Ah, the age-old struggle of intentions versus actions. Ever thought, “I promised myself I’d eat better this week… but then someone brought in brownies, and come on, who can say no to that?” Or how about, “I meant to hit the gym today, but it’s chilly and drizzly outside, and binging on my favorite show sounds way more enticing right now.” Then there’s the classic, “I should definitely start on that project… but what’s one more day of procrastination going to hurt, right?”
You’re not alone if you find yourself wrestling with these thoughts. We all have aspirations we know are good for us, yet we often lack the motivation to act on them—whether it’s exercising, quitting smoking, or finally making that phone call you’ve been dodging for weeks. It’s so frequent that we rarely stop to ponder why it occurs. Why is it so hard to follow through on what we want?
The Mystery of Motivation
It may seem odd that we can genuinely want to do something but still fall short of taking action. This perplexing phenomenon is known as akrasia. Whenever you procrastinate or break a commitment without a valid reason, you’re experiencing akrasia. But what triggers this behavior? Are we just lazy? Not quite.
Akrasia tends to crop up with activities that promise delayed rewards—like exercising, eating healthy, or working on that report weeks ahead of the deadline. Sure, going for a jog will make you fitter in the long run, but you probably won’t see much change after just one session. And while tackling your report early will ease the stress closer to the deadline, the immediate payoff is hard to recognize.
Additionally, there’s often a trade-off to doing the good thing, or there’s something else that seems more rewarding right now. Yes, hitting the pavement might benefit you later, but it also means braving the elements right now. Instead, you could cozy up on the couch with a series marathon. Or instead of working on that project, you could hang out with friends who are also putting things off. When it comes to choosing between immediate and delayed benefits, the instant gratification usually wins out. Research shows that the longer we have to wait for a reward, the less motivated we are to pursue it.
A Duel Between Two Selves
Another way to view this dilemma is to picture “current-you” and “future-you” as separate individuals. (Ever felt like there are opposing voices in your head, one urging you to be productive and the other coaxing you to indulge? You might be onto something!) At noon, “current-you” might be all in for an evening run, but come evening, “future-you” is likely to prefer Netflixing while snuggled under a blanket. It’s as if the angelic voice fades and the devil chimes in when it’s time to take action. Psychological and economic research suggests that we often exhibit time-inconsistent preferences. For instance, when asked whether they’d prefer an apple or a chocolate bar, people asked for a snack now often lean toward the chocolate, while those asked about a snack later frequently choose the apple.
No Need to Feel Lazy
Here’s the silver lining: just because you don’t always act on your intentions doesn’t mean you’re lazy. The unfortunate truth is that motivating yourself to engage in activities without immediate benefits is inherently tough. In the next part of this series, we’ll dive into strategies for overcoming this challenge—like creating your own rewards and motivating yourself to follow through on what you truly wish to accomplish. If you’re interested in exploring more about home insemination, be sure to check out our other insightful posts here. And for a comprehensive guide on artificial insemination kits, visit Make a Mom for expert insights. Also, for in-depth information, you can explore the Genetics and IVF Institute.
Summary
In short, we often struggle to follow through on our intentions due to the allure of immediate rewards over delayed benefits. By recognizing the battle between our present selves and future selves, we can begin to formulate strategies for overcoming akrasia and making choices that align more closely with our goals.