The Myth of Motivation
How many times have you told yourself, “I just need to get motivated”?
You want to get in shape, but you don’t feel motivated. You want to start that side hustle, but you don’t feel motivated. You want to write that book, but you don’t feel motivated.
So, you wait. And wait. And wait.
Here’s the problem: Motivation is a myth. It’s a fleeting emotion, like happiness or excitement. It comes and goes on its own terms, and if you wait for it, you’ll be stuck in the same place forever.
The good news? You don’t need motivation. What you need is momentum.
The Battle to Start
Every morning, the alarm goes off. And every morning, my first thought? Stay in bed. Just five more minutes. Maybe ten. But I get up anyway.
Fifteen minutes later, the grogginess is gone. The thought of sleeping in? Vanished. Getting out of bed is harder than being out of bed.
Same thing with training. Every single day, I try to talk myself out of it. I don’t feel like it. I’m tired. I’m busy. But I show up anyway.
A few reps in, and I’m locked in. The excuses? Gone. The hesitation? Forgotten. Getting started is always harder than keeping going.
And that’s the problem for most people. They stand at the base of the hill, looking up, convincing themselves it’s too steep. So they never start. They never realise that once you get going, the incline isn’t as brutal as it seemed. And at the top? The ground levels out.
The Power of Momentum
Think of a heavy train sitting at a dead stop. It takes enormous force to get those wheels rolling, but once it picks up speed? It becomes an unstoppable force, crushing anything in its path. Life works the same way.
The biggest struggle isn’t the work—it’s overcoming the resistance to start. The hesitation. The self-doubt. The endless negotiations in your head.
As Steven Pressfield says in The War of Art,
“Resistance will tell you anything to keep you from doing your work. It will perjure, fabricate; it will seduce, bully, cajole. Resistance will assume any form, if that’s what it takes to deceive you. It will reason with you like a lawyer or jam a nine-millimeter in your face like a stickup man. Resistance will pledge anything to get a deal, then double-cross you as soon as your back is turned. If you take Resistance at its word, you deserve everything you get. Resistance will not be reasoned with. It is always lying and always full of shit.”
Harsh? Maybe. But true? Absolutely.
Action Beats Everything
But here’s the truth: you don’t need motivation. Motivation is unreliable. It comes and goes. If you wait for motivation, you’ll be stuck at the station forever, engine off, going nowhere.
Momentum is the real key.
Action creates progress. Progress builds momentum. And momentum? That’s what keeps you moving forward, long after motivation has disappeared.
How to Build Momentum Today
- Stop waiting to feel like it. Feelings don’t matter. Action does.
- Lower the activation energy. Make starting so easy that resistance has no chance. Want to go to the gym? Just commit to 5 minutes. Want to write? Just open the document and write a sentence.
- Trust the process. Once you get moving, everything becomes easier.
Final Thought: Become Unstoppable
Every successful person you admire? They don’t rely on motivation. They rely on discipline and momentum. They take action when they don’t feel like it. They start before they’re ready. And because of that, they achieve things most people only dream about.
The question is: will you?
Stop waiting. Start moving. Build speed. Become unstoppable.
My name is Gav Gillibrand and I’m on a mission to help busy entrepreneurs & exec dads drop 20-30lbs in 90 days, boost performance, and build unshakable confidence, without sacrificing their lifestyle.
Here’s how I can help you:
2. Book a FREE 15min Body Transformation Strategy Call with me – pure value, no strings, just answers about your health & fitness.
