Here’s Why You're Not Successful... Yet

Let’s talk about intrinsic motivation. Because it’s the secret to getting what you want out of life…

In life, you have two options, step into the stream of someone else’s momentum (this is your typical job: you come in, do what you’re told, and automatically collect a paycheck) or you create your own momentum (the last two newsletters were all about creating momentum—go back and read them if you haven’t already).

If you decide that you’re perfectly content to draft off someone else’s momentum, life will be relatively easy if you’re okay with not being in control of many aspects of your life.

I pass no judgment on people who want this kind of life. You show up at 9. You leave at 5. You’re the master of your own home, and you accept your position in the hierarchy at work.

While this is far from the monastic freedoms that come with living a truly minimalist life, it’s pretty straightforward and low on the stress index. If you decide to create your own momentum, however, life becomes a series of puzzles.

How do I get my dream job? How do I get a promotion? How do I start my own company, etc. The puzzles themselves are absolutely thrilling to solve (if you like that sort of thing), but since you’re now competing with other people for limited opportunities or you’re just plain competing in the open marketplace, your paycheck does not come stress-free.

This article is for people who want to create their own momentum. And the piece of the puzzle that I want to cover is intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation is a fancy way of saying that there’s something deep inside of you that’s driving you. This is something that you cultivated intentionally or something that happened to you growing up.

Maybe your parents pushed you to be great and it lit a fire inside of you that has continued to burn long after leaving home. Maybe people made fun of you because you were the last picked for a game at recess, and you vowed to never get picked last again. Or maybe, just maybe, you fell in love with something and it captured your mind, body, and spirit.

Whatever it is that started it, there is now a fire burning inside of you. That’s intrinsic motivation.

Why You're Not Successful... Yet

The problem is, most people don’t have any intrinsic motivation, but it is very much part of the secret sauce. I’m going to keep this brief, but here’s how you build some intrinsic motivation in your life. (I’m only giving bullet points today. I’ll give you the full-blown details next week.)

Building the fire:

1. Encounter a whole bunch of stuff (AKA don’t prematurely optimize)

2. Follow the path of building a passion

3. Demand of yourself greatness (AKA identity is king)

4. Obsess over the utility of your skills

5. Accept that you, yes you, can change the world

6. Take pride in working the puzzle longer than anyone else

7. Learn to LOVE winning

8. Learn to HATE losing

9. Tell people what you’re going to accomplish

For more actionable and empowering lessons on building an unstoppable mindset, sign up to my weekly newsletter.