Finding the spring of your motivation
In earlier posts, I’ve talked about exploring what’s behind your “shoulds” and the roots of procrastination. The flip side of that conversation is motivation. Many of us sit around waiting for motivation to strike — and I want to shine a light on that today. Stay with me if you’re ready to “find” your motivation… for anything, but especially for improving your health.
Here’s the thing: Motivation for change usually arrives when the discomfort of where you are becomes greater than the discomfort of taking action.
Take this simple example: you’re curled up on the couch reading, feeling warm and cosy. It’s getting dark, but you can still kind of see — and you don’t want to move from that lovely spot. Eventually you’re squinting and straining, the words blur, and you can’t read anymore. That’s the moment motivation appears. Staying put becomes harder than getting up to turn on the light.
So… do we have to wait until things get really uncomfortable before we act on the things we know would help us?
The answer’s no.
Motivation grows out of action. Nike’s Just Do It had a point. Making a start and overcoming inertia is sometimes that hardest part.
The key is choosing a starting point that’s actually possible. I often see clients stuck because the “start” they’ve chosen is unrealistic: something they used to do years ago, or something they’ve seen others do with ease. In coaching, we break the goal down into smaller and smaller pieces until we find the point where the client genuinely says, “I can do that — and I can do it again.” That’s the gold. Starting feels good. Repeating it feels easier. Momentum builds, small wins appear, and motivation begins to grow from the inside.
And yes — at this time of year, there are plenty of roadblocks telling you that now isn’t a good time to begin shifting the habits that affect your health, wellbeing, or mindset. But how would it feel to make a small start now, and finish the year knowing you’ve already begun your path toward a more balanced, energised, content version of you in 2026?
If you’d like support as you take those first steps, I’d love to walk alongside you. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for yourself is simply to start — even in a small way. A small start now can shape how you begin the year ahead.