Momentum vs. Motivation: Why Starting Is Everything
We love the idea of motivation. It's uplifting, energising, and often painted as the magic ingredient that drives success. We scroll through quotes about motivation, watch inspiring videos, and wait for that surge of energy to get us going.
But what happens when motivation doesn’t come?
What if you wake up tired, flat, emotionally drained or anxious? What if the thing you need to do is difficult, uncomfortable, or overwhelming?
The truth is, motivation rarely shows up when you need it most.
And that’s where momentum steps in. Momentum doesn’t require you to feel good. It just requires you to start.
The Myth of Motivation
Motivation is often treated like a spark — a sudden surge of energy that pushes you forward. But in real life, that spark is fleeting and unreliable. It shows up when things are easy, or when you’re already feeling inspired.
It doesn’t show up:
* After a broken night’s sleep.
* In the middle of an emotional storm.
* When your body is tired from juggling work, parenting, housework, and everything in between.
* When the task ahead makes your heart race with anxiety.
Let’s be honest — why would you feel motivated to clean the kitchen when your mind and body are exhausted? Or go for a walk in the rain when you’re feeling anxious or depressed?
You wouldn’t.
Because motivation is not tangible. It’s a feeling — and feelings change. That’s why motivation often fails you when you’re low, fearful, or facing a challenge.
What Actually Gets You Moving?
Not motivation!
It’s Activation!
Even if you’re tired or overwhelmed, doing just one small thing can kickstart your brain into activation.
That’s where momentum begins.
Let’s say you’re staring at a huge pile of dishes or a long to-do list. You feel stuck. You tell yourself: “Just fill the sink. That’s it.” !!!
Once you do, you think, “I may as well wash a few dishes.” Before you know it, you’ve tidied the kitchen, wiped the bench, and maybe even written the shopping list.
That’s not motivation. That’s momentum.
Momentum is rooted in action — not emotion.
It bypasses the brain’s resistance and helps you move from paralysis to progress.
The Science Behind Momentum
When you’re overwhelmed or anxious, your brain switches into self-protection mode. It wants you to avoid discomfort, so it convinces you that the task ahead is too hard, too big, or too pointless, as you could never give it your full devotion.
But the brain also responds to action!
When you do something even one small thing:
* You trigger the dopamine reward system, giving you a small hit of satisfaction.
* You reduce the mental clutter by proving that the task isn’t as hard as it seemed.
* You shift your state from stagnation to movement, which builds energy instead of draining it.
Mel Robbins’ 5-Second Rule is a great example of this. She says: “If you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill it.”
Count down: 5… 4… 3… 2… 1 — go.
It’s a way to interrupt your hesitation and bypass the internal debate.
The magic isn’t in the size of the step — it’s in the willingness to take any step.
How Momentum Builds Confidence
Here’s the thing: progress builds belief.
Every small task you complete shows your brain that:
* You can do hard things.
* You don’t need to feel “ready” to begin.
* You are capable of following through.
And this builds self-trust. Not in a loud, motivational speech kind of way — but in a quiet, powerful, steady way. You begin to trust that you can show up for yourself even when it's hard.
This is why Progress over Perfection works, and why when you are feeling low you MUST break down your goals into bite sized pieces.
Progress Over Perfection (Again)
Much like perfectionism, waiting for motivation is often a disguised form of fear.
We stall because:
* We don’t feel “ready.”
* We fear failing.
* We want the conditions to be just right.
But life rarely gives us perfect conditions. And waiting keeps us stuck.
Instead, momentum says: Start now. Start small. Start messy. But start.
Because once you begin, you’re no longer stuck. You’re in motion — and motion feeds itself, it leads to clarity, energy, and growth.
What to Do When You’re Feeling Flat
Some days you’ll still feel heavy, foggy, or low. That’s okay. Momentum isn’t about pushing through with toxic positivity — it’s about honouring your energy while choosing action that helps.
Try this:
* Ask yourself: What’s one small thing I can do?
* Set a micro-goal: Fill the water bottle. Open the laptop. Reply to one email.
* Use activation tools: Try Mel Robbins’ 5-second rule or set a 2-minute timer.
* Let the task end there: Give yourself full permission to stop after the one thing.
Why? Because when your brain believes “that’s all I need to do,” the resistance softens. And more often than not, you’ll keep going.
Momentum Is Sustainable. Motivation Is Not.
Motivation is a high — and highs crash.
Momentum is steady. It builds, adapts, and continues, even when life throws curveballs.
If you only ever take action when you feel motivated, you’ll stay in cycles of start-stop, bursts and burnout.
But if you build your life around momentum, you’ll:
Learn to trust yourself to begin.
Develop resilience on hard days.
Create real, lasting progress over time.
Signs You’re Waiting for Motivation Instead of Building Momentum
* You keep saying, “I’ll start on Monday.”
* You wait for the perfect time to begin.
* You scroll or procrastinate until you “feel like it.”
* You beat yourself up for not having the energy.
* You abandon goals because the spark wore off.
Instead, try asking:
* What’s the smallest next step I can take?
* Can I begin even if I don’t feel like it?
* Am I willing to start with just one action?
How Counselling Can Help
Often, the resistance to getting started runs deep. It’s not that you are lazy, it’s not about being distracted.
There may be emotional blocks like:
* Fear of failure or judgment
* Low self-worth
* Burnout or overwhelm
* Anxiety or depression
* Learned helplessness or trauma response
A counsellor can help you:
* Understand the emotional patterns behind your avoidance.
* Create realistic, empowering action steps.
* Explore your mindset and build a more compassionate inner voice.
* Develop a sustainable plan for goals and growth.
Counselling gives you space to say: “This is hard — but I don’t have to do it alone.”
Final Thoughts
You Don’t Need to Wait
You don’t need to feel ready.
You don’t need to feel motivated.
You don’t need a perfectly clear plan.
All you need is a willingness to start.
To take one small step — and then another.
That’s how real change happens.
Not in a burst of inspiration, but in the quiet decision to begin — again and again. Small actions.
Momentum isn’t glamorous, but it’s powerful.
It’s what carries you forward when motivation disappears.
And it’s available to you right now — no matter how you’re feeling.