Movement Molds Motivation
Priming yourself for purpose.
Movement makes life more motivating.
The equation for distance is speed multiplied by time. To get anywhere in life requires some form of movement, whether that’s in mind or body. To take to any task requires movement from one state to another.
As Mark Twain said, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started.”
Action IS your unfair advantage.
Action inspires us to continue acting in the direction of our desires. We accept motivation spontaneously when we act. This is because an action is a tangible substance. We can measure it against a road, a timeline, data points, and the world. One small step for Neil Armstrong was one big step for mankind. This is because it took several sustainable and repeatable steps to get to the moon.
Movement implies that we are covering distance.
Things become easier after we’ve taken our first steps. We create inertia.
By merely reading one sentence in a book builds momentum. The more we do, the more motivating the task becomes because we build the necessary momentum to tap into flow.
Even doing something that can be purely unmotivating at first, can become motivating over time. Something as simple as going to the gym becomes more enjoyable, thus more motivating the more we do it. This is because our neural networks start knitting themselves together to create habits. Habits save time, trigger chemical brain responses, and help streamline outcomes.
The key is getting started. Act first, ask questions later.
When the hardest part of doing something new is starting, it’s a clue that action itself is not only required but is also a vital ingredient in the formula for forming a strong foundation. It’s about getting the thing started in the first place.
We must learn to do it despite the drama that is going on in our heads. It may be causing a great deal of stress or even immense anxiety. That’s more reason to start sooner. If we’re committed to worrying about things, we might as well embrace them, so we don’t have to suffer the consequences of worrying twice.
Let’s say, for example, that you need to make your first sales call, or knock on your first door, or even chat with your first client. You might as well do it. Throw yourself into the situation, committing completely. Even if you fail. Even if you blow it entirely. This takes gusto; it takes guts.
Commit to acting first. You can worry later. Force yourself to walk straight to your first door and knock. This puts the energy into motion; it creates powerful inertia around you. Furthermore, this builds character, grit, and confidence.
Always position yourself to act. Always act in alliance with your dreams and goals and desires.
If you feel compelled to ask someone out on a date, don’t worry about being perfect. Just go to them and tell him or her, straight up that you’d love to go on a date.
Don’t wait. Just act.
If you’re pining for a promotion at work and you’ve been thinking about it all month. Stop what you’re doing right now and march yourself straight to your boss’s office. Tell her or him you’re committed to earning a raise. If she says the company doesn’t have the money right now to support your request, ask to develop a project proposal on your own time to bring in the extra money.
Take initiative. Don’t paint yourself into a corner. There’s a way out of every situation. There’s a solution to every challenge you face. Your goal is to figure out the solutions to those things you claim you really want and then act on them. Act immediately. Act with gusto and charm and charisma.
Be the hero of your own journey by consistently committing to action.
The only way you can commit fully to your journey is by aligning with your goals and proactively resolving to propel yourself forward. You can’t do this if you’re always taking time to calculate and analyze and assess the situation. Too much analysis and you’ll feel drained, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or how to act.
To be the person you want to become one year or 5 years from now, you must act. Resolve to act by following your core values. I’m not saying to do something brash like investing all your money in one stock or eloping for no apparent reason. But I am saying that almost every goal can be distilled into a series of small, fundamental components. Often, we must take our first step to learn where we must go next. In this way, we commit to learning. This is how our transformation toward excellence takes place. When we grow in the direction of our desires, we start setting up the scaffolding for future success.
For me, my action today is to publish this article.
Motion isn’t about perfection, it’s about the process. Through this process, we push ourselves past fear and resistance. The more we can act, the more our confidence and competence grow. The more these grow, the greater our motivation is to try awe-inspiring things.
What big action will you take today to be primed for your tomorrow’s purpose?
