When Starting Is the Hardest Part: Motivation

One of the most common things I see as a school counsellor, in the classroom and small group settings, and as a parent, is that many children don’t struggle because they 

can’t do the work.

They struggle because starting feels hard.

Sometimes it’s uncertainty. Sometimes it’s past experiences of feeling behind.

Sometimes it’s executive functioning, anxiety, or simply not knowing where to begin.

Over time, I’ve learned that motivation often doesn’t come before starting — it grows because a child feels safe enough to begin.

This simple writing checklist was created with that in mind.

It keeps familiar structures that educators already use, while intentionally counting

on being there as a meaningful first step. The goal isn’t to rush students toward

completion, but to help them remember:

I’ve been here before. I’m here now. I can take one more step.

You’re welcome to download and adapt this "Progress Tracker" resource to fit your

students, classroom, and professional judgment.

Sometimes, the smallest shift in how we frame the beginning can make the biggest difference.

Progress Tracker.pptx

Download PPTX • 231KB