You Know What To Do. Why Don’t You Do It?
Why We Stall - And How to Move Forward
Ever feel stuck between intention and action? The hardest part is getting started. Overcome inertia, build momentum, and move forward.
“Good intentions are fleeting. If you don’t act on them quickly, they fade into procrastination.”
When it comes to moving towards our best selves we usually already know what to do. Doing it is the problem. We set a goal, make a plan, even tell ourselves, ‘This time, I mean it.’ But when the moment comes to take action… we stall.
Maybe we procrastinate. Maybe we convince ourselves we’ll start tomorrow. And tomorrow turns into next week. We fall into the “intention gap”.
Why don’t we take action when we know doing so is in our own best interest?
Here is what most everyone misses: getting started is usually harder than actually doing what was intended. Scaling the barrier of inertia is rewarded with momentum, which helps carry you forward. This big idea is a law of physics with application in human behavior. No kidding.
Consider this: It takes more energy to initially slide a heavy box than it does to keep it moving. Life can be like that. It can take more energy to get off the couch, get dressed, and step out the door than to keep walking.
Many times in my professional life, I really did not want to work but was under pressure to get things done. Sometimes, I just couldn’t bring myself to actually work. So I quit trying.
Instead, I just walked into my home office and sat at the desk doing easy personal stuff. Next thing, it’s 2 ½ hours later, and I come up for air with a smile after getting a ton of real work done. I just had to get in scoring position. Overcoming the resistance to be at my desk was harder than all the work accomplished after sitting down.
You may think you are already giving your good intentions all the juice you can.
Think again.
Here are six common reasons for falling into the intention gap - and, most importantly, ideas to jump the gap and move towards your best self.
1. Lack of Immediate Gratification
You are human. It’s OK. We seek pleasure and avoid pain (athletes aside). Give yourself a break.
Example: A person knows they should exercise for better health, but the immediate desire to relax or indulge in short-term pleasures (ever scroll social media?) often overrides the long-term goal of health. This is a classic case of instant gratification versus delayed gratification.
Solution: Tie something pleasurable to taking action in the right direction. Sometimes, just recording your activity is enough (pro tip: check steps on your phone’s health app - addicting in a good way). Indulging yourself after completion can be a motivation. “Earning” happy hour or dessert is not trite - it works great for many happy, healthy people.
2. Fear of Failure or Perfectionism
Fear is man’s common denominator. Find ways to prevent it from holding you back.
Perfectionism is slow death by self. Don’t do it.
Example: Someone may want to start a new career or learn a new skill, but they are afraid of not succeeding and end up procrastinating.
Solution: Embrace the progress over perfection mindset. Accept that mistakes are part of the learning process and focus on incremental improvement rather than perfection. What feels awkward at first naturally becomes more comfortable with repetition.
It also helps to understand that failure is part of success. This is not a BS feel-good idea - it’s a fact. The people with the most success have also built on the most failures. That’s just how taking chances works. Move from emotion (fear of failure) to rational understanding.
3. Feeling Overwhelmed. Don’t Know Where to Start.
No one knows where to start. Let’s start from there.
Example: When faced with a daunting project - writing a book, saving for retirement, or finding a better place to live - you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the effort required. Understandable.
Solution: Break the task into smaller, specific steps. Instead of just deciding to move to a better place, start by figuring out what you can afford and identifying target areas to research.
Small steps create a sense of accomplishment and reduce overwhelm. Enough small steps put you in scoring position to accomplish the big win. They can also make the process satisfying rather than dreadful.
Instead of committing to an hour-long workout, start with 10 minutes. Instead of promising to finish an entire book, just read a chapter. That sense of accomplishment will build momentum - and motivation for longer sessions over time.
4. Lack of Energy
Here’s the crazy thing people miss: the best way to have more energy is to burn some.Climbing the wall of inertia actually creates more energy, not less.
This phenomenon is well demonstrated with exercise - you start out dragging but end up energized.
The example below highlights another approach to push through when energy is lacking.
Example: After a long workday, someone may know they need to attend their AA meeting but feel too tired to go back out.
Solution: Making a commitment in advance can help. When someone else is counting on you to be there, your promise to show up can provide the boost needed.
Or maybe you’re the default leader of your yoga group - if you don’t show up, others won’t either. So you show up. Because that’s the kind of person you are.
Rewarding yourself with something pleasurable afterward (ice cream, anyone?) can also be a simple but effective motivator.
5. Social Influence and Environment
Don’t get this one backwards - social influence is your choice, not something forced upon you. It’s best activated by your own sensibilities, not by the expectations of others.
Stop comparing yourself to others. Instead, compare your progress this year to last year.
Example: A person wants to save money, but their friends constantly encourage spending on outings or luxury items.
Solution: Placing yourself in the right environment makes a significant difference.
If you want to save money, stay out of stores and limit time trolling Amazon.
Surround yourself with people who have similar financial goals.
Set and respect a budget that fits your situation - not one designed to “keep up with the Joneses.”
The right environment supports your goals. The wrong one derails them.
6. Well-Intended Procrastination
Let’s be honest - you’re not going to die in a plane crash, even if you fly frequently. But you’re also never going to write that thank-you note if you didn’t do it when it first crossed your mind. Probability wins again.
Good intentions should be acted on immediately - before they disappear.
As a writer, I’ve come to accept my quirks being on display, so I’ll press ahead with these shares. I’m getting older and, inevitably, will start falling apart. I’m not confused about how this goes. But I’d like to slow the process down - so I try to stay fit.
Whenever the urge to do something strenuous hits, I act on it immediately. I’m the guy doing push-ups between parked cars. The idea hits my brain, and I hit the deck. There’s only a few seconds before the inclination fades.
For the same reason, I keep a pull-up bar in my garage, right next to where I park. After walking past it hundreds of times, I’ll glance at it, jump up, and do chin-ups to failure (which seems to involve fewer and fewer chin-ups over the years - actually sometimes just hanging from the bar as long as possible).
Of course, push-ups and chin-ups aren’t the point.
The point is this: Act on good intentions before they mutate into procrastination.
Other Practical Ideas to Close the Good Intention Gap
Schedule good intentions. Make appointments with yourself to follow through on things that align with your best intentions.
Buddy up. You might skip yoga when it’s just you, but if someone else is counting on you, you’ll show up. Accountability works.
Join up. Sign up for pickleball, tennis lessons, group rides, or a small group at church. Engaging with a community gets you moving - and may introduce you to like-minded people.
Habit stacking. Attach a new habit to an existing one. For example, after brushing your teeth, do five minutes of stretching.
Practice mindfulness or journaling. Even five minutes a day can help reduce anxiety and improve clarity.
The key? Small actions create momentum.
Summary:
Good intentions don’t get the job done - action does. The gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it is where most people get stuck. The key? Overcoming inertia. Small steps create momentum, and momentum fuels progress. Stop waiting for motivation. Start moving, and the rest will follow.
With love and support,
Craig
Craig A. Williamson
Lessons from Addiction
lessonsfromaddiction.com
