Empowerment Hacks: Motivation Is the Reward

Growth is change. Change is growth.

“I’ll do it later or when I feel motivated.” The Lord only knows how many times have I said that to myself. I usually do it right before I begin to procrastinate. Hands down, this is one of the biggest traps. It keeps you stuck in the loop, but most importantly, it keeps you from making progress.

Most people believe that motivation precedes action, that we must feel like doing something in order to do it or do it well. But neuroscience, and real-life experience, tell a different story: action creates motivation. That means waiting to feel “ready” is the quickest route to nowhere.

Research shows that even minor accomplishments trigger dopamine release, creating a cycle of motivation and progress. For example, checking off a task on your to-do list provides a sense of achievement that encourages you to tackle the next items on the list. This is why breaking larger goals into smaller, manageable steps tends to be so effective. By focusing on consistent small wins, we build momentum that drives action while sustaining motivation.

Your brain doesn’t necessarily need a pep talk to release dopamine, the feel-good chemical that rewards us after we accomplish something. Believe it or not, action has more of an impactful effect on your brain. That's because dopamine comes after you go for that morning jog, send that dreaded email, record that video, or clean your home, not before. That’s how habits are built, through what’s called self-generated dopamine. Motivation is the reward and it often comes after you take action.

Here’s what’s wild: every time you take initiative, especially when it’s inconvenient, your brain registers that you are in control, not your feelings. Over time, that rewires your mental circuitry. You begin to trust yourself, your mindset sharpens, and a sense of momentum builds. You become someone who moves regardless of mood, and that’s when real chanage happens. Hence, that’s when opportunities show up.

And let’s keep it 100%, most of us aren’t lacking talent, we’re just lacking consistency. The people who are out there growing faster, connecting more, and building their dreams? They’re not more gifted or have better luck. They just do the work, even when it sucks. Even when they’d rather lay in bed and doom-scroll. Even when they don’t feel like it. ESPECIALLY when they don’t feel like it.

So sis, if you’re waiting on motivation to build your dream life, do yourself a favor and stop. You don’t need to be motivated, you need to be consistent. You need to choose action over feelings. You need to show up and do the thing. Let the feelings catch up later. And they will.

THE HACK:

Shift your mindset from “I’ll wait until I feel like it” to “I’ll feel like it, after it's done.” Train your brain to reward consistency, not convenience. Make action your default setting.

EMPOWERMENT HACK OF THE MONTH:

Next time you want to skip something because you don’t feel inspired: don’t. Do it anyway. Watch how your energy changes once you’ve started. And that’s your power in motion.

With Love,

JM Balbuena