🌟[TT] inertia 🧠
I’m currently on a lecturing tour in Australasia – enjoying the wonderful Australasian hospitality, whilst trying to keep up with delivering 12 talks in 30 days!
Which meant that last week’s Thursday Tips slipped…
As I sit down to write this week’s Thursday Tips, I am feeling the drag of inertia!
Have you slipped up with a routine and felt the inertia of restarting?
Here are 3 tips to get going again.
📍3 Ways to Overcome Inertia and Restart Healthy Habits
🌟1️⃣ Start Ridiculously Small
Think “embarrassingly small” – like one press-up, reading one page, or meditating for one minute.
Your brain’s resistance to starting is often proportional to the size of the task. When the action feels tiny, your brain doesn’t trigger its “this is too hard” alarm system.
Once you start, momentum often carries you forward. I planned to write just one paragraph today and ended up completing this entire newsletter!
🌟2️⃣ Use the “Just Show Up” Rule
Commit only to showing up, not to performing perfectly.
Put on your running shoes (don’t worry about the actual run). Sit at your desk (don’t worry about writing the perfect email). Open your meditation app (don’t worry about achieving zen).
As Woody Allen famously stated, 80% of success is simply showing up. Once you’re there, the next step becomes much easier.
🌟3️⃣ Start Before You Feel Ready
Motivation follows action, not the other way around.
We often wait for the “right moment” when we feel motivated and prepared. But motivation is actually a result of taking action, not a prerequisite for it.
Your brain releases dopamine when you complete tasks, creating the motivation to continue. Starting creates the feeling, not vice versa.
📍3 Brain Benefits of Restarting (Even Imperfectly)
🌟1️⃣ Neuroplasticity Boost: Each time you restart a healthy habit, you’re strengthening neural pathways and proving to your brain that change is possible.
🌟2️⃣ Confidence Building: Successfully restarting after a lapse builds self-efficacy – your belief in your ability to handle challenges and create positive change.
🌟3️⃣ Stress Resilience: Learning to restart rather than abandon efforts entirely teaches your brain to be more resilient when facing setbacks.
📍Try This Week
Pick one habit you’ve let slip. Apply the “ridiculously small” rule and just show up for 2 minutes today.
📍Question for you today
What health habit would you like to kick-start again after a period of lapse?
Wishing you gentle momentum in your restart,
Dr Sui Wong
PS – Remember, it’s not about being perfect; it’s about being consistent. Even my Thursday Tips needed a restart this week! 😊
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Full References:
Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Wardle, J. (2012). Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice. British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664-666. DOI: 10.3399/bjgp12X659466
https://bjgp.org/content/62/605/664
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Avery Publishing.
Fogg, B.J. (2009). A behavior model for persuasive design. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Persuasive Technology, 40, 1-7. DOI: 10.1145/1541948.1541999
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