Mood Follows Action
Change Your Mental State by Changing Your Physical State
Photo by Getty Images via Unsplash
Motivation is great when you have it.
The truth however, is that motivation is overrated.
The key to getting somewhere, moving forward, and getting things done is taking action regardless of how you feel. This important point bears repeating:
The key to getting things done is TAKING ACTION REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL.
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People think motivation leads to action. The best thing to do to develop personal agency however, and to accomplish goals, is to ignore motivation and take action. What about inspiration? And mood? And writer’s block? And what if I’m a procrastinator?
Procrastination is a coping mechanism. It is an attempt to release stress, and deal with moods and emotions (self-doubt, anxiety, bordom, resentment, etc..) that are brought on by certain tasks. As for inspiration? Inspiration comes and goes, and is often missing when it’s time to get something done. We have a secret weapon however. Our secret weapon is action. Taking a next step - even the smallest of steps. Action motivates, and action inspires, because progress is motivating, and action is progress.
Action changes our mental, and we change our mental state by changing out physical state.
MOOD FOLLOWS ACTION. Always. You can bank on it.
Doing a thing when it’s time to do it shifts perspective and resets our operating system. We can’t always control motivation but we CAN control our behavior. If you do the run, write the draft, show up when you said you would, etc, and do so with consistency, something remarkable happens — Motivation Increases.
We are the sum of our habits after all, and taking action when it’s time, regardless of how we feel, is a habit that can be built and strengthened and strengthened.
The bottom line? Do you job, your workout, your task, your duty — when it’s time. Attend to your responsibilities, deadlines, your duties and goals whether you feel like it or not. You and your life will be transformed.
Remember - the most motivating word in the world is PROGRESS.
Dedicating yourself to doing, whether or not you feel motivated, will move mountains and YOU.