The Momentum Switch: How to Go from Zero to Hero Through Relentless Action-Taking

Many men find themselves in a listless, depressed, and damn near lifeless state for a majority of their adult lives.

Some have been beat down by circumstances of their own making or those that have been forced upon them.

Others will give into life and its many shiny distractions and incessant demands.

Others still will feel that small spark, that ember that burns just needing a little bit of timber to catch, so it can strike a blaze to light up the whole forest.

If you’ve read this far, you are that latter man and this is your article.

In today’s article, I will be talking about how to take relentless action and develop irresistible momentum so you can achieve whatever goals and desires you have in life.

Why is Taking Action So Important?

In a culture of overthinkers, action is the number 1 determinant from those“who “make it” vs. those who don’t. 

Here are 3 main reasons why:

Information Overload

The amount of information we are collectively exposed to on a regular basis has increased tremendously.

We consume and create more information a day than has existed going back to the span of human civilization.

Yet despite this glut of information:

• More people are suffering mental health illnesses
• More people can’t find solutions to their problems
• More people are not living the life they want to live
• Etc.

The solution is not “more information”, the solution is more action.

The Only Differentiator Is Action

Following from the previous point, in a world where most, if not all people have access to relatively similar data sets and information (not the exact kinds, but in the ballpark) especially in a world with artificial intelligence.

Since more information isn’t the thing that separates people, one of the only other things is execution. In this case, constant and repeated execution.

Volume & Reference Experiences

The more you do something, the more experience you gain with it (duh). 

More importantly, the more you do something, your time to complete it diminishes (to a point).

The first time you cooked and prepared food probably took a long time. But as you do it over and over, you get better at it and you prepare it faster.

But you would have never gotten to that point without taking action.

My Experience with Being a “Man On Fire” and Taking Relentless Action

As of the time of this writing, I’ve spent the past 14 years learning how to squeeze every single drop of effort and juice from my body and brain in an attempt to produce positive effects in the world.

Naturally, this requires trying (and failing) at many different approaches.

More importantly, in that period, I’ve:

• Built Unstoppable Rise to what it is today
• Traveled to various cities all over the globe
• Gained 40+ lbs of lean mass through exercise
• Had an active social life filled with lots of hobbies
• Immersed myself deeply in various spiritual practices
• Developed skills in multiple areas such as music composition and coding
• Read over 200+ books on various subjects and modalities in self-improvement
• Had various full-time jobs while simultaneously creating different side businesses

And a lot more…

While I’ve had periods of greater or lesser productivity, I’ve always maintained a very solid high baseline of taking action and most importantly — living life.

You can say I was a “man on fire”, constantly taking action after action after action.

This overall mindset is what has helped me get to where I am today and has given me a lot of overall blessings that would be absent otherwise.

This is why I believe taking action is important for any person who wants to get to where they NEED to get to.

But enough about me, let’s turn our focus to a concept I call “the momentum switch”.

Ignition: The Momentum Switch

In order to start taking relentless action, you need to get going (duh!).

But the problem is…most people think they need to feel like it before they move. 

Motivation has to somehow strike like lightning from the heavens, then they’ll act.

Wrong.

Momentum doesn’t come after you start—it comes because you start.

The Momentum Switch is that moment when you override hesitation and step into motion. It’s a psychological and behavioral trigger. A lever. A flick of the internal switch that flips you from dormant to dominant.

This is not emotional hype. This is not “believe in yourself” airy-fairy bullshit.

This is real. This is mechanical..

The same way you turn a key in an engine or flip on a generator after a blackout—your momentum switch kickstarts the system. 

Doesn’t matter if it’s rusty.

Doesn’t matter if you’re tired. 

Doesn’t matter if your brain is fogged or your soul feels slow.

Once you flip it, the machine roars back to life.

And here’s the truth:

You don’t wait until you’re ready—you decide that you’re already in motion.

Every time you activate the switch, you train your mind to obey you, not your mood. You stop negotiating with resistance. You create an identity rooted in execution, not hesitation.

That’s the power of the switch.

This is essentially self-discipline in action.

The Anatomy of Momentum

Developing the momentum of action-taking in your life is simple…but not necessarily easy.

