Tag Archives: Jocko Willink

Motivation is a Crutch for Undisciplined Men

Most men think their problem is motivation.

Why can’t I get motivated?

They’re waiting to feel ready.
Waiting to feel driven.
Waiting to feel like today is the day.

But the truth is simpler and harder to admit:

If your plan depends on motivation, it’s already unstable.

Motivation is a feeling.
Feelings change. Quickly!

And busy weeks don’t care what you feel like doing. Especially when you’re a father, husband, business operator/employee.

Why Motivation Fails Under Pressure

Motivation shows up when:

  • Life is calm
  • Sleep is good
  • Stress is low
  • The future feels exciting

But that’s not real life most of the time. At least it’s not for me.

Real life looks like:

  • Early mornings and late nights
  • Work that doesn’t slow down
  • Kids who need you when you’re tired
  • Unexpected problems that don’t wait for perfect timing

Motivation disappears under weight.
Structure doesn’t.

That’s why men who rely on motivation feel strong in January…
and lost or confused by March.

Discipline Isn’t Harsh — It’s Reliable

A lot of men secretly think discipline is punishment. I know I’ve felt this way. I used to workout

Discipline was something rigid.
Something joyless.
Something you “power through.” Cameron Hanes says, “nobody cares, work harder”

That belief guarantees burnout. At least for me.

Discipline isn’t punishment.
It’s what keeps you moving when life gets loud. Jocko Willink wrote about this in, “Discipline equals Freedom”

Not dramatic.
Not impressive.
Just steady. The more disciplined. The more space created freedom.

Discipline is how you keep promises to yourself when no one is watching. <—– oooohhh. I like that. Keep promises.

Micro Habits Beat Big Intentions

Here’s where most men go wrong.

They design habits for their best days.

Then life hands them average days.
Or hard ones.

And the whole system collapses.

Micro habits are built for reality.

They’re small enough to survive every day life:

  • Bad sleep
  • Heavy schedules
  • Stressful seasons
  • Low energy

They don’t aim to impress.
They aim to endure. They aim to sustain momentum.

The Top 5 Micro Habits That Survive Busy Weeks

These aren’t optimal.
They’re durable.

They’re built to work when life doesn’t cooperate.

1. Ten Minutes of Movement

Not a workout.
Just movement.

Walk. Stretch. Push-ups. Anything.

The goal isn’t fitness — it’s identity:
“I’m the kind of man who moves his body, even when I’m busy.”

2. One Glass of Water Before Anything Else

Before coffee.
Before your phone.
Before the day grabs you.

It’s not about hydration alone.
It’s about starting with a decision you control.

3. Five Quiet Minutes Before Noise

No phone.
No news.
No inbox.

Just stillness. Thought. Prayer. Breathing.

The last 40+ days, I’ve started my day with a Wim Hof style breathing. Three rounds. Non-negotiable.

It’s not spiritual heroics.
It’s mental alignment.

4. One Intentional Meal Choice

Not a perfect day of eating.
Just one good choice. For this I start my day with 30g of protein. Forms include: Overnight Oats (most frequent), a smoothie, or quick shake.

I make it the night before so I don’t have to think.

It reminds you that discipline isn’t all-or-nothing.
It’s one decision at a time. Every day.

5. Return Fast After You Slip

This might be the most important habit of all.

You will miss days.
You will fall off.
You will get inconsistent.

The habit isn’t perfection.
It’s speed of return. Again, momentum is easier harnesses than restarting.

“Never miss twice” matters more than never missing.

“I’m the type of man who <insert discipline>” no matter what

Why This Actually Works

Big goals collapse under pressure.
Micro habits adapt.

They don’t rely on:

  • Energy
  • Excitement
  • Perfect timing

They rely on:

  • Simplicity
  • Repetition
  • Identity [Promises Kept]

Every small habit is a vote for the man you’re becoming.

Not in speeches.
In actions.

A Quiet Reality Check

If your discipline only works when life is easy,
it isn’t discipline.

It’s convenience.

The test isn’t your best days.
It’s your busiest ones.

That’s where your real system shows up.

The Question That Matters

What’s the smallest habit you can keep
even when life is heavy
that proves you’re not quitting on yourself?

Start there.

Create momentum then stack another.

Not because it’s impressive.
But because it lasts.

The ONE QUESTION Driving Daily Action

I spend time every single Sunday with focused thought on on trying to answer one question.

