Often times I find myself struggling with the activation barrier to actually go and do something. For example, it's challenging to overcome the barrier to go into the swimming pool because, for one thing, it is cold walking in the ~20 to 50 meter-long hallway between the swimming pool and locker room; for another, the process of taking a shower and drying my hair is not as comfortable and easy as doing it at home. However, the reward for doing something I have yarned for can be big. For example, I feel physically and mentally refreshed and accomplished after I reach my swimming goal. And the feeling is often carried on for days and can fuel up my work.
So now, how can I surpass the barrier and do get the thing done instead of escaping? First of all, I try lowering the "energy barrier". For example, I put a showering kit with my favorite shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion, and my own hair dryer in the locker room. Also, I bring my hair combs to make sure that I dry my hair properly and beautifully like I do at home. But this is not enough. The barrier is still high that I still try to talk myself out of not going to swim. The cold is cold; the temperature difference is a fact that I cannot control, and everyone faces it when they go swimming.