The Myth of Motivation (and What Actually Keeps You Going)

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The Myth of Motivation (and What Actually Keeps You Going)

Episode Description:

Everyone loves to talk about motivation, but what about the days when it completely disappears?

In this week’s episode, Jama breaks down one of the biggest misconceptions in personal growth: that motivation is the key to success. Spoiler alert, it’s not. Motivation is fleeting, and the people who keep showing up aren’t running on inspiration; they’re fueled by trust, discipline, and small daily habits that build momentum.

Jama shares personal stories from marathon training, business building, and everyday life to show how consistency beats motivation every single time. If you’ve been waiting to “feel ready” before starting something, this episode will remind you that the feeling you’re looking for comes after you take action, not before.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why waiting for motivation keeps you stuck
• How discipline is really self-respect in motion
• The difference between momentum and motivation
• Why imperfect action always beats perfect planning
• How to rebuild trust with yourself through consistency

Timestamps:

– Hook: When motivation disappears and discipline steps in
 – Why motivation can’t be trusted to stay
– Jama’s story of showing up on the hard days
– The link between discipline and self-respect
– Momentum vs. motivation — what really drives results
– Practical ways to move even when you don’t feel like it
– Closing reflection: build momentum, not excuses

Key Takeaways:

• Motivation gets you started, but momentum keeps you going.
• Consistency isn’t about perfection, it’s about showing up, especially when you don’t feel like it.
• Self-trust is built one small promise at a time.
• You don’t need to wait until you’re ready; action creates readiness.
• Motivation is temporary, but resilience lasts.

Closing Note:

Stop chasing motivation and start building momentum. The confidence you’re craving is waiting on the other side of action.

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https://www.jamapantel.com

Episode Transcript

Jama Pantel (00:00):
Everyone loves to talk about motivation, but what
about the days when it's justnot there?
Let's be honest, y'all.
Motivation is great until it'snot and it doesn't show up.
Hey y'all, it's your podcastbestie Jama again, and today
we're getting real aboutmotivation, or more accurately,
the lack thereof.

(00:20):
We've all had those morningswhere we stare at our to-do
list, our business we've got toget this done, or our running
shoes, or that creative projectwe swore we'd finish, and think,
nope, not today.
And yet somehow we expectourselves to stay motivated all
the time, like it's apersonality trait instead of

(00:41):
what it actually is, an emotion.
Motivation isn't what keeps yougoing, and in fact, it might be
what is actually holding youback.
So I think at some point we allthought that motivation was
this magic ingredient that wejust needed to find.
So when I was training formarathons or working hard
towards my big business goals, Ibelieved that if I could just

(01:04):
stay motivated, I'd beunstoppable and I'd be able to
conquer everything.
But the truth of the matter is,motivation comes and goes.
It's just a guest in our lives.
It does not take up permanentresidence.
What's actually kept me movingin my business, in running in
fitness, and in life in generalis showing up without waiting to

(01:26):
feel ready.
I still have days wheresometimes I just don't feel like
editing clients' pictures orblogging about a session or
photography.
There are days where I didn'twant to lace up my run shoes,
and plenty of days where Ididn't want to record this
podcast.
It is Monday evening and I'mjust now recording for this
Tuesday drop.

(01:47):
So I'm telling you, thismotivation stuff is real.
Days I didn't want to postanything on social media or
times I didn't want to show up,but I did it anyways, whether I
was ready for it or not.
And guess what?
It built something deeper thanmotivation ever could.
It built trust, trust in meturning myself into something

(02:08):
that I could do even when Ididn't feel like doing it.
And that trust turned then intomomentum.
Motivation might get youstarted, but it won't keep you
going.
Discipline sounds great andall, but it's really just
self-respect and action.
When you commit to small,consistent actions and habits,
even when you don't feel likeit, you create proof that you

(02:32):
can rely on yourself, and thatproof becomes confidence.
The reason most people quitisn't because they fail.
It's because they keep waitingto feel like doing the thing
instead of learning how to moveon without that feeling.
So the next time you think, Ijust need to get motivated
again, ask yourself, or maybeeven say it out loud, do I just

(02:54):
need to start instead?
Here's something I've learnedfrom years of being in business
and having a brand and fromrunning and lifting in life in
general.
Momentum doesn't come frommotivation.
It comes from movement, fromthose actions, those steps
forward.
Even if you just take one smallstep, or short walk or a few

(03:15):
deep breaths, writing that firstsentence, starting that blog
post, even if you're not readyto publish it, it shifts
something inside of you.
Because when you show up foryourself on the hard days, the
easy ones start to multiply.
Stop trying to chase motivationand build momentum instead,
even when it feels hard.

(03:35):
You don't need to wait untilyou feel ready.
You need to start before you'reready and trust that the
feeling will catch up later,because I promise it does.
Motivation is the spark, butmomentum is the fire that keeps
you going.
And once you learn how to keepthat flame going, you'll realize
you don't have to rely oninspiration anymore.
You've built resilience.

(03:56):
So if you've been waiting tofeel motivated again, consider
this your little nudge or maybeyour loud push.
You don't need more motivation.
You just need a moment ofmovement because once you start,
you'll remember who you are,and that's what keeps you going
and keeps you living the wholepicture.
And that's all I got today.
Thanks, y'all.

(04:17):
Bye.