Moving toward health is seemingly easier when we know what goals we would like to work toward. When we know what we want, we’re able to reverse-engineer those goals, break them down into smaller, more manageable steps, and take action. In this column, we usually talk about those small steps we can take to move toward our goals. But what should we do when we aren’t exactly sure of where we’d like to go, or what we’d like to achieve?

Motivation comes in many forms. One way it can show up is when we know what we want and are driven to work toward it. Another way it can show up is when we know what we don’t want, and we’re driven to move away from it. 

While it’s ideal to know what we want and where we’re trying to go because we can then get there more efficiently, we can’t rely on this form of motivation. There will be many times where we only know what we don’t want. 

An example of this for me happened earlier this year, when I was struggling with consistency in the gym. I had been completing the same type of exercise for a long time, and it was no longer fun. At that moment, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to shift into, but I knew what I no longer wanted and that I desired a change to my routine.

This situation can feel tricky. Once we become aware of what we no longer want, how we no longer want to feel, or parts of ourselves we’d like to leave behind, we can’t unsee it. Sometimes, our goals aren’t quite as simple as “the opposite of where I am right now.” So at this moment, what do we do: wait to take action until we know what we want, or take action anyway?

It’s easy to get stuck not taking action until we know exactly what we want. If we do this, we could be stuck for a very long time. If we stay where we are when we are aware that it’s no longer in our best interest, we are just hurting ourselves and keeping it hard to see what we desire. 

In order to gain clarity on what our next goals are, we must begin taking action. This will help us figure out where we’re headed next. If we don’t, it becomes very challenging to see any new possibilities. 

For me, the answer wasn’t as easy as the opposite. What is the opposite of strength training? I knew not exercising wasn’t the answer. I began exploring other options for movement, and took action before I had any ideas of what was next. I started with more walks outside and an invitation to play basketball. This turned into the opportunity to join a soccer league with my sister, and then eventually taking gymnastics classes for the first time in my life. 

It took a little time, but eventually I figured out what I want in this season, and it’s more sports, more connection with others, more competition, more functional movement, and more fun.

It’s not always possible to know what we want right away. When we’re using what I’ll call “away-from motivation,” the action steps we take may not align perfectly with what our eventual next goals are. The point of the action we take before we know what we want is not to get us there as quickly as possible, but to build momentum and begin seeing our potential. 

Take action now, even if it’s not perfect, and trust that these steps will set you up to figure out your next goals. Then, we can shift back into motivation that moves you toward health.