How to know if you’re motivated enough to change

Have you tried to change a habit, before realising you just can’t seem to find the motivation? It might be that you want to stop drinking, exercise more or start a new hobby.

Change is an inevitable part of life, yet our relationship with it varies dramatically depending on our readiness and motivation.


When facing any potential change, it's helpful to examine your internal split between wanting to move forward versus maintaining the status quo.

Consider quantifying your motivation: Are you 80% ready to change with only 20% hesitation? Perhaps you're sitting at 50/50, genuinely torn between options? Or maybe you're at 70/30, leaning towards change but still holding some reservations? This numerical framework can provide clarity about where you truly stand.


Research suggests that motivation operates on a threshold principle. Once you reach a certain point of readiness, you become significantly more likely to actually implement change in your life. This threshold varies for each person and situation, but recognising when you've crossed it can be empowering. A general rule is often when we are at 70% wanting to change, that’s when we start making changes.


If you find yourself not quite ready to act, you're likely in what psychologists call the contemplation stage. This phase is characterised by reflection, weighing options, and sometimes feeling stuck between competing desires.

During contemplation, you're gathering information and processing emotions needed for eventual action. This stage serves an important purpose in preparing you for sustainable change rather than impulsive decisions you might later regret.

Remember that change doesn't always require immediate action. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is honour where you are in the process while remaining open to the natural evolution of your readiness and motivation.

Rebecca Anderson for Navigate Psychology

Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash