The Highly Effective Man

The 3-Step Formula for Overcoming Inconsistent Motivation

• JP Bolwahnn

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Unlock the secret to maintaining unshakeable motivation with insights from JP Bolwahnn, a seasoned Navy SEAL and life coach. Have you ever wondered why motivation often fizzles out when you need it most? Discover the transformative power of anchoring to a deeper purpose, and learn how to build a non-negotiable system that keeps you on track, regardless of how you feel. JP shares the essential three-step formula to overcome the pitfalls of fleeting motivation by focusing on purpose, systematic habits, and the impact of tracking small wins. This episode is your guide to fostering a mindset and routine that supports long-term consistency and productivity.

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Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Highly Effective man podcast, hosted by former Navy SEAL turned life and fitness coach. I'm your host, jp Bolwan. This podcast is your resource for unlocking the healthiest, most productive and highly effective man within you. Let's go. Productive and highly effective man within you, let's go. What's up, guys? Welcome back to the Highly Effective man podcast. I'm your host, jp Bolwan, and today we're going to be talking about the three-step formula for overcoming inconsistent motivation.

Speaker 1:

All right, and motivation is one of those things that just kind of comes and goes. So you want to make sure that you have some type of system that's going to help you keep moving forward Right? So if you've ever felt stuck, frustrated or like you're spinning your wheels because your motivation comes and goes, this episode is going to be for you. By the end of it, you'll have a proven three-step formula to overcome inconsistent motivation and start showing up consistently, no matter how you feel. So the three big things that we're going to talk about today is number one is to anchor your higher purpose All right, why you need a deep emotional reason to drive action. Number two build a non-negotiable system right, we'll talk about how habits and routines replace, like unreliable motivation. And then, number three tracking small wins, right. The power of momentum to sustain long-term consistency, all right.

Speaker 1:

So the reason why I came up with this is that you know, I've accomplished quite a few things in my life, right? Sometimes I tell people what I've done and they're like man, it's like you lived three lives. And I'm like, yeah, sometimes it does feel like that because you know, I spent a portion of my adult life as a Navy SEAL and then I spent another portion of my life playing rugby, and I spent another portion of my life playing college football and going to school, and then, you know, now I'm this firefighter, but then I also coach people online and throughout the world with life and fitness goals. Okay, so, having goals and then reaching those goals you think I'm motivated every day to do that stuff. No, I'm not. Like, sometimes I'm tired, you know, like right now, you know, I'm coming back from a knee surgery that I just had last week my motivation to do anything right now is pretty low. I do have systems, I do have routines and I do have a schedule that I follow, which is why I'm recording this right now, because it's on my list and the timeframe for me to do it. Okay.

Speaker 1:

So when I was a SEAL, I you know, I learned the hard way that motivation is never enough. There's days, you know, you wake up sore, you're exhausted, you know. Sometimes, you know you're questioning like why did I even start the journey? And you know, a lot of times the guys that quit is because their motivation to become a Navy SEAL had burned out. It was gone right.

Speaker 1:

Why did the people, the ones that stuck around, succeed? Well, because, more than likely, they had a deeper purpose. Right, they had a system or a way of keeping themselves accountable, even when their bodies were screaming I want to quit, okay. Okay, motivation is fleeting and it's tied to emotions, energy levels and circumstances, all of which change daily. Okay, so if you're just relying on motivation to accomplish your goals, you're setting yourself up for inconsistency, okay. But if you anchor yourself to a purpose and you build a system and you create momentum, you can show up regardless of how you feel. This isn't about some type of hack or shortcut, but it's about adopting a mindset and a system that ensures that you can stay consistent, no matter how chaotic life gets.

Speaker 1:

Let's dive into it. First part I want to talk about is anchoring to your higher purpose. Ok so, first part I want to talk about is anchoring to your higher purpose. Ok so, and this is important, because this is what you need when, when you feel like everything is stacked up against you no-transcript, these things kind of coming at you, and naturally sometimes some of those thoughts or comments that people make might produce some type of doubt in you. Right, and I had that happening to me. But every time that the doubt crept in, I thought about the example that I wanted to set for others my family, my team, the guys I coach.

Speaker 1:

Now, you know, my purpose wasn't to prove something to the world, but it was to live a life that inspired others to break through their limits. Right, and that's that's really what I'm trying to do with my community, with the guys that I'm coaching. Is that, yeah, we start with, you know, constructing the warrior body, because the body is the foundation of everything we're doing. Right, but we have to build something and we have to believe that we can push past limits or our own perceived limits. Right, and this is why the why is the foundation of consistency.

