What Motivates You? Nothing. (And Why That Matters)

By Ken Gould, Fractional COO | April 2026

Ok hear me out, many of you know my belief in goal setting, positive mental attitude and all-around importance of being motivated; So, what do I mean?

No better place to start than some findings from Zig Ziglar

Zig often emphasized that motivation doesn't always precede action; in fact, it often follows it. YES, motivation comes after the action starts.

Think about this in your own life:

Action Creates Motivation: Ziglar argued that taking the first step, even a small one, can spark motivation. The act of doing something, of making progress, generates positive feelings and a sense of accomplishment, which in turn fuels further action! Get Started and you’ll feel like doing more.

Overcoming Inertia: He used the analogy of a flywheel. Getting it started takes effort, but once it's spinning, it takes less effort to keep it going. Similarly, initiating a task can be the hardest part, but once you're in motion, momentum builds, making it easier to continue. Think about the paper that’s due, the project that’s behind or the practice you must be doing – once started the motivation to keep going kicks in.

The Myth of "Feeling Like It”: Ziglar challenged the notion that you must "feel like it" to do something. He stressed that feelings often follow actions. Waiting for the perfect moment of inspiration can lead to procrastination and missed opportunities. Is this you: “I’ll deal with or do that once I feel like it”?

The Importance of Starting (small): He encouraged people to start small, to break down large tasks into manageable steps. This reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed and makes it easier to take that first crucial action. Is this the key to manage any important goal?

In essence, the message is that action is the key to unlocking motivation.

DO NOT wait for motivation to appear; instead, act, and you will see motivation will follow. Motivation often emerges from action, not the other way around [1]

Do Something that Sucks to Reset Your Motivation Experiencing a profound lack of motivation can be incredibly demoralizing, sapping your personal energy and rendering even the simplest tasks arduous [2]

“Motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” — Zig

Zig Ziglar – Motivation | www.ziglar.com | LinkedIn | Tom Ziglar