Zac…What do you want?

For probably the last 15 years, or in the time since getting married I began being much more intentional about where life would take me. Actually, I take that back, as that speaks to having more control than likely exists. How about, I spent more time thinking about where I’d like to go and thinking it into existence.

  • What was important to me?
  • Where would I live?
  • Would I live extravagantly or frugally?
  • What did I want to do with my time?
  • Who were my close friends?
  • How did I want to feel? (This one is often overlooked)
  • Who were my teachers? Who would I learn from?
  • What would I look like? (Yes, I can be a vain person, but this is part of how I think about spending my time)

Today writing this post I’m 42 years old. Sometimes I can’t believe this, as it feels like yesterday I was 30, with no kids and a few dreams written down on one of my many notebooks. Back then, I wrote down many dream lines to pursue. I wanted to live on a golf course, own a business, sell a business (for profit), create a life of financial freedom, drive a Ferrari (why not right??), and the list goes on.

Having achieved a few of these dreams by 40, my focus shifts as I’ve moved into a new season of life. I find one word driving more of my thoughts and actions more than ever…

FREEDOM

This word plays itself out in a myriad of ways as I think about the 360 degree picture that is life. Below I’ll explain how I’m thinking about FREEDOM. It helps to mention a quote I’ve been loving from retired Navy Seal Jocko Willink. That quote is, “Discipline = Freedom”. The more discipline I can build into my life and follow with determination on the THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER. The more freedom I have in the rest of my life.

Financial Freedom

Financial Freedom: One could easily say I think about this too much, but it’s important to me and part of who I am. I want the ability to not worry about a “paycheck” from an employer. In order to do this, I started asking different questions in my early 30s.

Where would this additional income come from? What would I need to save to be set free? What would I need to own that paid me consistently? How “early” could I really retire? These questions led to study, planning and executing on a strategy to [exit the rat race] as Robert Kiyosaki describes it in Rich Dad Poor Dad. Around 2012 or so, I landed on an aggressive date of 2027. I call it my “Freedom Date”.

The disciplines at play here are relatively simple. Save a great deal more than our expenses (goal 2x or more). Therefore, every months’ income also buys a month of Freedom (or more). I Invest that capital into avenues that produce income or buy time backward from a retirement age of 60. If I’m going to ‘retire’ at 45 in 2027, I need to buy 15 years. To do so, I invest in real estate, have brokerage account with Vanguard, Life Insurance, Roth IRAs, IRA, 401k, high-yield savings account (oxymoron) and business ownership. Some provide monthly cash flow, others are true retirement vehicles.

Physical Freedom

Physical Freedom: This is about vitality and freedom of movement. In Norman Vincent Peale’s book, “The Power of Positive Thinking” the author frequently refers to the power of prayer and its impact on vitality. After all, what good is an early retirement or complete flexibility if it can’t be enjoyed fully? A few years ago I got much more serious about my fitness. During COVID we had a new baby, I was stressed from work, by body was inflamed and I was mentally zapped. I was anxious and my body shuddered at the stress. I needed a physical reset to get back on the path to physical freedom I’d fallen off. Again, “Discipline = Freedom” and my plan was to transform myself via sweat. In late 2021 I invested in a Peloton and boy am I happy we did. But it didn’t start out all roses. The first day I climbed on the bike with ambitions high, my heart rate skyrocketed and a moment of panic hit. I felt weak and ashamed. Was this really my reality? I’ve always been an athlete for God’s sake. But I kept riding and stacking wins. In the three years since I’ve completed nearly 1,000 rides and poured gallons of sweat onto my basement floor (sorry Beth). In the same time, I used this momentum to complete thousands of pull-ups….probably 30,000 in the past 3+ years. I sleep better, my joints feel better, and the outcome is a better looking body. My kids are now 5 & 10, and I need the energy to keep up with them and their endeavors.

Emotional Freedom

Emotional Freedom – In my 30’s I began reading a book titled, “The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday. I like it so much, I’ve gifted it to many friends. The book is composed in a way that each day, the reader digests one page of stoic philosophy from thousands of years ago. One page a day, every day. Not zero. Not two, or twenty. One Page (discipline). The accumulation of pages helped rewire my thinking and I’ll still turn the pages of this classic 10 years later.

