The difference between winning and losing is that extra inch
Unlock the secrets of A-Players and skyrocket your career. Learn 12 no-bullshit strategies to outperform in today's cutthroat job market. Backed by McKinsey, Deloitte research
The Motivation Muscle - How to Build Mental Toughness and Achieve Your Goals
Who's gonna carry the boats?
This clip, now iconic, may seem cliché and overused at this point. You may have heard this quote hundreds of times in podcasts and motivational clips at this point, and it may have gone over your head at this point. Yet, the underlying message remains powerful. Why has David Goggins become this popular, and what really makes him tick? How did this man turn in from a fat slob, and into a man this inspired millions of others?
The Goggins Approach
David Goggins candidly shares his life journey on the Huberman podcast, a conversation that is probably my top 10 favourite episodes. He recounts his struggles, from being obese at 23, dealing with ADD, and feeling intellectually outmatched, to becoming a person that is truely iconic.
“The barbaric life that I live, that you have to live, the almost obsession that you must have to be great, you can’t put that sh*t in a f*cking book, bro.”
Motivation isn’t like a switch that you can flip and become a beast, it’s a constant never-ending struggle against your former self.
Every decision is something that you undertake. There’s no “silver bullet”, or a magic pill to swallow to set out goals that you want to do. It comes down to whether you in the moment decide “yes”, or “no”.
You often don’t even need that much more additional information. You don’t need to read more self help books. You don’t need to watch more motivation clips or listen to more podcasts. His central message is that in those split-second decisions of weakness or strength, you have to choose strength every time.
“I go to all these conventions, speak all the time, and look in the audience. And these people sign up every year, go to a convention, thinking they’re going to learn something different. No, you’re lazy. You know exactly what to do.” – David Goggins
It’s so simple really. You know you need to do something, so why no do it? Why not go with the best long term option every time. Unfortunately (or fortunately) your brain isn’t a machine. So what’s the key then? To order takeaway or to go to the gym? The answer is the Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex.
Brain imaging Studies
The strongest evidence that aMCC is tied to feelings of motivation comes a study where these regions of the brain were manually stimulated via electrodes. The participants, or the “lab rats” described feelings of perseverance and tenacity—the will to fight, to push through, the feeling that you cannot give up.
Let’s say … if you knew you were driving your car and it was … one of the tires was half flat and you’re only halfway there and you have no other way to turn around and go back, you have to keep going forward . That type of feeling you have. You’re like, you’re like (pats chest) am I gonna, am I gonna to get through this? Am I gonna get through this? - aMCC Electrical Stimulation Participant
The verbal report by one participant is described below. It’s really incredible to watch:
Deciphering the Anterior Mid-Cingulate Cortex
The aMCC is the “seat” of willpower and will to live. The aMCC grows when you resist temptations and make choices that align with your long-term goals. Each time you choose to go for a run instead of watching TV, or opt for a healthy meal instead of fast food, you're essentially exercising this part of your brain. Conversely, when you give in to temptations or take the path of least resistance, the aMCC can actually shrink.
This neuroplasticity creates a kind of paradox. Ironically, when you need motivation the most—when you're at your lowest point—that's when your willpower is likely to be at its weakest. This is because during periods of low motivation or depression, you're less likely to engage in the very activities that would strengthen your aMCC.
This is actually at the heart of the concept of a downward spiral. If you stop doing the activities that make you the best version of yourself, you cease to grow your aMCC, and as a result, you lose further motivation. This can create a self-reinforcing cycle: less motivation leads to fewer positive actions, which leads to a weaker aMCC, which in turn leads to even less motivation.
Goggins stresses the importance of "callusing the mind," a process of deliberately seeking out discomfort and challenges to build mental resilience. Because in his world, the aMCC, or the motivation muscle is truely like a muscle. If you don’t train it it atrophies.
So how do you turn that downward spiral into an upward one? We’ll explore that in future articles.
Related Posts
Solving the riddle of what makes doomscrolling so addictive - The science of brainrot
Discover the hidden mechanisms behind social media addiction. Learn how algorithms exploit your brain's neurobiology, distort time perception, and keep you scrolling. Uncover strategies to break free from the digital matrix and reclaim your time
Effect of nicotine on motivation
Does nicotine actually help you to focus? Placebo, or just a degenerate dopamine release tool? Every question answered!