The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win

by Jeff Haden

There is only one recipe for gaining motivation: success. Specifically, the dopamine hits we get when we observe ourselves making progress.

Motivation

Motivation is something you get, from yourself, automatically, from feeling good about achieving small successes. Success is a process. Success is repeatable and predictable. Success has less to do with hoping and praying and strategizing than with diligently doing (after a little strategizing, sure): doing the right things, the right way, over and over and over.

Keep trudging on....

A slice of satisfaction, fulfillment, and happiness can be found in the achievement . . . but the real source of consistent, lasting happiness lies in the process.

The procesz....

Incredibly successful people set a goal and then focus all their attention on the process necessary to achieve that goal. They set a goal and then, surprisingly, they forget the goal.

The goal.

Duckworth says that what really drives success is not “genius” but a combination of passion and long-term perseverance.

Perseverance.

Talent typically reveals itself only in hindsight. Success is never assured. It looks inevitable

Talent

Clearly getting rich, in financial terms, is the result of investing in yourself and others, taking risks, doing hundreds of small things right . . . and then doing one or two big things really, really right.

Success in monetary terms.

Success is inevitable only in hindsight. Success is never assured. Plans are never perfect.

Success

A quote often attributed to Jim Rohn goes, There are two types of pain you will go through in life: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.

the weight of regret.

That’s why step two is to think about what you will most regret never having done. Keep in mind that nothing on that list will include work.

Regret two....

Think of it this way: Strength is hard to build the first time, but regaining strength lost is much easier.

Strength.

The past doesn’t define you. Just make sure that next time, you know what to do differently.

The past doesn't define you....

There’s a quote often credited to Saint Ignatius of Loyola (and you have to love a fighting saint): “Pray as if God will take care of all; act as if all is up to you.”

Saint Ignatius....

“One of the best quotes I’ve ever heard says that if you want to increase the level of success, you need to increase the level of failure. There’s a difference between quitting and failing. I’m okay with failing a thousand times. As long as you just keep going and don’t quit, you haven’t really failed.”

Failure vs. Success

If you’re feeling low, put your head down and focus on your process. You’ll improve—and you’ll gain the motivation you feel you lack.

What to do when ferking low.