You Don’t Have to Look Forward to It, Just Do It Anyway
Behavioral activation (BA) involves planning and trying activities even when motivation is low. Observing what happens can help you evaluate predictions about the activity and decide what to try next.
THE IDEA
Behavioral activation (BA) involves trying a planned activity even when you do not expect to enjoy it. Doubts may sound like:
“This won’t work. You never enjoy anything.”
“It can’t be this simple. It won’t make you feel better.”
“It might work for other people, but not for you.”
Choose a manageable activity and a short duration, such as 10 minutes. Afterwards, note what you did, how it felt, and whether the outcome matched your prediction. You may notice a benefit, no change, or difficulty that suggests a different activity or smaller step.
Motivation and mood can vary from day to day. A single attempt does not settle whether the approach helps. Use observations from repeated attempts to review the prediction, including evidence that supports it and evidence that challenges it.
When to use it
When you feel too depressed to get out of bed, commit to one small action like brushing your teeth or making your bed.
When procrastinating on a work task, use BA to work for just five minutes; often the initial resistance fades.
When feeling socially isolated, schedule a short coffee or phone call with a friend, even if you believe it will be awkward.
When you predict failure, try a manageable task and record the outcome without assuming in advance that it will prove the prediction wrong.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Ten-minute walk despite low mood
Alex feels depressed and believes a walk won't help. Following BA, Alex commits to a 10-minute walk around the block. After the walk, Alex notices a slight lift in mood, contradicting the belief that it would be pointless. This experience provides evidence for trying small activities even when motivation is absent.
Phone call with a friend
Jamie's inner voice says, 'They don't want to hear from you.' Jamie calls a close friend for just five minutes. The friend is happy to talk, and Jamie feels a sense of connection. This challenges the initial thought and reinforces the value of reaching out despite social withdrawal.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What is one small activity you've been avoiding because you think it won't help? How can you try it for just 10 minutes?
After the activity, what happened? Which parts matched your prediction, and which differed?
How does the act of doing something despite low motivation change your view of the situation?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Thinking in Systems and Mental Models Think Like a Super Thinker (Dawson, Marcus P)