Have you ever wondered, “Why am I so unmotivated?”
Maybe you’ve looked at your to-do list and thought:
“I just can’t do it today.”
I know I have.
As a therapist, people sometimes assume that I’m motivated all the time.
The truth is, I’m not.
There are mornings when I don’t feel like exercising. Days when I don’t feel like answering emails. And times when I’d rather stay on the couch than start a project I know is important.
That’s exactly why I wanted my very first Weekly Mental Health Minute to be about motivation.
For years, I believed motivated people simply woke up feeling different from everyone else. I thought motivation came first and action came second.
Then I learned something that completely changed my perspective.
Why Depression Can Make Motivation Difficult
Research suggests that depression can affect processes involved in motivation, including how we anticipate rewards, perceive effort, and direct our attention toward goals.
In everyday life, that can mean something that once felt simple—taking a shower, answering an email, going for a walk, or cleaning the kitchen—can suddenly feel like it requires an enormous amount of energy.
At the same time, the sense of satisfaction or reward you expect to receive from completing the task may feel diminished.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lazy or that you lack willpower.
Sometimes your mind is simply having a much harder time finding the energy and expected reward needed to get started.
That’s one reason telling someone who is struggling with depression to “just try harder” is rarely helpful.
What Is Behavioral Activation?
The encouraging news is that you don’t always have to wait for motivation to return before taking action.
Behavioral Activation is an evidence-based therapeutic approach used in the treatment of depression. One of its central ideas is surprisingly simple:
Action can sometimes come before motivation.
Instead of waiting until you feel motivated to do something, Behavioral Activation focuses on gradually reconnecting with meaningful and rewarding activities.
The goal isn’t to force yourself to accomplish everything at once.
It’s to start small.
Very small.
And I mean it.
“Just Put Your Shoes On”
I’ve seen the power of small steps with clients, and I’ve experienced it in my own life.
A few years ago, I stopped telling myself that I had to complete an entire workout.
Instead, I made one promise to myself:
“Just put your shoes on.”
That’s it.
I didn’t have to exercise.
I didn’t have to walk three miles.
I didn’t have to complete a workout.
I simply had to put on my shoes.
More often than not, something interesting happened.
Once my shoes were on, going for the walk didn’t seem quite as difficult.
And sometimes that walk turned into a full workout.
The hardest part wasn’t necessarily exercising.
The hardest part was starting.
That first small action created momentum.
What’s One Thing You Can Do in the Next Five Minutes?
So this week, I’d like to challenge you to change the question you’re asking yourself.
Instead of:
“How do I become motivated?”
Try asking:
“What’s one small thing I can do in the next five minutes?”
Maybe it’s:
- Making your bed.
- Taking a shower.
- Answering one email.
- Drinking a glass of water.
- Walking to the mailbox.
- Putting one load of laundry in the washing machine.
- Stepping outside for five minutes.
- Or simply putting on your shoes.
You don’t have to change your entire life today.
You don’t even have to finish the task.
You only have to take the first step.
When Lack of Motivation May Be More Than a Bad Day
If you’ve found yourself repeatedly wondering “Why am I so unmotivated?”, it may help to look beyond motivation itself.
Occasionally feeling unmotivated is part of being human.
But if you’ve felt persistently stuck or disconnected for several weeks—especially if you’ve also noticed changes in your mood, sleep, appetite, concentration, energy, enjoyment of activities, relationships, or ability to manage everyday responsibilities—it may be worth talking with a qualified mental health professional.
A lack of motivation can occur for many reasons, and depression is only one possibility.
You don’t have to diagnose yourself based on something you read online.
Sometimes having a conversation with someone who can listen, ask the right questions, and help you understand what you’re experiencing is an important first step.
This Week’s Takeaway
Don’t always wait for motivation to appear before you begin.
Sometimes action comes first.
One small, meaningful step can help create the momentum for another.
This Week’s Challenge
Choose one thing you’ve been putting off.
Then make the first step so small that it feels manageable.
Set a timer for five minutes and begin.
Don’t focus on finishing.
Just focus on starting.
You may be surprised by what happens next.
A Question to Reflect On
Before you close this page, take a moment and ask yourself:
What is one small step I’ve been putting off that I can commit to today?
It doesn’t have to be big.
In fact, the smaller, the better.
Progress isn’t always measured by giant leaps.
Sometimes it’s built one small step at a time.
Need a Little More Support?
If depression, anxiety, grief, trauma, or life’s challenges have left you feeling stuck, therapy can provide a supportive space to better understand what you’re experiencing and begin moving forward.
At Mind Wellness Therapy & Counseling, we provide compassionate, evidence-based counseling for adults experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, grief, and other emotional challenges.
We offer in-person therapy in Frisco, Texas, as well as secure online therapy for clients throughout Texas.
If you’re ready to take your first step, I would be honored to walk alongside you.
Healing doesn’t happen all at once. Sometimes it begins with one small step.
Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your journey.
Until next week, be kind to yourself.
About the Research
This week’s Mental Health Minute was inspired by research examining motivation, cognitive control, effort, and reward in depression, as well as the principles of Behavioral Activation.
Research examining depression and motivation suggests that changes involving reward anticipation, perceived effort, and cognitive control may help explain why everyday tasks can sometimes feel unusually difficult when someone is experiencing depression.
Behavioral Activation takes a practical approach by helping people gradually reconnect with meaningful activities rather than relying solely on the feeling of motivation to get started.
Reference
Grahek, I., Shenhav, A., Musslick, S., Krebs, R. M., & Koster, E. H. W. (2019). Motivation and cognitive control in depression. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 102, 371–381.
This article is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized mental health care, diagnosis, or treatment.