This is a good set of rules for performing any activity: act, start small, work with others. These are three very important principles because, as the author says, inspiration doesn’t strike very often and not very reliably.
The first is basically MOVE! Just Do It! “Action this day,” as Winston Churchill used to say. Because it is too easy to sit and think about something forever. That sort of perseveration can lead to brooding and spiraling downward. Act! Now! It’s almost always better to do something than nothing. If what you do doesn’t work, do something else.
“Start small” is the second strategy, and it goes well with the first. The task seems overwhelming? How to get yourself to ACT? Do something really simple and quick. And then do another thing. Want to run a marathon, but you never run? Start by jogging around the block. And then do it again tomorrow. An important part of this rule is to give yourself a high five for your small act. Don’t allow yourself to denigrate your effort as meaning so little compared to the big goal. “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” Feeling good about that first step will give you the fuel to take a second, then a third, and onward.
“Work with others” uses the power of social pressure and our desire to be in accord with others. Introverts may not take to this rule as well as extraverts, but there is another way to phrase this that works for everyone: be part of something that is bigger than yourself. If you want extra motivation to run a marathon, sign up for charity runs and get people to donate something small for every mile. If you want to stop smoking, think about how this will help your children or your parents. And then, if you are so inclined, make a pact with someone else to stop smoking together.
Apply these three rules today–act, start small, and be part of something bigger than yourself–and I guarantee you will see a change in your life.
Three Strategies to Get and Stay Inspired | Psychology Today.