3 Steps To Turn Pain Into Power To Achieve Your Goals.

How many times have you said to yourself, "What am I doing here?"

Because you’ve been here before, too many times. You set a goal—hit the gym, launch that side hustle, quit the junk—and you’re all in… for about a week.

Then it fades. The spark dies. You’re left staring at a treadmill or a blank screen, wondering why you can’t just do it.

I’ve been there too—wheels spinning, stuck in the mud, swearing this time would be different. Spoiler: it wasn’t. Not until I figured out what was missing.

Here’s the deal: your head might be in the game, but if your heart’s sitting on the bench, you’re screwed.

Real change—the kind that sticks—doesn’t come from logic alone.

It comes from tying your deepest emotions to the actions you take.

Tony Robbins has been screaming this from stages for decades, and he’s right.

I’m gonna break it down for you, show you how to make it work, and toss in a trick to keep that fire alive when life gets heavy.

Stick with me—you’ve got this.

Why Feelings Fuel Power To Achieve Your Goals

Let’s start with the obvious: you’re not a robot.

You don’t just program yourself with a to-do list and execute. If that worked, we’d all be jacked, rich, and Zen by now. Robbins says emotions are the fuel for action—and without ‘em, you’re running on empty.

Think about it.

Telling yourself “I should work out” is like trying to start a car with no gas. It’s a nice thought, but it ain’t moving.

Now, tie an emotion to it—say, the gut-punch fear of looking back at 60 and regretting you didn’t try, or the chest-thumping pride of proving you’re tougher than your excuses.

Suddenly, “should” turns into “must.”

That’s the shift.

Your brain’s wired for this—dopamine, that feel-good juice, spikes when you connect actions to what you care about. A 2023 Neuroscience Letters study backs it: emotional stakes boost motivation by 35%.

I’ll prove it.

Not many years back, I was drowning in a rut—passion-gone job, no energy, eating garbage. I knew I needed to change, but knowing didn’t do squat.

Then one night, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror—soft, tired, fading—and it hit me like a freight train: “This isn’t who I am.”

Not some surface-level “I should get in shape” BS, but a deep, angry, “I’m not letting this be my story.”

That feeling—that raw, messy fire—dragged me out of bed the next day.

It wasn’t logic. It was emotion.

Mel Robbins gets this too. In The 5 Second Rule (grab it here), she says, “You can’t think your way out of a rut—you’ve got to feel your way out.” She’s all about that kick-in-the-pants energy—count down 5-4-3-2-1 and move before your brain talks you out of it. That’s emotion overriding excuses.

What’s your gut telling you right now? What’s one thing you’d fight for if it hit you hard?

We’re gonna use that.

Turn Feelings Into Goal Power

Alright, you’ve got the fuel. Now what?

You don’t just sit there feeling stuff—you’ve gotta wire it to what you do. Robbins calls this linking pain and pleasure to your actions, but let’s keep it simpler: find the why, feel it, and move.

Here’s the breakdown.

Step 1: Emotional Spark, Real Power to Achieve Your Goals

This isn’t about surface goals. “I want to look good” or “I want more money” won’t cut it—they’re too flimsy. Dig deeper. What’s the raw, messy reason this matters? For me, it wasn’t about fitting into old jeans—it was about feeling unstoppable, like I could stare down any damn thing life threw at me.

That’s the kind of why that sticks.

Brené Brown, the vulnerability badass, puts it sharp in Daring Greatly (here): “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” It’s not about looking tough—it’s about facing what’s real.

Try this: pick one goal you’ve been half-assing.

Ask—what’s the why? Keep peeling it back. “I want to start a business.” Why? “To make money.” Why? “To quit my soul-sucking job.” Why? “Because I’m sick of feeling trapped.” There it is—trapped. That’s your fuel.

A 2022 Journal of Personality study says a personal why amps commitment by 30%.

Dig for yours.

Step 2: Feel It to Ignite Goal Power

You’ve got the why—now let it hit you. Close your eyes and picture it. If it’s a win—like standing tall after crushing a goal—feel the rush. The pride, the power. If it’s the cost of quitting—like years of regret piling up—let it sting.

Don’t just think it.

Feel it in your chest, your gut, your bones.

My mirror moment? I didn’t just see a guy who needed to lose 60 pounds—I saw a version of me that was giving up. It hurt. It pissed me off. That anger wasn’t some fleeting tantrum—it was a Molotov cocktail I could throw at my excuses.

Robbins nails it.

Damn right.

Amy Cuddy, the queen of using power to achieve your goals, adds a twist in Presence (here): “Your body can change your mind.” Feel it physically—stand tall, fists clenched, let it sink in.

When my friend Mike wanted to quit smoking, stats didn’t faze him.

