Stop Waiting for Motivation: Do this Instead
I’ll admit it.
I’m great at making plans. Still, sometimes my plans don’t work out.
Not because they were bad plans.
Because I didn’t follow them.
Have you ever known exactly what to do… and still not done it?
Usually it isn’t confusion.
It’s hesitation. Fear without a name. Waiting for motivation.
Military and law enforcement don’t rely on motivation. They rely on drills. They practice the same actions over and over so that in a real moment, they don’t have to be brave. The process takes over.
Leadership works the same way.
We don’t need more courage. We need better defaults.
When pressure hits, we fall back to what’s familiar. That’s why we stay stuck and why our teams do, too.
Habit #1: Follow a Process, Not a Feeling
Create a simple process and commit to it for 30 days.
Not perfect. Not complex. Just clear.
During those 30 days, stop measuring outcomes.
No checking the scale.
No obsessing over revenue.
No constant scorekeeping.
Instead:
Focus only on the actions, not on the potential outcomes. Your process was designed to create the outcomes, so give it a chance.
Celebrate the actions you took within your process. Do this every day.
After 30 days (not before), check in on the outcomes. Notice how much further you are than procrastination would have taken you.
Revisit the process: What might you adjust in the process to create a bigger impact. Implement that change.
Go back to focusing your energy on the process, not the outcome for another 30 days. Trust your process!
Go back to step one. Repeat this at least 3 cycles (90 days).
I noticed that I have to create the habit of focusing on the process, not the results.
When I focus on the results, doubt and fear set in. I can’t control results.
But I can control the process, and I can control my actions. When my process is designed to hit the outcomes, I don’t have to worry about outcomes every day.
But what about the moment you forget the process, motivation runs dry, or fear seems stronger than the process?
Habit #2: The 10-Minute Rule
You can do anything for 10 minutes.
When I feel resistance, I commit to 10 minutes.
Timer on. Distractions off. Start.
If I choose to stop after 10 minutes, there’s no shame or regret. Instead, High 5!
Honestly, once I get 10 minutes in, I’m likely to keep going. Starting is hard. The rest gets easier.
Here’s what procrastination actually costs:
• Lingering anxiety
• Late nights and poor energy the next day
• Lower quality work
Ten minutes breaks avoidance.
Habit #3: Never Go to Zero
Some days, even 10 minutes feels impossible.
Consistency beats intensity.
If you skip one day, skipping the next becomes easier. Then suddenly the deadline is close and stress takes over.
Instead, choose the easiest meaningful action daily:
• 10 pushups
• One email
• A list of five people to contact tomorrow
An object in motion stays in motion.
Never go to zero.
Some days you’ll crush it!
Some days the day wants to crush you.
But if you never hit zero, you’ll never be crushed.
None of these habits require more willpower or confidence.
They just keep you moving.
Follow a process. Start for 10 minutes. Never go to zero.
Motivation will come and go. Progress doesn’t have to.
Show up consistently and you’ll notice something shift: you begin to trust yourself again. And from that, better results follow.