The Inertia Problem: 5 Reasons Why You Struggle to “Get Started”
The first step. The first brushstroke on a blank canvas. The first words asking for help.
The start of something new can feel daunting and freeze you in your tracks.
You may be procrastinating on house chores. Maybe you want to take better care of your health. Or maybe you want to do something different in your life that feels more fulfilling.
You might know exactly what you need to do, but you struggle to set yourself into motion.
What holds you back?
Similar to the laws of motion, the initial thrust of “getting started” can be the most difficult part of making long-lasting change.
There are 5 common “inertia” problems that keep us “stuck” and distant from our desired goals.
Five “Inertia” Problems That Keep You Stuck
1. Waiting for the “Right” Time
“I’ll start once [this] happens…”
There are legitimate hurdles & challenging circumstances to navigate in life, but oftentimes this view can be used as an excuse to not take action. This can take the responsibility off of ourselves until the time is “right,” but will it ever be?
In reality, there will never be a “perfect” time to start. If you waited for “perfect” conditions, you would never get started. There will always be something to come up that convinces us that “now isn’t the best time.” If anything, the only “perfect” time to start is now.
Part of overcoming the “inertia” problem is to shift your focus away from the things outside of your control (external) and towards your strengths & abilities that you can perform amidst these circumstances (internal). This reframe from external to internal helps you realize that, even if life isn’t “ideal,” you still have power & autonomy to make life your own.
Ask Yourself: What are five things I can do within my control, despite not having “ideal” circumstances?'
2. Lacking Skills + Guidance
You don’t know what you don’t know.
When you start something new, your skillset is at a novice level. You will likely not have the talent or tools to be successful right off the bat.
That’s normal, that’s expected, and that’s okay!
Learning & growth is par for the course. However, the feeling of inadequacy can keep you from ever starting. Just like learning to ride a bike, you can feel shaky, clunky, and you might scrape your knees a few times. But it’s the practice of getting up again & again where you start to hone in your skillset.
Additionally, you need guidance. Whether it’s a community on an online forum, a mentor/coach, or a wise sage you meet in the forest, having someone walk with you can be encouraging in itself along your journey. These people may have traversed the unknown path that you’re hoping to take, and have come out the other side unscathed.
Gleaning their support, wisdom, and guidance can help you develop the skillset you need to pursue & achieve your goals.
Ask Yourself: What are a few skills that I need to help me on my journey? How do I go about developing those skills on my own or finding guidance to support me on my journey?
3. Low Self Confidence
Sometimes the fiercest enemy is yourself.
You may have the skills. You may even have the ideal (enough) circumstances. But something internally still says “NO!”
There may be somatic experiences of anxiety (shallow breathing, tense muscles), and your mind may be racing with thoughts about all the reasons why you shouldn’t start.
At the root of these sensations is a set of negative core beliefs about yourself. This doubt convinces you that if you’re not capable of achieving your goals, why invest that energy to begin with? Why risk rejection, disappointment, or getting hurt?
Confidence is not as much an external bravado as much as it is an internal assurance of “being okay” even if things don’t play out the way you want. It’s being scared and choosing to do it anyway, trusting that you still have intrinsic worth & value, even if you “fail.”
Ask Yourself: What are my top five core negative beliefs? What is the opposite of those beliefs? Can I believe those opposite beliefs to be true or possible?
4. Perfectionism
“I must get it “right” right away, or else…”
It’s common to pair achievement with perfectionism. If you do something, you must do it “right.”
But when you’re starting on a new path, it’s inherently unknown. There is no road map. There can be no one “right” way to traverse it.
You may have learned that making a mistake or falling short on your goals can lead to dismissal or unworthiness by loved ones. Naturally, this is devastating, especially as a child. And so, you’ll do whatever it takes (as an adult) to do it “right” and not repeat those mistakes.
However, this need to “be perfect” can prevent you from doing anything at all.
In order to “get started,” you must separate “success” from having to do things “perfectly.” You must learn that it is okay (and safe) to make mistakes, to “figure things out” as you go. You must separate your sense of worth from what you achieve (or not).
Ask Yourself: What if I’m good enough as is? What if I don’t have to be “perfect” to succeed? What if I’m “successful” just for trying?
5. Fear of the Unknown
The unknown feels scary because you don’t know what will happen next.
Our brains are naturally bent towards predicting the worst. After all, the primitive function of the brain is to keep you safe and alive, and so your brain rationalizes that it would be “better” to live in avoidance & fear than to take a risk and experience pain.
In the darkness of the unknown lies an infinite number of ways you can get hurt — rejection, disappointment, embarrassment, financial distress, etc. This can lead to overthinking of all the different ways you could (and need to) protect yourself, which may entail not even trying at all.
Even if you were to “fail,” you will have clarity, and that can help settle any ruminating worries. Additionally, if you are able to reflect on a failure, that means you likely came out in one piece, and you have increased resilience and wisdom for moving forward. The unknown becomes more known and less scary.
While it may be instinctive to ask “what if” questions in a negative light (e.g., what if I get hurt?), what if you were to reframe this question with a positive lens? What if stepping into the unknown leads exactly to what you’re hoping for? What if things turn out even better than I was planning?
Ask Yourself: What scares me most of the unknown? How will I be okay, even if the “worst fear” scenario played out? What if the unknown leads to exactly what I’m hoping for, or even better?
Conclusion
Doing something new or different can feel awkward & uncomfortable. Other times, it can feel weighty & overwhelming. This discomfort can scare you off before ever getting started.
However, these fears and faulty beliefs can be overcome. It is possible to pursue your goals and follow-through with your action steps. It is possible to regain control amidst seemingly uncontrollable circumstances.
If you are someone who struggles with “inertia,” which of these problems resonates most with you? Which reflection question do you want to continue sitting with?
Follow along for part 2 of this series, in which we explore practical steps to help you overcome inertia and get started.
About the Author
Mark Cadlaon, M.A., LPC (CO), LPCC (OH), NCC, BCN is a licensed therapist in Colorado and Ohio. Mark has years of experience helping adults across the U.S. and Europe navigate life transitions, anxiety, burnout, and existential questions. If you are interested in working with Mark, please contact to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.