Motivation or Action – Which Should Come First?
Written by: Kyle Gonzalez, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Motivation or action which comes first? Most people believe that they need motivation from something or someone to take action. Whether it’s starting a workout program, a new diet, or reading more, people often wait to be motivated or seek out the perfect scenario before they can get started. The problem with seeking external motivation is that it can be short-lived and unreliable. Since external motivation is out of your control it won’t always be there to save the day. This is why action should come first and thus be the driver toward motivation. No matter how big or small the action is, this must be the first step toward achieving any goal. Through action, you become the orchestrator of your own motivation which leads to better outcomes and ultimately, more action.
It’s about seeking less externally and exploring more internally. Taking action is something you control no matter what the circumstance is. Taking action towards your goals helps you break down mental barriers and learn more about yourself. It builds confidence and allows you to decrease the friction of starting the next time around. So it’s the action that you should be focused on to stoke the motivational fire. And with more action, comes more motivation, so fuel this feedback loop with continuous action and watch your drive grow.
So what comes after action? Here are some simple strategies to help you on your journey:
Start Small: Start with small attainable goals to build confidence and consistency.
Know Your Why: Keep the goal in mind and why you want to achieve it.
Be Flexible: There will be ups and downs on your journey so be adaptable.
Stay Consistent: Show up every day no matter what.
Build Routines: Focus on habits over outcomes and have a plan.
Challenge Yourself: If it doesn’t challenge you it won’t change you.
Enjoy the Process: Find ways to have fun on your journey, the more you enjoy it the easier it becomes.
The bottom line is that action should precede motivation when striving for any goal. Don’t wait for motivation to find you, take action and create your own motivation. Motivation flows when action shows.
Kyle Gonzalez, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kyle Gonzalez is a highly educated and experienced integrative health and wellness professional. Following a successful career as a Division I basketball player, Kyle earned multiple certifications within the performance, health, and wellness fields before getting into coaching. After obtaining his Masters in Kinesiology, he gained experience across several different domains including teaching at the graduate level, personal training, developing performance coaches, and serving as the director at several prominent gyms. Throughout his career, he's gotten the opportunity to work with and learn from clients ranging from professional athletes to high-level executives, elderly clients to youth students and even Hollywood stars. His work has been featured in The Washington Post, NBC News, ExtraTV, RealSimple, and Prevention.com. He is the creator of The Vitality System, an integrative platform that empowers people to optimize their health and wellness, build sustainable habits, and create lasting change. He's currently a top performance coach and manager at a fast growing fitness tech start-up, Future, based in San Francisco.
