@gtdstudente
My image is of Captain Piccard, who is sitting at the helm of the Starship Enterprise, and with a forward movement of his hand, is saying "Engage!" When we engage, my understanding is that we are moving into action.
You seem to be raising an important issue: What if we have decided to engage in an action that is not one we desire or enjoy?
We could simply say to ourselves, with resignment if not despair, "That's life, sometimes we
have to do things we don't want to do and don't enjoy doing."
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An idea occurred to me that might apply to the situation you mentioned, and that is the great importance of our human need for autonomy and choice in our relationship with others and ourselves. I recommend a book that may be useful in this regard:
"Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships," third edition, by late psychologist Marshall Rosenberg
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To return to GTD, when our experience is not what we would like it to be, we notice as GTDers that we have a problem. We are not happy. We want more enjoyment in life. As you say, when we notice that we have a problem, we can turn it into a Project.
GTD coach Julie Ireland mentions in one of her GTD Focus videos that at a certain time she noticed that she was experiencing anxiety. This was something she captured because it had her attention. As a GTDer, when she realized that something was not the way she wanted it to be, she turned this problem into a Project. This ultimately led her to a psychologist, which helped her greatly reduce her anxiety and enhance her life.
This clarified to me that turning a problem into a Project can be applied to anything that has our attention. This is a great part of GTD, in my opinion.
One of the important aspects of creating a Project, as I understand it, is to state the Project in terms of the outcome we desire, as if that outcome is now the true situation. I think the nature of the Project and the outcome we desire may not become clear until we do some self-exploration, so defining the Project may be the first step of the Project.
I have personally been experiencing burnout, and in the recovery from burnout course I've been taking, one of the first steps is to learn how to be my own best friend. This means turning toward myself with caring, acceptance, and empathy, just as a good friend would do, rather than with criticism, judgment, and self-blame. Perhaps I could be said to have turned one aspect of my burnout problem into a Project with this desired outcome: I now turn toward myself with caring, acceptance, and empathy as a regular daily practice and whenever needed.
I want to validate your idea that a problem can beneficially be turned into a Project. Perhaps others will be able to contribute more about what strategies they have used and how it went.
Best Wishes,
Emily
