Why Do I Feel Stuck Even When I’m Motivated?

What does it mean to be full of drive but paralyzed at the edge of action? This review tackles a central paradox in human psychology: the phenomenon of “motivated inaction.” While motivation has long been treated as the force that initiates behavior, existing models struggle to explain why action sometimes fails even when motivation is high. This paper argues that the missing construct isreadiness ignition, the cognitive threshold at which internal intention becomes executable behavior. We trace the intellectual evolution of motivational theory, from early drive-based and expectancy-value models to the rise of cognitive control, effort cost computation, and cultural modulation. Across six decades and multiple disciplines, theories have described why we pursue goals and how we regulate them, but rarely why we stall when all systems appear go. The review culminates in the emergence of Lagunian Dynamics, a new theoretical foundation that redefines motivation as a dynamic interplay of latent cognitive architecture, effort thresholds, and internal task interference. As the core of the emerging field of Cognitive Drive Architecture (CDA), this perspective offers a systemic explanation for motivated inaction, with practical implications for procrastination, education, performance, and well-being. By reframing “stuckness” as a breakdown in ignition, not desire, we open the door to more precise, mechanistic, and context-sensitive models of human behavior.