t taken off yet.
You don’t need to feel good to do good. You just need to start.
2. Motivation Is a By-Product, Not a Prerequisite
You think Mozart felt motivated every time he composed a symphony? No. He probably wanted a nap and a snack and maybe to not die young from rheumatic fever. But he still sat at the piano and bloody well did the thing.
Motivation doesn’t show up first. Action does.
And once you take action, motivation sometimes follows like a slightly guilty puppy.
Other times it doesn’t. Doesn’t matter. Do it anyway.
3. Discipline Is the Sexiest Word You’re Avoiding
I know. Discipline sounds like something involving Catholic nuns or Fifty Shades of Boring. But hear me out:
Discipline is just showing up. Repeatedly.
It’s brushing your teeth even when you’re not auditioning for Colgate.
It’s eating the vegies even when you’re dreaming of devouring a packet of Tim Tams.
Discipline is adulting. It’s also the key to literally everything good.
Want a better body? More fulfilling work? The ability to look at your bank account without crying? It’s not motivation you need, sweetheart. It’s a calendar. And some follow-through.
4. You’re Not Lazy—You’re Just Human
Stop diagnosing yourself with “lack of motivation” like it’s a terminal illness.
You don’t have a rare condition. You have a brain.
And that brain evolved to conserve energy and avoid discomfort.
It’s why your ancestors didn’t go jogging for fun. They were too busy not dying.
So when your brain says “Let’s not go for that walk. Let’s scroll and feel bad instead,” it’s not being evil. It’s being a brain. Override it.
5. Lower the Bar and Raise the Frequency
Here’s a wild idea: Stop trying to feel amazing about your goals. Just do a little something. Repeatedly. Badly, if necessary. Consistency beats intensity 11 days out of 10.
Want to write a book? Write 200 crap words a day.
Want to eat better? Eat one thing that didn’t come out of a box.
Want to feel happier? Walk outside. Stare at a tree. Pat a dog. Or a consenting human.
Don’t wait for a lighting bolt of motivation to strike you mid-scroll.
Just… start. Badly. Quietly. Repeatedly.
Final Thought…
Motivation is not your saviour.
It’s not a prerequisite.
It’s a polite guest that might show up once you’ve already started washing the dishes.
So stop waiting to feel ready.
You’re not a feelings-based lifeform.
You’re a beautifully flawed bag of bones and stardust with access to Google Calendar.
Act first. Think later. Be gloriously average.
And keep bloody going.