GSD Field Note 1 – Why Momentum Matters More Than Motivation
I’ve been thinking a lot about motivation lately.
It’s something we talk about all the time. We wait for it, we try to create it, and we assume we need it before we can really get going on something.
But the more I pay attention to it, the more I realize how unreliable it is.
Some days you have it. Some days you don’t. And on the days you don’t, the things you said you wanted to do usually don’t get done.
That’s where momentum comes in.
Momentum doesn’t come from thinking about something more or waiting until you feel ready. It comes from doing something, even something small.
One page.
One call.
Ten minutes of focused work.
One small step forward.
It doesn’t feel like much in the moment, but something important happens when you start.
You create motion.
And once you have motion, it becomes easier to keep going. That’s the part most people miss. They’re waiting to feel motivated so they can start, but in reality, motivation often shows up after you begin.
Action creates momentum.
Momentum builds confidence.
Confidence makes the next step easier.
And over time, something that felt heavy starts to feel manageable.
You don’t need a perfect plan.
You don’t need a burst of motivation.
You don’t need to feel ready.
You just need to start.
Start small enough that it feels easy to begin.
Start quickly enough that you don’t overthink it.
Then let momentum do the rest.
I’m going to start calling these GSD Field Notes – simple observations that come from actually trying to build things, finish things, and move things forward.
This is the first one.
This idea – momentum over motivation – is something I explore more in Time to GSD (Get Sht Done)*. If you’ve been thinking about starting something, this might be your reminder to begin.