Stay Present, Stay Powerful: The Key to Real Progress

Engage in the Process

If you want to succeed, stop obsessing over the outcome. The outcome is something you can't control, but the process? That's all you. Focus on what you’re doing right now. This is where the real progress happens.

Here's the trap: if you're always fixated on the goal, you fall into the "arrival fallacy." You think reaching that milestone will bring ultimate satisfaction, but when you get there, it doesn't feel like enough. You end up moving the cognitive goalpost, always chasing but never arriving.

Our brains are wired to feel more comfortable when we're engaged in the present moment. It’s the difference between regretting the past and worrying about the future—neither of which helps you move forward.

Think about Navy SEALs in BUD/S Hell Week. The night most recruits quit isn’t when they’re suffering the most. It's right after they’ve had a warm meal, standing by the cold ocean, watching the sun go down. Why? Because they’re focused on how comfortable they feel in that moment and how brutal the long night ahead will be. They're not staying present, and that's what breaks them.

So, redefine success. Success isn’t just about reaching the goal; it’s about showing up, engaging in the process, and finding meaning in every step you take. Accept the reality that this journey is the real win. When you define success as being fully present and giving your all to the process, you'll actually make progress toward your ultimate goal. And guess what? You'll feel a lot more fulfilled along the way.

Stop waiting to "arrive" somewhere. Start living the process. That’s where the real victory is.