Speaker 1:

Without it, you'll quit when going gets tough, surface level reasons like I want to look good or I want to weigh this much or making money won't cut it. You need a deep emotional reason that keeps you moving forward when motivation is gone. Emotional reason that keeps you moving forward when motivation is gone right. And, like I said, my purpose was to live a life that inspired others to break through their limits, and that's exactly what I'm doing right now with the content that I put in my podcast and all the things that I'm continually trying to do. Okay, and so your purpose needs to be bigger than the obstacles in front of you. When you anchor into your higher purpose, motivation becomes secondary. Right. You're going to do it, no matter what. So what I want you to do right now is you can pause this, too. You can write down your why today, right. Why are you doing, or why are you pursuing the goal that you're pursuing? Keep it simple but meaningful, okay. So when motivation wavers, just revisit that goal, right. So why am I trying to be a highly effective man? Well, because I want to live a life that inspires others to break past limits. Right. I want to be fit and somebody that's dependable, so that my family looks up to me when I'm older, right? Stuff like that, okay.

Speaker 1:

So part two of this is building a non-negotiable system. Right, and this is something that can be challenging. Right, as a firefighter on kawaii, my schedule is unpredictable. Right, unpredictable in the way that my I don't work every monday from like nine to five, right, yes, I know if I'm working, you know six months from now, on this certain day, but it's unpredictable and that I can. It's hard to set like a set routine weekly, right? So between calls, my family life, the coaching, there's always an excuse to skip a workout or just eat whatever's convenient, right, but I've built systems that make excuses irrelevant. My workouts are scheduled like appointments, my meals are prepped, my mornings start with the routine, my evenings end with the routine, my evenings end with the routine, and that all just kind of helps him get into the right mindset. And these systems make it easier to show up, even on the toughest days. Does it go perfectly every time? No, and I'd say probably the majority of the time. It doesn't go perfectly every time, but it does give me a framework to follow and I can be flexible here and there. But I also get a lot more done when I have this system in place.

Speaker 1:

Okay, motivation comes and goes, but systems will stick when you make habits non-negotiable, they become part of who you are. Systems take the decision-making out of the equation. You don't need motivation to act when it's automatic. Right If I say every morning at five o'clock, I'm going to get up, no matter what, that's just what's going to happen. Right, I don't have to negotiate with myself when the alarm goes off at five, like, do I want to lay in bed any longer? No, I've made the decision. I'm going to get up, brush my teeth, make coffee, take a shower and do some journaling. That's it. It's as simple as that. Discipline meets beats motivation every time. It's not about being perfect, it's about showing up consistently. So pick one habit that you're going to make non-negotiable this week. Okay, it can be something as simple as a daily walk, 10 minutes of stretching, or maybe it's like a set bedtime or set wake-up time. Start small and build from there.

Speaker 1:

Number three track small wins. Okay, in jujitsu, progress is slow. Right, I've been a blue belt now for a couple years and you don't go from white belt to black belt overnight. Right, I remember hitting. You know you hit plateaus and there's some days where you wonder if you're even improving at all. Okay, but if you focus on the small wins, like escaping a tough position, or maybe you passed, you know, like a black belt guard or or something like that, or maybe you landed some new move. Right, you'll realize that you're moving forward. Right, you're making these little steps to move forward and those small wins, they keep me motivated to keep showing up and over time, that's going to all add up to big progress, right? I am, you know, way different on the jujitsu mat today than I am when I first showed up a few years ago. Right, motivation grows from momentum.

Speaker 1:

By tracking the small wins, you remind yourself that every action counts. Progress isn't about perfection, it's about consistency, right, and consistency is everything. So, at the end of each day this is what I want you to do Write down one win. It could be as simple as I showed up today, or I made a healthy choice, I got a workout in, you know, whatever it is, that's what you need to do, okay, track those small wins and if you're ready to master this three-step formula or take it even further, join the highly effective man community that I have.

Speaker 1:

Going on school, you know that platform school. You can go online, find schoolcom or whatever it is, and then just search the highly effective man community. I'll also put a link in the show notes below. But it's where busy men like you are transforming into their most fit, confident and unstoppable selves. Okay, inside you'll find the systems, the accountability and a purpose-driven mindset to overcome any challenge.

Speaker 1:

Now think of this formula like you're building a fire, okay. Your higher purpose is the spark that ignites it, your system is the kindling that keeps it burning and tracking your winds is the steady flow of oxygen that sustains the flame. With all three, you can create a fire that burns consistently, no matter what the conditions are. So here's what you need to do Write down your why. Choose one habit to make non-negotiable this week and track one small win daily. Week and track one small win daily. Start today, okay. And if you're looking for more tools or support, join the Highly Effective man community. On school, let's build a life where motivation isn't necessary because you are already showing up day in and day out. Stay consistent. You've got this. Let's go.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for tuning in to the Highly Effective man podcast. If you found value today, hit that subscribe button and stay connected. I want to invite you to join my incredible community, the Highly Effective man. The link is in the show notes below. It's a powerful space where you'll find support, accountability and camaraderie with men who are committed to growth and living purposefully. And your voice matters, so leave a review and share your thoughts and help us reach more men just like you. Together, let's elevate our lives and become the best versions of ourselves. Stay highly effective. See you next time.