--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Who says you need to wait until you 'feel…" description: "\"Who says you need to wait until you 'feel like' doing something in order to start doing it? The problem, from this perspective, isn't that you don't fe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/oliver-burkeman-14344_coexist_who-says-you-need-to-wait-until-you-feel_515585.png" --- # Who says you need to wait until you 'feel like' doing… ![“Who says you need to wait until you 'feel like' doing something in order to start doing it? The problem, from this perspective, isn't that you don't feel motivated; it's that you imagine you need to feel motivated. If you can regard your thoughts and emotions about whatever you're procrastinating…” quote by Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/oliver-burkeman-14344_coexist_who-says-you-need-to-wait-until-you-feel_515585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/oliver-burkeman-14344_coexist_who-says-you-need-to-wait-until-you-feel_515585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/oliver-burkeman-14344_coexist_who-says-you-need-to-wait-until-you-feel_515585.png) > “Who says you need to wait until you 'feel like' doing something in order to start doing it? The problem, from this perspective, isn't that you don't feel motivated; it's that you imagine you need to feel motivated. If you can regard your thoughts and emotions about whatever you're procrastinating on as passing weather, you'll realise that your reluctance about working isn't something that needs to be eradicated or transformed into positivity. You can coexist with it. You can note the procrastinatory feelings and act anyway.” [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Motivation is not required to start; treat feelings as temporary weather and act despite them. **In simple terms:** You can act without feeling motivated. Key Takeaway Begin tasks regardless of mood. Themes procrastination motivation action mindfulness Mood pragmatic encouraging Type self‑help motivational When to use this quote - work projects - creative pursuits - daily chores - exercise routines Key Concepts psychology behavioral economics Questions to Reflect On - What tasks can you start now? - How can you observe feelings without being driven by them? A Different Perspective May ignore underlying emotional needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Positivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positivity/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Reluctance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reluctance/) [Thoughts and emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-and-emotions/) [Weather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weather/) ## Related quotes > [“But sometimes you simply can't make yourself feel like acting. 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Feel motivated and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/our-levels-of-desire-patience-persistence-and-confidence-end-up/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I think maybe there's a part of me that needs adversity from the rest of the world in order to feel motivated to want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-trank/i-think-maybe-there-s-a-part-of-me-that-needs-adversity-from-the-rest/) [Josh Trank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-trank/) > [Dressing up for the gym is just as important as dressing up for a night out! It makes you feel motivated; if you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-odudu/dressing-up-for-the-gym-is-just-as-important-as-dressing-up-for-a/) [A. J. Odudu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-odudu/) > [There are days when I don't feel motivated and I don't want to get up to go to practice. I'm a very goal-oriented person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dara-torres/there-are-days-when-i-don-t-feel-motivated-and-i-don-t-want-to-get-up/) [Dara Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dara-torres/) > [“When I need to feel motivated, I might repeat, ‘I am inspired, disciplined and energized’ out loud two or three hundred times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/when-i-need-to-feel-motivated-i-might-repeat-i-am-inspired/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [I think it's more important to concentrate on trying to be, simply, happy. Once you've known deep despair, you feel even more motivated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-susan-rapp/i-think-it-s-more-important-to-concentrate-on-trying-to-be-simply/) [Emily Susan Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-susan-rapp/) ## More by Oliver Burkeman > [Ceaseless optimism about the future only makes for a greater shock when things go wrong; by fighting to maintain only positive beliefs about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/ceaseless-optimism-about-the-future-only-makes-for-a-greater-shock/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“And here lies the essential between Stoicism and the modern-day 'cult of optimism.' 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