How I Stopped Relying on Inspiration to Start Taking Action

Inspiration strikes after you begin, not before.

Vishal Kataria

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how to work even when you’re not feeling inspired.
Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash

Achieving our long-term goals demands working on tasks that need focus and consistency. Such tasks also put us in a state of flow and flood our insides with a sense of fulfillment after we complete them.

But starting them is a Herculean task in itself. People wait for inspiration to strike, and fill that wait with YouTube or Netflix, checking social media and email, or attending meetings they’re not needed in. I’m no different. The longer I wait for inspiration to strike, the more time I waste and the guiltier I feel.

Technique is what we fall back on when you run out of inspiration.— Rudolf Nureyev

I’ve found a working technique in Mel Robbins’ 5-Second Rule, which states: “If you have an impulse to act on a goal, you must physically move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.”

Now, when I become aware of dragging my feet to act on a goal, I tell myself, “I’ll start in 5–4–3–2–1!” Then I physically push myself to write the article, work on the presentation I’ve been avoiding, or pack my bag to hit the gym. Each step makes the next one feel easier.

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Vishal Kataria

I write to teach myself and hit “Publish” when I think it might help you.