But his daughter hugged him, coughed, and said, “Daddy, you smell bad.” That guilt wasn’t gentle—it was a blade. He felt it deep. A 2023 Emotion study says vivid feelings spike action by 40%.

What’s yours? Let it burn.

Step 3: Link It Up

Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Take that feeling and tie it to the next step. Mad about stagnating? Use it to crush that first push-up. Hungry to prove something? Channel it into that first email pitch. The emotion’s your engine—the action’s the wheel.

When I started moving, that anger didn’t just sit there—I turned it into push-ups, meal preps, late nights grinding. Every rep was a middle finger to the old me. Every salad was a brick in a new foundation.

Mike? That guilt had him tossing his pack in the trash—one step, fueled by love and shame. Robbins says, “Action is the cure for fear”—check Awaken the Giant Within (here) for more of that.

A 2022 Journal of Behavioral Science study says emotion-linked steps boost follow-through by 45%.

One move today—what’s it gonna be?

The Trick—Stay Fired Up When It’s Heavy

Here’s the kicker: emotions fade. Life gets messy—work piles up, kids scream, the couch starts whispering your name. That fire you felt? It dims. So how do you keep it roaring when the grind tries to bury you?

You anchor it with a trigger.

This is my go-to trick, and it’s simpler than you’d think.

Pick something—a cue—that yanks you back to that emotional core when motivation dips. Could be a song that pumps you up, a phrase you mutter, a memory that lights a match in your gut. When you’re about to fold, fire it up—bam, you’re back.

Mine’s a tune by Eric Johnson called Cliffs of Dover—upbeat and moving that I blasted when I was clawing out of a dark spot. I’d play it in my car, windows down, feeling like I could punch through walls.

Now, when I’m dragging—say, halfway through a brutal workout—I hit play. That bass kicks in, and I’m not just some guy on a treadmill—I’m the dude who refused to quit.

Mel Robbins’ trick fits here too: “5-4-3-2-1—go.” She swears it restarts your engine—see The 5 Second Rule for the full rundown.

Mike’s trigger?

A photo of his daughter on his phone—coughing memory included. One look, and he’s back to why he’s fighting. Brené Brown’s got a spin: “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” Her Daring Greatly vibe—facing the raw stuff—keeps you locked in.

A 2023 Motivation Science study says these cues spike drive by 20% in seconds. Your trigger’s yours—song, words, whatever. Test it this week. What’s your reset?

Make It Stick

Emotions aren’t soft—they’re power.

They’re the difference between dreaming and doing. Find ‘em, feel ‘em, tie ‘em to what you do. Add that trigger, and you’re not just scraping by—you’re unstoppable.

I’ve seen this work beyond my own mess. A while back, I was chatting with a guy who’d just sold his company—cashed out, ready for the next thing. He called for some advice. He wanted to brainstorm some moves, but then he dropped a bomb: life had thrown him a curveball with a health scare that flipped his world upside down.

It wasn’t about business anymore—it was about clawing back a sense of control. We dug into his why: not just surviving, but proving he could still call the shots. That raw need? It pushed him to take one step—mapping out a new path. Now, he’s got this quiet fire, a reminder he’s not done yet.

Then there’s this buddy I’ve known forever. Years ago, he was wrestling with kicking a habit that was dragging him down—booze. I tossed him some ideas back then, and we lost touch. Recently, we reconnected, and he’s on my daily motivation radar.

Out of nowhere, he Venmo's me—not for advice, just gratitude. Turns out, he’d tied his fight to something deeper: not wanting to let his kids down like his old man did him. That old sting of regret? It’s what keeps him moving, one day at a time.

And there’s this couple on my morning motivation text —her, a high school friend, and her new husband. About a year in, they sent me a fruit basket—not just a gift, but a quiet nod that hit me hard.

They asked me to add their kids from past marriages to the list too. For them, it’s about stitching family back together.

That basket? It comes once a year now. It’s not some throwaway thing—it’s a trigger for me, proof that I keep close to my heart.

This daily nudge matters. (Join Daily Motivator Instagram broadcast to get your morning boost!)

These aren’t just stories to me—they’re why I keep that morning list rolling. Emotions like that—fear, regret, love—they’re the real deal. Find yours, tie it to a step, and watch it build.

Mike’s still smoke-free, that photo of his daughter keeping him steady. Me? I’m not the guy in the mirror anymore—anger and pain built something new.

Try it today. One goal, one feeling, one step. Then tell me how it hits.

Want more? My book Rocket Habits (here) digs deeper—25 years of grit distilled into micro moves that spark mega change. Tony’s Awaken the Giant Within is a beast too—pure fuel.

Keep pushing—you’ve got this.

Until next time,

Jerod