Action Precedes Motivation

This is part of a series:

  1. The Path
  2. Keeping Time
  3. Action Precedes Motivation
  4. Virtues

Motivation is tricky business. The common understanding is that motivation is the driving force for taking action. Yet the nature of our world is one of constant distractions and easy hits of dopamine, and the overwhelming availability of effortless rewards can degrade a sense of motivation to work on things that take time to develop. In order to reap long term rewards one must develop consistency in their attention to the craft, whether that be playing guitar, writing, programming, or some other hobby that has a path of progression.

Reading on the subject revealed that motivation is indeed not the ideal engine for building habits and consistency. The only way to develop something fulfilling, over a long period of time, is with consistent action. The funny thing about consistent action is that it can be a catalyst for motivation in the long run; I keep the maxim Action Precedes Motivation close at hand. I choose to use two techniques for managing my motivation and ensuring that taking action is as frictionless as possible: lists and scripture.

Lists

I realized after going down this path that my biggest problem was cowering in the face of uncertainty. Having a large project I wanted to do, like release a project as Mottled Moth, was extremely daunting and I found myself unable to start. Lists are a tool I use to protect myself against having to keep all of the long term work required for a project in my head at once.

I make a list for everything. Long term goals, tasks, grocery, things to read, etc. I store these with my tools outlined in Keeping Time. It’s important then to refocus your attention to focus completely on tackling the things on your list that are identified as the next priority. This abstracts the details of a project away so that the mental load is reduced to one step at a time. Start small with what you’re trying to regularly accomplish, and build up over time.

If you’re not inherently task oriented, neurodivergent, or simply don’t have the practice with self managing yourself, then this is a good time to look at your mental health. 90% of living intentionally is getting out of your own way. Without a proper foundation for your mental health, this will probably never be achievable to your satisfaction. If you’re like me and have ever felt unfulfilled by your actions, I strongly encourage some type of therapy to unpack it.

Scripture

I keep a bunch of quotes stickied to my work desktop to read when I need a little pep talk. These are an effective way to buffer feelings which degrade motivation and recalibrate mentally to get back on track. The scripture has been whittled down to messages that have stuck with me for a while and resonate deeply. The interesting thing about reading the same ones repetitively is that they get more powerful over time as the feedback loop between reading them and accomplishing the task strengthens. These inspire me to stay on the path, and live up to the expectations I have set for myself.

My favorite ones are:

What do you mean by “Accept misfortune as the human condition”? Misfortune comes from having a body. Without a body, how could there be misfortune? Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things. Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.

  • Tao Te Ching, chapter 13

Persistence reveals the path

  • Jedi Master Jaro Tapal

Take pleasure in and give thanks for everything in life

  • One of my Grandma’s favorites, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

  • Litany against fear, Dune

Every Second Counts

  • Kitchen wisdom from The Bear

Action Precedes Motivation

  • Common wisdom of mental health, my therapist put me on to this idea

Vigilance is temporary, but the fruit of that vigilance can be enjoyed long after the sacrifice has been forgotten. Think of the orchard, not the fruit.

  • The first half is a quote from the stoic philosopher Musonius Rufus, I’m not entirely sure where I got the second half. I would love to claim this was my own thought, and honestly until someone corrects me I will. Welcome to the Internet.

You may notice some religious underpinnings in a few of these. I’m not a religious person by any means, my literal beliefs are much more in line with atheism and humanism. But religion as a framework is very interesting to me as a mirror of humanity over time. Ultimately it reflects the ideas and perceptions of groups very different from those in the modern world, and seeing the commonality between their experiences and our own is eye opening. When you drop the dogma and fundamentalism that has taken over many of our perceptions of religion the past few decades, the parables become just another set of ancient philosophy from which we can grow our understanding of what it means to be a human being.