I think one of the most important lessons in life (even as a healthy person) is realizing “motivation and action are cyclically causal”

Of course “action follows motivation” but even when not motivated “motivation follows action”.

For example, even as a healthy person I am not always motivated to go to the gym after a busy day at work which I am “so tired from”. I go dispite the lack of motivation. Unsurprisingly, I walk out of the gym feeling re-motivated and “with more energy”.