The Motivation Myth

Motivation isn’t the spark that ignites success; it’s the result of consistently achieved small victories.

1. Small Wins Build Motivation

Motivation doesn’t come from some internal spark. It grows when you achieve small victories consistently. Recognizing these daily accomplishments creates confidence and a drive to keep moving forward. For instance, celebrating small milestones, like running your first mile when training, can keep you on track for bigger achievements like completing a marathon.

Many people get fixated on how far they are from their end goal, which can feel discouraging. Instead, focusing on daily tasks and relishing small successes shifts the focus to what has been achieved rather than what remains to be done. This perspective helps build resilience and a positive cycle of effort and reward.

The author uses his experience of completing his first Gran Fondo cycling event as an illustration. Training and finishing this grueling 100-mile ride gave him pride and motivation to keep improving for future challenges, even though there were harder races on the horizon.

Examples

• Successfully completing his Gran Fondo ride ignited the author's confidence in cycling.
• A novice piano player feeling motivated after mastering a simple piece of music.
• A dieter sticking to their plan by celebrating every pound lost.

2. Focus on the Process, Not the Goal

While setting goals is important, obsessing over the end result can backfire. Sharing your goal or dwelling on it might give you a sense of premature accomplishment, reducing your resolve to work toward it. Instead, the secret lies in breaking a goal into smaller, repeatable actions.

Developing a process creates daily rewards by giving you measurable progress to celebrate. This routine builds over time, leading to significant achievements. For example, the author consistently wrote a daily blog post, analyzed headlines, and reached out to influential people to steadily grow his page views from 35,000 to over 2 million per month.

By focusing on processes rather than results, you can also adapt better to setbacks. A defined routine allows you to pivot and keep going without feeling derailed when things don’t go perfectly.

Examples

• The author's daily writing routine led to dramatic success in his online content.
• Athletes sticking to incremental workout plans rather than fixating on winning gold.
• Students committing to consistent study schedules instead of focusing solely on exam scores.

3. Goals Direct Your Process

Goals are not only destinations but guideposts that help shape the way you work. Instead of using shortcuts or rushing, let your objectives steer you toward creating a sustainable process. This ensures that your efforts align with what’s truly important.

For example, someone training for a marathon should focus on a routine aligned with their current fitness level rather than rushing headlong into a race. This steady buildup ensures progress and prevents burnout. The author explains that consistent appearances at scheduled training sessions, even when routines begin with walking, make those initial steps easier and the end goal more achievable.

Moreover, specific and structured plans bring clarity. Deciding exactly where, when, and how far you’ll run each time reduces decision fatigue and makes meeting your goals manageable.

Examples

• A marathon trainee achieving success through structured and scalable workouts.
• A novice guitarist creating a daily practice routine instead of immediately learning a complicated song.
• The author’s grandfather training his racehorse, realizing slow and steady progress would have led to better results.

4. Success Fuels Success

Accomplishing even minor goals in one area can inspire success in others. Becoming successful at multiple things broadens your sense of achievement and provides more opportunities for personal growth.

The author suggests becoming a "serial achiever," pursuing several ambitions simultaneously. For example, Venus Williams didn’t focus solely on her tennis career. Alongside her athletic success, she launched a business, pursued interior design, and earned advanced degrees. She applied the same drive and passion from tennis to other areas.

This approach helps you diversify your skills and interests. Even if you don’t succeed in every endeavor, the efforts can contribute to your overall development, leading to new opportunities and ideas.

Examples

• Venus Williams building a range of ventures while keeping up her tennis career.
• A professional using evenings to learn coding as a side hustle.
• An office worker enrolling in a public speaking course to stand out at work.

5. The Power of 'Working Your Number'

Set a specific measurable target and then focus your energy on meeting it daily. This approach removes guesswork and makes progress tangible. The author’s philosophy of "working your number" helps build consistency.

For example, when the author aimed to complete 100,000 push-ups in a year, he broke it down to 274 push-ups per day. To prepare for inevitable disruptions, he added extra reps during workouts, ensuring he stayed ahead. By year’s end, he exceeded his target. This concept can apply to various goals, from work quotas to personal fitness.

Creating a buffer or planning for setbacks reinforces this approach. By doing slightly more than required on good days, you create wiggle room for challenges.

Examples

• Author’s 100,000 push-ups goal achieved through extra push-ups daily.
• Salespeople exceeding their minimum quota by pitching to additional clients.
• Writers exceeding their word count goals by practicing daily overachievement.

6. Get Guidance from Experts

Hiring professionals is better than sticking with a feel-good motivational coach. Experts in your desired field offer practical and actionable advice rooted in experience. They won’t sugarcoat the truth but instead guide you to do the hard work that leads to real progress.

For instance, the author sought advice from a renowned cyclist, Jeremiah Bishop, to elevate his training. Bishop advised him to tackle an incredibly challenging cycling route, one that felt almost impossible. Following the expert’s advice stretched the author’s abilities and mindset.

An expert’s process can give you invaluable insights into your own challenges. Even asking a single question to a professional about their success can pay off.

Examples

• Author’s remarkable improvement learning from Jeremiah Bishop.
• Aspiring chefs apprenticing under successful restaurateurs.
• Entrepreneurs seeking guidance from veterans in their industry.

7. Devote a Day to Extreme Productivity

If you’re struggling to start or make progress, dedicate an "Extreme Productivity Day." Set aside 11 to 12 hours to work solely on one major objective. Notify others in advance to avoid interruptions, and use this time to build momentum.

An unusual start time, like 4 a.m., can break routines and heighten focus. During breaks, step away in the middle of a task, so you’re motivated to reengage easily. This strategy enables you to tick off significant tasks and experience a surge in motivation from completing them.

Committing to long workdays can also rewire how you approach normal tasks, fostering better concentration and productivity in your daily schedule.

Examples

• Author starting at 4 a.m. to dedicate the day solely to major tasks.
• Corporate employees dedicating a day to mapping out yearlong strategies.
• Writers using 12-hour marathons to finish crucial drafts.

8. Forget Quick Fixes

Real success demands steady effort over shortcuts or hacks. Quick wins may give short-lived satisfaction, but lasting accomplishments come from sticking to a well-designed process.

The author's story of mastering cycling through consistent training illustrates this—there were no tricks to shortcut the exhausting rides and steep climbs. Similarly, adopting this mindset helps keep expectations realistic, reducing the frustration of unmet goals.

Commitment to the process, instead of shortcuts, builds authentic skills and resilience for greater challenges.

Examples

• Author regularly training for challenging rides instead of searching for cycling hacks.
• Students mastering subjects through regular study rather than cramming.
• Entrepreneurs building businesses over years instead of chasing immediate profits.

9. Daily Actions Trump Grand Intentions

Spending time imagining success won’t make it happen. Instead, shift energy to performing actions aligned with your goals every single day. Over time, consistent efforts yield dramatic results.

For example, by sending daily thank-you emails and gathering great headlines, the author improved his online writing performance and connections. Small actions, compounded daily, fuel long-term success more than grand announcements or ambitions.

Tracking your progress with daily milestones provides accountability and motivation.

Examples

• Author’s daily gratitude emails fueling professional writing growth.
• Dieters tracking calories consumed daily, leading to weight loss.
• Marathon runners logging mileage every day to stay on course.

Takeaways

1. Break your goals into clear, repeatable actions, and focus on completing them daily instead of obsessing about the end result.
2. Seek feedback and guidance from professionals to refine your process and overcome obstacles.
3. Dedicate occasional "Extreme Productivity Days" to tackle challenging tasks and build momentum.