Nothing is promised. Nothing is permanent. All we have is the present. When I was younger, I thought a stoic was one who showed no emotion. Ever. Stone faced and emotionless. Reading the stoics, I realized that’s not the case at all. The greatest of the stoics felt ALL THE FEELS. They experienced all the human experience has to offer, but being a stoic meant they had an ability to separate themselves from the emotion and didn’t allow the emotion to overrun their operating system. A stoic can see the situation for exactly what it is, and nothing more.

People will lie or deceive you. You’ll be cheated. Something will be stolen. Hearts will be broken. Sickness will hit. Life presents numerous challenges. The pragmatic approach is, to see it for what it is…nothing more, nothing less. This study helped me mentally in a big way. I’m a world-class grudge holder and can easily get lost in the “story” I tell myself. I’m guilty of holding on too tight and letting that stress live with me too long. The path to emotional Freedom won’t end on a date. It’s a journey that will last a lifetime.

Conclusion

I’ll conclude to say, the items and goals listed above are mine. They are NOT yours nor should they be. Every person must go on the journey of finding out what they want on their own. My only advice is to be sincere in your approach and don’t fake it. You want what you want, and it’s not for someone else. But changing your mind is ok too. It’s quite likely your goals and thinking will evolve over time. They should, we shouldn’t remain static as people as we age and gain knowledge and experiences.

Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows

Tony Robbins

Reconnecting to THE PATH

Last week I was in Chicago for a host of meetings with clients, a Holiday Extravaganza and a Basis Holiday party. By the way, I get the “Holiday” thing, I’m just not used to it. I want to say Christmas Party and it isn’t because I want to offend anyone.

Anyway as I stray from the path of this post, my travels encompassed a few days of eating out, coffee, lunches, cocktails, and a couple late nights (add karaoke). All this sent me traveling back home feeling puffy (inflamed) and needing a good night of sleep. For me, this is a BIG DEAL!

Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this YouTube Video from Jocko Willink with guest Tim Ferriss. Please watch.

“Never Stray from The Way” – from Miyamoto Musashi.

It is the path of discipline and discomfort, but it is the RIGHT path.

Get on the Path. Stay on the Path

You might be asking, what was really different from last week’s travels to this week? I’ll tell you.

  • DIET – I follow a pretty regimented diet. I won’t say entirely strict, but my time at home almost always includes at least one smoothie a day (Purple Smoothie for breakfast), and most days two smoothies. It’s a simple and efficient way for me to consume a ton of fruits and vegetables while maintaining a good diet.
  • EXERCISE – My current rhythm calls for 5-6 days of working out a week. In Chicago I was as effective as the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. (0-3). Zero Peloton rides. Zero push ups/pull ups. Zero runs.
  • MEDITATE – I try and hit at least 1x per day at home. Some days I hit two. When I was traveling I also couldn’t get off zero.
  • SLEEP – It shouldn’t be a shock, but when the three key elements above are met, I sleep well. Not meeting usually I don’t get a restful night of sleep. Anecdotally, mix in a little alcohol and a late night Karaoke session and quality sleep isn’t likely to follow that recipe either.

The elements noted above are the north star guiding my compass to keep me progressing on the The Path. I find this similar to the work I’m doing while reading “The Warrior Book” by Garrett J. White and his Wake Up Warrior Movement. Garrett’s path for all warriors is to “have it all” by mastering: Body, Being, Balance and Business through a focused daily practice.

I know my Path. Following it is entirely about discipline.

Following The Path does three powerful things for me.

  1. It’s a Reset when I’ve strayed from the things that give me the most vitality (usually to a state of low energy)
  2. It generates tremendous momentum. Stacking days on the path leads to a vitality and vigor
  3. The Path = Freedom. I harken this to Jocko’s book: Discipline Equals Freedom.

This personal view also doesn’t account for those things that drive success in my business life or my role as a husband/father. But it does help me show up as the best version of myself.

My ask to any and all readers is to find your path. Be intentional with your efforts and time so you can deliver your best self to all other elements of your life.

This is just like the instructions a flight attendant gives you if/when oxygen masks are deployed during flight. PUT YOUR MASK ON FIRST!! If you can’t give yourself oxygen F-I-R-S-T, your ability to help others is irrelevant. The Path is our oxygen to help ourselves and others!

I’m fortunate to be “off” the next 11 days, and I look forward to owning my Path and catapulting myself into 2023.

~Merry Christmas All