Make progress or excuses; It's your choice.
Most people quit when times get tough.
Instead of focusing on the pursuit of success, most people give up when the possibility of failure arises.
They tell themselves lies, excuses, and create justifications as to why something is unachievable. In the words of Eric Hoffer:
“For many people, an excuse is better than an achievement. Because an achievement, no matter how great, leaves you having to prove yourself again in the future. But an excuse can last for life.”
This is not a great way to live.
Many people don’t know how to start, so they stay complacent, never taking any action or progress towards their goals. As Jocko Willink once said, “hesitation is the enemy. It allows the moment to pass, the opportunity to be lost, and the enemy to gain the upper hand.”
Others say they don’t have time. But they have the same 24 hours as Elon Musk, Ryan Holiday, and many other successful people whom society looks up to.
Or perhaps they’re tired and don’t feel like working. It’s this excuse which prevents most people from accomplishing anything in the first place. If you can relate, consider frequently exercising, eating healthier food, and sleeping more. The truth is that unless you optimize your health, you won’t be able to focus on creating a better future.
What is stopping you from living the life you desire?
Will the accomplishment of this task move you closer towards success?
Are you going to let this false-justification stop you from achieving your ambitions?
Make progress or excuses; It’s your choice.
This Is Why You Aren’t Motivated
“Everyone comes to a point in their life when they want to quit. But it’s what you do at that moment that determines who you are.” — David Goggins
Many people aren’t motivated because they don’t have a motive.
Instead of using their purpose as a foundation for taking action, they rely on inspirational videos to feel pumped up.
This doesn’t work.
Unless you gain clarity on what you want to achieve, you will probably remain uninspired due to a lack of motivation.
Most people don’t realize this concept.
Most people are unable to gain clarity on their purpose, certainty on their direction in life, and muster up the energy to execute on their ambitions.
Let me explain.
Olympic athletes remain motivated to practice their sport every day because they are driven to win a gold medal.
Entrepreneurs remain motivated to create a meaningful change in the world via the success of their business.
Musicians are motivated by sharing their music with the world, due to a knowledge that it may inspire others to overcome adversity and various other scenarios.
Find your motive, and you will discover the source of your motivation. In the words of Simon Sinek:
“If you want to feel happy, do something for yourself. If you want to feel fulfilled, do something for someone else.”
Cultivate The Desire For Discipline
“What lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do.” — Aristotle
What happens when you don’t have discipline?
You lose focus on your goals, become complacent, and end up not taking enough action to reach your desired level of success. As a result of not maintaining self-discipline, you end up in a different position to where you intended to be.
Do you want to wake up early? Do you want to work out every morning? Do you want to achieve enormous levels of success?
It starts with you.
I used to have a desire to wake up early. But my urge to sleep was much higher than the will to be productive during the morning. So I failed.
I began each day with a mentality that I wasn’t good enough as I couldn’t even get out of bed in the morning.
But then, a fundamental mindset shift began.
I found a purpose for waking up; I had the willpower to fight the little voice inside my head telling me to go back to sleep.
I told myself that someday I was going to die, and so I must live each day using gratitude as my motivation.
You see, procrastination is not just an inconvenience — but a death sentence.
A better life begins when you deploy massive amounts of discipline to feel better, happier, and more fulfilled.
That means waking up early — even when you don’t feel like it.
That means going to the gym — even when you don’t feel like it.
That means putting in the effort each day, and showing up — even when you don’t feel like working. Quoting Bill Phillips who so eloquently exemplified this point:
“The difference between who you are, and who you want to be is what you do.”
In Conclusion
“Getting better isn’t a hack or a trick, or one change that you need to make. It’s a daily, weekly, hourly fight against weakness, temptation, and laziness. It’s a campaign of discipline. A campaign of hard work and dedication. Waking up early, going to bed late, and grinding out every second in between. Every single day.” — Jocko Willink
It’s easy to quit.
It’s easy to give up immediately when the possibility of failure arises.
It’s easy to tell yourself lies, excuses & justifications as to why something is unachievable.
But if you can maintain discipline, the probability of eventual success is much higher.
You will be more productive. You will have greater self-control over your actions. You will gain clarity on your vision & direction that you wish to take in life.
As Walt Disney once said, “the difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting.”
That’s how you become unstoppable.