Doing It Anyway: Breaking Free of the Motivation Trap

Ever found yourself whining "I don’t wanna" about things you know are good for you—like working out, planning, or finally sending that email? You're not alone. In this episode, Christina pulls back the curtain on those everyday moments when motivation is nowhere to be found and reminds us that desire isn’t required to take aligned action. She shares her personal tricks for moving through resistance, decoding whether your “I don’t wanna” is laziness or misalignment, and how becoming your own personal butler for your future self can actually feel kind of luxurious.

Whether you’re feeling a little slumpy or deep in a motivational rut, this episode will help you shift your energy, reconnect with your purpose, and show up for yourself—even when you’d rather do anything else.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why it’s normal to resist even the things you like doing
• How to decode your “I don’t wanna” voice and know what it’s really saying
• Three powerful ways to shift out of resistance and into aligned action
• How to treat your future self like royalty (with simple habits that feel good)
• Why whining, stomping, and still doing the thing can be part of your growth

Key Moments:
– The truth about “not wanting to” even when it’s good for us
–   How to tell if it’s resistance or misalignment
– Why leaning into discomfort can be a game-changer
  – Becoming your own butler: the joy of helping future you
– You don’t have to want to—you just have to show up

Read more here; https://christinaslaback.com/2025/05/14/i-dont-wanna-but-im-doing-it-anyway/

Rate & Review:
If this episode helped shift your mindset or made you laugh through your resistance, please rate and review the show! It helps more women like you find this work and move through their “I don’t wannas” with purpose.

Subscribe + Share:
Subscribe to Clear & On Purpose and share this episode with a friend who needs a little nudge (and maybe a personal butler mindset) today. You’re not in this alone. 💛

Resources Mentioned:

• Join The Village: Click here to connect with our community.
• Sign up for the Momentum Challenge: Click here to get started.

Resources & Links

• Follow Christina @christinaslaback
• Email us at hello@christinaslaback.com
• www.christinaslaback.com

Transcript

I don't wanna

Christina: [00:00:00] sometimes the things that are ultimately good for us, the things that will bring us the clarity, the energy, the joy, it can all just really feel like a drag in the moment.

So how do you tell the difference? Is it that the thing is genuinely out of alignment or is it just that the activation energy it takes to get started is throwing you off 

Welcome to Clear and On Purpose, the podcast design to help you cut through the noise and get back to what matters most. If you're feeling stuck, but needs to take intentional action, you are in the right place. I'm Christina Slayback, homeschooling mom of two and life and business coach, helping you drop in and align with your values and create more space.

Each week I'll be sharing practical insights and simple. Actionable steps to help you find clarity, boost your energy, and design a life that balances ambition with mates. Let's dive in and get clear on [00:01:00] purpose.

you know, that moment where you look at your to-do list or you're even just mentally running through the things list of things that you know that you need to get done or that are good for you, and your very first thought is, Ugh, ugh, I don't wanna, yeah. That was me this morning. I needed to do my workout, get my steps in, update my finances, clean the house, and respond to a couple of emails, and every single part of me whispered, but I don't wanna.

Honestly, this happens a lot. I rarely want to do the things I know I need to do, and truthfully, I don't always even want to do the things I know I'll actually enjoy either. Whether it's hanging out with friends or going on vacation or going to a concert, not when the effort part is staring me down. The packing, the planning, the logistics, ugh.[00:02:00] 

It always seems ea so much easier to just. Not, but over the years I've realized something and it's changed how I relate to that voice in my head. I don't have to want to do something in order to do it, so let that sink in for a second. I don't have to want to do it in order to actually do it. We live in a culture that loves to say, do what lights you up?

Follow the joy. And believe me, I've say, I say that to myselves and my clients too. There is truth that we should be doing things that light us up. But sometimes the things that are ultimately good for us, the things that will bring us the clarity, the energy, the joy, it can all just really feel like a drag in the moment.

So how do you tell the difference? Is it that the thing is genuinely out of alignment or is it just that the [00:03:00] activation energy it takes to get started is throwing you off that inner knowing and being able to tell the difference? That's a muscle and if you haven't used it in a while, it can feel super rusty, but it can be strengthened and here are a few ways I practice discerning that I don't wanna moments and then moving through them anyway.

