Forget Motivation—This Is What Actually Moves You Forward
What if your success didn’t depend on motivation at all? Here’s why learning to ‘do it anyway’—even when you don’t feel like it—is the real key to long-term progress.
The pursuit of long-term goals often begins with boundless enthusiasm but inevitably encounters the reality of fluctuating motivation. In the latest episode of Super Awesome You podcast, I dive deep into this universal challenge and explore the powerful mental practice of "doing it anyway" – showing up for yourself even when motivation has vanished.
Motivation is inherently inconsistent. It surges at the beginning of any new endeavor, only to fade as the initial excitement wears off. Rather than chasing this elusive feeling, successful individuals develop the ability to perform without it. While various motivation hacks exist—accountability partners, reward systems, or habit stacking—none work without the fundamental willingness to put in effort when it feels most difficult. This principle applies across all domains of life, from fitness goals to creative pursuits to professional development. As mentioned in the episode, "A hundred percent better than zero is still zero. You can't multiply a percentage against zero and expect it to grow at all."
An interesting parallel exists between the popular 5AM Club concept and this mental discipline. The true power of early rising isn't about the morning hours themselves, but rather about beginning each day by overcoming internal resistance. When your alarm sounds at 5AM, every part of your body resists leaving the warmth and comfort of your bed. By doing so anyway, you're training your brain to understand that discomfort doesn't dictate actions. This principle extends beyond morning routines to every challenging task in life ranging from household chores to marathon training in summer heat to consistent content creation. Each time you override the voice of resistance, you strengthen the neural pathways that enable consistent action.
David Goggins, ultramarathon runner and former Navy SEAL, embodies this philosophy to an extreme degree. He openly acknowledges his hatred of running, yet continues to pursue ultra-endurance events specifically because they're mentally challenging. This approach isn't about learning to love difficult tasks (though that sometimes happens naturally); it's about developing what might be considered a mental superpower—the ability to act decisively regardless of emotional state. The brain contains multiple competing voices: the comfort-seeking part begging for more sleep and the disciplined part pushing for action. With practice, the disciplined voice grows stronger.
The most encouraging aspect of this approach is that even when progress toward specific goals seems slow, you're still developing something invaluable: the habit of showing up. In a world where countless people let days pass without meaningful action toward their aspirations, simply maintaining consistency already places you ahead of the curve. Each day you choose action over excuses, you're building mental resilience that will serve every area of your life. This isn't just about achieving goals—it's about becoming the kind of person who does difficult things consistently, someone who honors commitments to themselves regardless of circumstances or feelings.
Want more insights like this? Tune into the Super Awesome You podcast, where I dive into practical mindset shifts and stories that help you build resilience, take action, and become your most awesome self—one step at a time. Listen now!