Taking Action (and Changing Your Luck) When You Feel Tired, Stuck, or Unmotivated

We've all gone through periods when we felt tired, stuck, or unmotivated.  Your energy is down, and just getting through each day can be a challenge.  Taking action during these times can be one of the most difficult things to do.  But in some cases, it's one of the best things you can do for yourself.
 
Barbara Sher, author of I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was, emphasizes the importance of action when you're feeling stuck.  She also makes the connection between action and luck.  In short, your willingness to take some type of action can directly influence the amount of good luck that comes your way.
 
Sher provides 4 good reasons for taking action, even when you're unclear about things or feeling unmotivated. 

---

 
1.  Action Will Help You Think.
 
Reflection, introspection, and contemplation all have their place.  However, engaging in real life experience through action brings an additional element to the mix.  This type of active engagement – and the feedback it provides to you in return – can help you clarify your thinking in ways that contemplation and weighing theoretical factors can't.
 
 
2. Action Raises Your Self-Esteem.
 
Lack of action leads to a drop in self-esteem and morale.  Whereas when you take action and do something, you feel energized and proud of yourself.  Even if things don't go perfectly or turn out as expected, the process of taking action can be strengthening and transformative in and of itself.   High self-esteem comes after action, not before.
 
 
3. Good Luck Happens When You're In Action.
 
Planning is important, but it's a starting place.  The real benefits start to come when acting on your plan gets you out in the world, doing something new and meeting new people.  This creates space for something to happen to you through new information, new contacts, and new opportunities.  You can wind up being exposed to things or exploring new directions that you never could have anticipated.
 
 
4. Action Prepares and Positions You For What Lies Ahead.
 
Sometimes, even though we don't realize it, we need an intermediate step to prepare us for something that lies ahead.  Even if an action seems small or unrelated to our larger goals, it may be vital in preparing and positioning us for something we'll encounter down the road.  (We can often see how the pieces fit together clearly in hindsight.)
 

Where to start?  Don't be afraid to start small – every journey starts with a single step.  Select something realistic you can do, that you genuinely feel capable of and at peace with, even if it feels a bit uncomfortable or challenging.  The smallest of acts has the potential to set things in motion, and it just might serve as the catalyst to start bringing some good luck your way!