Lesson 13 of 26 · 3 min
M is for MoJo
People wait to feel motivated before they act. It works the other way around — action is what produces the feeling.
Waiting for motivation is a trap because motivation is downstream of movement. You do the small thing, you feel slightly better, that feeling makes the next small thing easier. That is momentum, and it starts with an action taken in the absence of any enthusiasm at all.
Momentum also compounds in the other direction. Several days of nothing makes the next day heavier. This is why the streak matters more than the intensity of any single day.
On the worst days, shrink the action rather than skipping it. A ten-minute walk keeps the chain intact. Zero breaks it.