The Myth of Motivation
We worship motivation.
We romanticise the idea of the hyper-driven entrepreneur, the obsessed creator, the relentlessly inspired achiever. It’s easy to assume these successful individuals are fuelled by some endless reservoir of motivation — a constant high of energy and enthusiasm.
But motivation is a cruel mistress, she’s fickle.
The harsh reality is that motivation is wildly unreliable. It ebbs and flows with our moods, our energy levels, and external circumstances. One morning, we leap out of bed ready to conquer the world. Another, we’re hitting snooze, craving just ten more minutes of sleep, dreading the thought of starting anything.
I’ve always been an all-or-nothing kind of person. I’d passionately dive head first into starting a project, learning a language or pursuing fitness goal, giving 100% for a few days — only to burn out completely afterward. It took me years to accept the simple truth that consistency is far more powerful than intensity. This year, I’ve shifted my approach. I prioritise consistency. I time block and track daily streaks, never allowing myself to miss a day.
Forget Motivation. Embrace Routine.
Rather than attempting to rely on unpredictable waves of motivation, I’ve found much more success anchoring my progress to a routine. A routine isn’t flashy or glamorous, but it’s reliable. It doesn’t ask you to feel inspired; it simply asks you to show up.
Every morning, I start my day with coffee. (Let’s ignore the health gurus all recommending a 90 minute delay for my natural cortisol pattern — baby steps). It’s not something I debate — I just do it. There’s comfort in that predictability. (I can’t believe I’m 30 and finding comfort in predicability. Wow.)
The same automatic ease can be applied to any of our goals. Instead of wrestling each morning with whether we “feel” like working on our side business or learning a new skill, we can make it as routine as brewing a morning coffee.
It can take a moment to fall into a routine, but once established your actions become so automated that when the day arises where you struggle for motivation, you also lack the motivation required to break your routine. Isn’t that ironic. If you’re motivated, a routine amplifies your progress. If you’re in a slump, a routine keeps you going anyway. Win-win.
Time Block Important Tasks
I’ve wasted an embarrassing number of hours attempting to develop the most efficient task management methodology only to learn that any form of to-lists will inevitably trick us into cherry-picking tasks — like scanning a restaurant menu and instinctively choosing only the dishes we enjoy.
Instead, I’ve found that a much easier approach (that negates procrastination) is to create deliberate, dedicated blocks of time to tackle the tasks that truly matter.
This eliminates the exhausting daily debate of whether or not you’ll “feel” productive later. Make these blocks non-negotiable. Maybe it’s 90 minutes right after waking up, or an hour each evening. Put it in your calendar as a meeting with yourself. No excuses. No debates.
Over time, these appointments become second nature, removing the mental friction that often sabotages our best intentions. Showing up becomes automatic — like brushing your teeth or brewing your morning coffee.
Consistency Beats Intensity Every time
I now accept that true, sustainable success isn’t built riding the wave of short-lived bursts of enthusiasm.
Success is built through consistency.
Small, reliable steps forward every day accumulate into lasting results. When goals become embedded into a daily routine, action no longer depends on the whims of motivation. Instead, it becomes default.
So I’ll choose consistency, motivation be damned.
This post was originally posted on medium: Adam Love The Myth of Motivation