Saying Yes, especially when you're in a funk. 

When I notice a pattern of not wanting to do anything, not even the things that I usually love, I treat that as a sign and it's time for a reset. While taking a break and slowing down when we're feeling burnt out is absolutely needed, and it's restorative. Sometimes it takes a little push to get in the habit of doing things again, to get out of a slump.

And in those seasons, I push myself to say yes more. Not to everything. To the things that [00:04:00] typically will make me feel better to the things that I'm even just a little bit curious about or think that might be interesting. I try to mix it up and experiment because it's easy to get into a low energy spiral where everything feels like too much effort.

Saying yes reminds me of what I actually enjoy and what I don't. And sometimes that little energy investment is all it takes to shift the whole vibe. Leaning into the discomfort. The next step is leaning into the discomfort. Because I know that I have a tendency within myself to think that things are a lot of effort to do.

I know that I need to lean into things that trigger that, oh, oh man, this could be terrible voice inside. The first time I did a polar plunge, I did it because it sounded terrible, like. Who voluntarily jumps into [00:05:00] freezing water. Apparently I do. There was something in me that was curious even while every fiber screamed.

Nope. And that contrast, that interest mixed with resistance. That's my cut to lean in, because discomfort isn't always a red flag. Sometimes it's an invitation. Every time I do a cold plunge now, I still look like I'm dying. My friends make fun of me for it, but I also know the feeling afterward is electric.

It reconnects me with that version of me who does hard things and keeps promises to herself, and leaning into that discomfort doesn't have to be extreme. It can be as simple as trying something new. The first time I saw cheese tea on a menu, I thought, Ooh, that sounds disgusting. So obviously I have to try it.

Spoiler. It's delicious. Unless you get the kind that has actual strategies on top [00:06:00] of whipped cream, that's, well, that's a different experience. But the point is that leaning into what feels a little scary or a little weird builds trust with yourself. It keeps life interesting and it flexes your try it anyway.

Muscle. It gets you used to moving through that discomfort and to checking in on the benefits and thinking about what will happen in the future, which leads me to leaning into that future You, and this is one of my favorite mindset tricks, to get myself to do things I think about what future needs.

Future me needs. Yes, current me would love to just swap in a hammock and read. Future me will feel so good after I do the workout or after I clean up the kitchen or send out that proposal. And one description of this that really resonated with me was to envision yourself, your current self [00:07:00] as being a bit of a butler for a future you.

So I use when I'm getting my evening routines or trying to get stuff ready for the week ahead. Simple little acts like setting out my clothes the night before or getting to bed at a decent time, or leaving a clean counter for tomorrow. All for that future me. They add up and they create this sense of ease and momentum that future me really appreciates, and it's really being able to give myself that dec, decadence and luxurious feel of having these things done for me.

That I have the power to be able to create that within myself by just thinking about what that would look like and how I can help out myself in the future. So if I can't muster the willpower to do it for me now, perhaps I will do it for her. And here's the real freedom. I don't have to feel like doing it in order to do it, which means I don't have to be [00:08:00] motivated.

I don't need to have perfect discipline or willpower. I just need to act anyway. And honestly, now, when I don't wanna do something, I complain about it. I sing a little song about how I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I whine, sometimes I'll stomp my feet because let's be honest, the whiny version of me is a bit of a toddler, and then I do it anyway.

On the other side of the, I don't wanna, is usually where my growth lies. It's where my clarity lives, where confidence builds and where joy comes back online. So if you are in one of those, I don't wanna moments, I see you be gentle with yourself, but also be bold enough to act anyway because comfort never built the life you're craving.

[00:09:00] If this episode resonated with you, share with a friend who's been feeling stuck in a slump. And if you're ready to get real support around your goals and mindset, let's chat. Schedule a free cons consultation, or come join me in the village where we talk about stuff like this all the time. And hey, remember you don't always have to wanna, you just have to do it anyway.

Thank you for tuning in to clear and on purpose. If you're ready to take intentional steps toward a more fulfilling life and wanna customize the approach, I'd love to work with you. Visit www.christinaslayback.com to schedule a free consultation or explore current offers designed to help you gain clarity.

And reclaim your energy. And don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with a friend if you found it helpful. It helps others find the show and grow our [00:10:00] community.