3 ideas
Repeated co-activation of neurons strengthens the synaptic connections between them, so behaviors and thoughts practiced consistently become physically encoded as more efficient neural pathways. Conversely, pathways that go unused weaken and prune away, meaning attention and repetition literally determine which circuits survive.
Action precedes motivation rather than following it: engaging in a behavior first generates the neurochemical and emotional states that make the behavior feel rewarding. Waiting to feel ready keeps depression and avoidance intact, while initiating small actions creates the momentum that subsequently produces willingness.
Chronic anxiety keeps the amygdala overactive, which floods the body with stress hormones and suppresses the prefrontal cortex's capacity for reasoning. Deliberately tolerating feared situations without escape teaches the amygdala that the threat is survivable, downregulating its alarm response and returning executive control to the prefrontal cortex.