A few weeks ago, I got a message from a struggling entrepreneur. He told me he was stuck. He had a business idea, a solid plan, and even some early traction. But for some reason, he couldn’t stay consistent. “I know I should be working harder, but I just can’t stay motivated,” he admitted.
So what was he doing about it? Binge-watching TED Talks for inspiration. Reading every self-help book on productivity. Listening to “success podcasts” hoping for a breakthrough. He was consuming an endless stream of motivational content, but when I asked him what he had actually done for his business in the past week, his answer was vague.
This is exactly where most entrepreneurs fail. They believe motivation is the missing piece, the secret ingredient they need before they can take real action.
But here’s the truth: if you need motivation to take action, you’re already losing.
Motivation Is Just a Comfortable Excuse
It’s easy to feel productive when you’re watching an inspiring speech from a billionaire. It’s exciting to hear someone tell you to believe in yourself and chase your dreams.
But once the video ends, after you close the book or finish the podcast, what actually changed? You felt productive, but you didn’t do anything. You got a dopamine hit, but you didn’t execute. You convinced yourself that consuming content was the same as making progress.
Motivation is comfortable because it makes you feel like you’re moving forward, even when you’re standing still. And the real entrepreneurs? They don’t need it.
Successful Entrepreneurs Don’t Rely on Motivation
Ask yourself this: Do you ever need motivation to eat when you’re hungry? Do you need an accountability partner to remind you to breathe? Of course not. Because your body naturally demands it.
For the most successful entrepreneurs, building a business is the same thing. It’s not optional.
Elon Musk doesn’t wake up thinking, “I hope I feel motivated to work on Tesla today.” Jeff Bezos didn’t build Amazon because he watched motivational TED Talks. Mark Zuckerberg didn’t launch Facebook because he read Atomic Habits. They worked because they couldn’t not work. They were obsessed. They didn’t need inspiration to build their businesses. They needed results.
If you constantly have to force yourself to be productive, you’re fighting your natural instincts. And that’s a battle you’ll never win.
TED Talks Won’t Build Your Business—Execution Will
Most people don’t want success—they want the feeling of working toward success. That’s why they spend hours watching TED Talks instead of executing. That’s why they read endless business books but never start anything. That’s why they obsess over morning routines but never take action. Because consuming is easier than creating.
Success isn’t about how much you learn—it’s about how much you apply. So, if you’re still looking for “the perfect motivational video” before you start, just admit it. You’re procrastinating.
The Problem With the Motivation Industry
There’s a lot of money in keeping you unmotivated. The self-help industry is worth billions because it convinces people that they need constant motivation to be productive.
The best-selling books tell you that waking up at 5 AM will make you rich. Productivity gurus convince you that tweaking your routine will fix your life. Motivational speakers make millions telling you to “chase your dreams.”
But here’s what they won’t tell you. The people actually making money are the ones selling you motivation. The ones consuming it? They’re still stuck, waiting for the perfect moment to start.
If You Need Motivation to Work on Your Business, You Should Probably Quit
Business is hard. It’s chaotic. It’s unpredictable. It’s exhausting. And if you need everything to be perfect before you take action, you’ll never get anywhere.
What happens when you wake up late and miss your morning routine? Do you just not work that day? What happens when your accountability partner quits? Do you stop building your business? What happens when you hit a real problem that can’t be solved with a motivational quote?
If your productivity depends on external inspiration, you’re setting yourself up to fail.
Stop Waiting. Start Working.
The most successful people in business aren’t the smartest, the fastest, or the most talented. They’re the ones who just show up every day. Without motivation. Without excuses.
They build, even when they don’t feel like it. They execute, even when conditions aren’t perfect. They take action, even when they’re tired, frustrated, and uninspired.
Because success isn’t about motivation. It’s about doing the work, whether you feel like it or not.
So, keep watching TED Talks if that helps. But don’t confuse inspiration with execution. Because the people actually winning? They’re too busy working to watch another motivational video.