This post set off a series of comments, and since i feel they're particluarly evocative, I'm bringing them up here.

My original post :

What comes first Action or Motivation? Do we delay doing because we wait for motivation?  Can action on the other hand bring motivation ?

Aparna responds : "lol...sounds a bit like musings on the James-Lange theory isn't it?...do we see a bear and run because we are scared or are scared because we run?..."

John blogs : "Dina asks "which comes first, action or motivation?" Wow, great question. For me, usually the first. If I can get just enough motivation to get started, I'll keep it going. Whenever I start a long document, I spend the first hour messing with the format. I get all the style sheets just right, I put the pages in order, I write the TOC. By then, I'm in "flow" and can just get going."

And Avi challenges and questions : "No action possible without motivation!!! Gimme one example of action without motivation "

And then distinguishes between conscious, subconscious and superconscious motivations, using sleepwalking as an example - "Hey I just realised sleepwalking is action without conscious motivation. But are sub-conscious and super-conscious motivations to be discounted? Salmons going up river to lie eggs? a call of the genes? We grow as a child without any conscious motivation, yet these are motivation embedded in our genes. Guess action without motivation is only possible if we limit motivation to conscious. In that case would action under hypnotism be unmotivated action? Jeez why do I think up all these stuff so early in the morning?????"

And adds the dimension of inspiration into the dialogue :  "'Do we delay doing because we wait for motivation?' Are we talking inspiration here or motivation. We might always be motivated but seek inspiration to initiate action, the lack of which (inspiration) robs us of a window to achieve a desired result. "

I like this thread !  

I think i am talking of conscious motivation here - subconscious and unconscious motivations and drives are much more basic and perhaps lead us into acting without really consciously 'hearing the call' - thinking here of Freud's sex and aggression or Maslow's hierarchy of needs.  Animals above a certain level of development require more than automatic reflexes in order to survive, and advanced organisms like humans need motivation and intention in order to function in complex environments.

Now complex environments bring conflicting motivations. Conflicting motivations can paralyse action.  Take my current state of mind - at one level, the motivation is to bring in the money (all of us need it along with other lofty goals such as happiness and fulfilment).  The conflicting emotion is the low level of motivation to do more of the same job that i know will bring in the bread and butter with ease (almost 15 years in one specialised field).  And the tug at the other end to enter new areas, explore new territories, follow passions - without the assurance of a pot of gold. Now the dilemma - should i just pick up the phone and call my regular clients for regular work (that's action hoping motivation will come) - or follow this new path unsure of what action it might result in !

Psycho-babble ?  Perhaps just a reflection of chaos :):):)

Or the cycle of life !