Actions Precede Emotions: How to Get Results Faster

When it comes to achieving fitness and health goals, we often hear the importance of motivation. We're told that motivation is the key to success, that it's the driving force behind our actions.

While that's true in some ways - our actions are definitely driven by feelings, and motivation is a feeling.. Motivation is fleeting. It’s temporary. Just like sadness or happiness.

While motivation certainly plays a role, there's a fundamental principle that often goes unnoticed: actions precede emotions.

You may have heard other people say “discipline over motivation”, kind of shitting on motivation like it's unnecessary or unhelpful.

Here’s the thing - although they may sound similar, they are very different. Discipline is an action, whereas motivation is a feeling. Both play a roll in your success, but the important thing to understand is that discipline often needs to precede motivation to get you into momentum.

So lets take a look at the full cycle:

> We have a belief about ourself or about the world.

>> What we perceive internally or externally is based on this belief.

>>> Our perception creates a thought.

>>>> That thought initiates or generates a feeling.

>>>>> A feeling is essentially an emotion.

>>>>>> Our emotions are what drive or inhibit our action, and determine our behaviour.

>>>>>>>Our actions and behaviours create our beliefs about who we are and what we do.

And the cycle repeats.

This concept is the belief-thought-feeling-action cycle, where our beliefs create our thoughts, our thoughts create our feelings, our feelings drive our actions and behaviors or our inaction, and our action or lack of action creates our beliefs about who we are and what we do.

In this blog post, we'll explore why this principle is crucial for success, and how YOU can break the cycle to get better results on your fitness journey - not exclusively though, because this cycle repeats in all areas of your life not just fitness.

The Psychology of Actions Preceding Emotions

Psychology tells us that our emotions are not just a product of our thoughts, but also a product of our actions.

When we do something we feel a certain way.

When we watch netflix and eat pizza we may feel comfort, but we also may feel self loathing, low self esteem or shame - especially when we tell ourselves we are “getting healthier” or give ourselves some kind of goal that isn’t supported by those action.

When we engage in certain behaviors consistently, our brain adapts and produces corresponding emotions.

This phenomenon is known as "behavioral activation." It means that by taking action, even when we don't feel like it, we can change our emotional state and create a positive feedback loop.

Discipline vs. Motivation

Motivation, as we commonly understand it, is often portrayed as the spark that gets us started on our fitness journey. We feel motivated to hit the gym, eat healthily, and work towards our goals. However, motivation is an emotion, and emotions are inherently unpredictable and temporary. They can fluctuate from day to day, and when motivation wanes, it can be challenging to stay committed to our goals.

Discipline, on the other hand, is action-based. It's the commitment to consistent behaviors regardless of how we feel in the moment. When you cultivate discipline, you create a routine that doesn't rely solely on motivation. You don't wait for the motivation to strike; instead, you take action, and over time, this action breeds its own motivation.

How Actions Precede Emotions Apply to Fitness and Health

Establishing a Workout Routine:

Imagine you want to get in shape, but you're not always motivated to exercise. If you rely solely on motivation, you may skip workouts when you're not feeling inspired. However, if you establish a disciplined workout routine, you commit to exercising whether you're motivated or not. Over time, the consistent action of exercising will lead to increased energy, improved mood, and a greater sense of motivation, reshaping your beliefs about your capabilities.

Nutrition and Healthy Eating:

Maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging when temptations arise, or when you're simply not in the mood for a salad. By prioritizing discipline in your food choices, you make deliberate decisions about what you eat, rather than succumbing to momentary cravings. Over time, as you see the positive effects of your disciplined choices on your health, your motivation to eat well will grow, reinforcing your belief in the importance of healthy eating.

Consistency Leads to Results:

The most significant benefit of prioritizing discipline over motivation is consistency. Consistency is the cornerstone of progress in fitness and health. It's the steady accumulation of actions and habits that lead to long-term success. Motivation can start the journey, but discipline ensures that you stay on the path even when motivation ebbs and flows, solidifying your belief in your ability to achieve your goals.

In the world of fitness and health, actions indeed precede emotions. It’s how we break our cycles and patterns of behaviour that isn’t serving us, and help to boost our motivation to supplement our enthusiasm towards our goals.

By focusing on consistent actions, you can shape your emotions, build positive habits, and achieve your fitness and health goals more effectively. So, remember, when motivation falters, rely on your discipline to keep you moving forward. Your future self will thank you for it, and you'll continually reinforce your beliefs about who you are and what you can achieve. This belief-thought-feeling-action cycle can be a powerful tool in your fitness and health journey.