Finding Motivation When You’ve Lost It (What’s the Point?)

There are times when your spark just dies. You know what you should do — maybe even what you want to do — but the drive’s gone. You sit there thinking: “What’s the point?”

• You leave people on read because replying feels like too much effort.

• You promise you’ll tidy your room, but the pile on the chair just keeps growing.

• You keep saying you’ll pick up your guitar, sketchbook, or application form — but it gathers dust.

That doesn’t make you lazy. It makes you human. Motivation isn’t a switch you flip. It’s something you have to generate — especially when life knocks it out of you.

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Why Motivation Disappears

Motivation doesn’t vanish randomly. Something’s smothering it:

• Overload → too many demands, your brain freezes.

• Fear → the risk of rejection or failure makes doing nothing feel safer.

• Disconnection → you’ve forgotten why it mattered in the first place.

Laziness is rarely the problem. It’s overload, fear, or losing your why.

The Myth of Waiting to Feel Ready

One of the biggest traps is saying: “I’ll do it when I feel motivated.”

But motivation doesn’t come first — action does.

• You don’t feel like tidying, but once you pick up the first T-shirt, momentum kicks in.

• You don’t feel like messaging, but once you send “hey,” the conversation flows.

• You don’t feel like drawing, but once the pencil touches the page, ideas appear.

Motivation is a side effect of movement.

The Spark of ‘Why’

When your why gets blurry, your drive disappears.

• Filling out a college application feels pointless if it’s “because I should.” But if it’s tied to independence or studying something you love? That’s fuel.

• Practising scales feels boring — unless it’s about playing that one song for your mate’s birthday.

• A part-time job feels draining — unless the money’s tied to lessons, trips, or moving out.

The stronger the why, the stronger the drive.

Three Ways to Spark Motivation

1. Shrink the Task Until It’s Ridiculous
   Don’t “write the CV” — just type your name.
   Don’t “deep clean” — wash one plate.
   Don’t “record a song” — strum for two minutes.
   Small steps spark momentum.

2. Anchor to a Why That Matters
   Forget “I should.” Find the real reason — the one that makes your chest tighten a little.

3. Borrow from Future You
   Present-you wants naps and Netflix. Future-you is building the life you want. Ask: “What would future-me thank me for today?” Then do that.

The Awkward Spark

Here’s the bit no one tells you: the first spark doesn’t feel inspiring. It feels clunky, flat, even underwhelming.

• Sending one CV feels like lobbing an email into the void.

• Picking up your guitar again sounds rusty.

• Writing the first line of an application feels forced.

But awkward isn’t failure — it’s ignition. You’ve broken the dead stop. You’ve struck the match.

Your Challenge This Week

Pick one thing you’ve been avoiding.

• Shrink it to a laughably small first step.

• Write down your real why.

• Before you quit, ask: “What would future-me thank me for?”

Motivation isn’t missing. It’s built, spark by spark, until the flame catches.

The Bottom Line

Motivation doesn’t magically appear — it’s something you build. Shrink the task, connect to a why that matters, and borrow strength from future-you. The spark won’t feel perfect or inspiring at first — it’ll feel awkward. But that awkwardness is proof you’ve started, and starting is everything.