The Art of Starting the Thing You're Avoiding

Remove excuses
Put everything you need in front of you: doc open, tab ready, notebook out, charger plugged in. No hunting. No excuses. You're not waiting to "feel motivated." You're designing an easier entry. Like putting your gym clothes by the bed the night before, you remove the decision, you just go, (hello Atomic Habits).

Reset your body

Before you start, give your body a cue: roll your shoulders, loosen your jaw, take three slow breaths. You're actively switching modes. Like how you stretch and yawn when you wake up, your body knows you're moving to something new.

Interrupt the overthinking
Use Mel Robbins’ 5-Second Rule: count down 5–4–3–2–1 and move before your brain talks you out of it. Press send. Put on your shoes. Open the document. From the outside, nothing magical happens. But on the inside, you've told your brain: "I go when I say I go." (I always do this with cleaning tasks.)

Expect the shock

The first few minutes often feel the worst. Swap "This feels wrong" for "This feels hard, and I can do hard things." Like stepping into a cold shower. The temperature doesn't change, but your body adjusts. The discomfort is just the start, not a stop sign.

Make it safe to try
Promise yourself a tiny container: “Just 2 minutes to begin,” or “Just 15 minutes, then I can stop.” Knowing there's an exit makes the first step softer. Like saying "I'll just clean the counter", but once you start, you end up doing the whole kitchen. Often, once you're in, the resistance drops.

Shrink the monster

When avoidance shows up, name it: "This is just discomfort." Then do one tiny move: write one sentence, open one file, wash one plate. Naming it pulls it out of the shadows. Like when you're dreading a phone call, once you say, "I'm just nervous, not in danger," you can dial. Knowing that I am literally "just" uncomfortable helps me personally a lot.

Easy–hard–easy sandwich

Place the hard task between two simple ones: Reply to a quick message → work on the scary thing → end with a light administrative task. Your brain remembers the whole block as doable. You walk away thinking: "That wasn't so bad." That memory matters next time.

Don't do it alone

Do the hard thing alongside someone else: Silent co-working, a quick "we'll both work for 20 minutes" call, or texting a friend: "I'm finally doing [X]. I'll check in when I'm done." Like studying at the library with friends, you're doing your own work, but nobody leaves early. Shared effort makes it easier.