However, I think it can be made easier by breaking them down into several core components.

Action to Feedback Loop

We humans are feedback-oriented creatures. 

Feedback is how we learn, grow, adapt, and course correct our actions. In the absence of feedback, we don’t know how our actions are affecting others (our ourselves) and we might stop doing something that may have been good for us (if you’ve ever “program hopped” from one workout routine to another, you know what I’m talking about).

Luckily, we don’t have to worry because most (if not all) of our actions will deliver feedback for us at some level. 

This means: when you take action, you will receive feedback.

It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, it may not even be next week…but rest assured–you will receive feedback. 

This feedback loop whether positive or negative will encourage you to take more action, so you get more or less of that same result.

Identity Reinforcement

“Your habits are how you embody a particular identity. When you make your bed, you embody the identity of someone who is clean and organized. When you study, you embody the identity of someone who is studious. What identity are you embodying today? Who are your habits helping you become?” – James Clear

In James Clear’s Atomic Habits, he makes the case for each action (and eventually habit) being a vote for the person you are or like to become.

Just like you don’t need a unanimous vote to win an election, you don’t need every. single. action. you do to align perfectly with an identity. 

But you do need a majority. 

And this is a main reason why you should take action daily.

Every rep reaffirms who you are.

Emotional Velocity

There are a lot of people who don’t feel “motivated” to take action.

Well, I’m sorry to say…if you wait around for “motivation” to occur before you take action, it most likely will not happen.

Why?

Simple: motivation is transient.

It comes in and goes out like a mood (because quite frankly, that’s what it is). 

Instead, if you FLEX your willpower, and just get on with it (AKA self-discipline), action will happen.

Then going back to the feedback loop, you feel good that you took action.

This makes you want to take more action, which creates more feedback, which creates more good feelings.

And then it’s an upward spiral.

Environmental Friction

In Atomic Habits, James Clear also mentions the idea of environment being a major determining factor in how you take action (and thus develop habits):

“Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. We tend to believe our habits are a product of our motivation, talent, and effort.

Certainly, these qualities matter. But the surprising thing is, especially over a long time period, your personal characteristics tend to get overpowered by your environment.”

Our environment limits or opens up our actions.

If you want streamlined actions, streamline your environment. Embrace minimalism if you have to.

This reduces decision fatigue and eliminates mental friction which will make taking action harder.

Volume (Again)

There is no substitute for putting in volume and massive amounts of work over time. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger didn’t become big by doing one rep.

Tom Brady didn’t become the football GOAT by playing one game.

Magnus Carlsen didn’t become a chess wizard by making one move.

These men carved their legacies out by repetition and intelligent action-taking in one direction over time. 

This is also known as “deliberate practice”.

Why Many People Don’t/Won’t/Can’t Take Action

“A body at rest stays at rest.” — Isaac Newton

So now we know what creates “effortless action”, why can’t people get the wheels going?

Well, there’s several reasons in my opinions:

Most people are stuck in “neutral”.

Many people are spending their time idling looking at dopamine-driven algorithms and narcotizing themselves on entertainment. 

Of course you won’t be able to take any action in this mode (again, this is the power of environment.

Most people don’t know the stakes

There’s a cost you pay for not taking action. These costs are:

• Lost time
• Wasted energy
• Identity erosion

Let’s briefly hit these:

Lost time

There is a window of time to take certain actions. 

For example, if you are in your late teens to early 20s, you are in a specific window of time.

• You still have your health and energy (hopefully)
• You can recover from devastating life events (hopefully)
• Your friends are still local (maybe)
• Your parents are still alive (fingers crossed)
• Girls you crush/crushed on are single or just “dating around” (awesome!)

But give it another 5 years? All of these will shift. 

You could end up developing a chronic health condition that drastically affects your quality of life.

You may not have the same type of “bounce back” from injury or illness that you did several years prior.

Your friends may be in other cities, states, and countries.

One or both of your parents may have passed.

That girl you always thought was hot is now in a serious, long-term committed relationship.

There is a window of time to take certain actions. 

For example, if you are in your late teens to early 20s, you are in a specific window of time.

• You still have your health and energy (hopefully)
• You can recover from devastating life events (hopefully)
• Your friends are still local (maybe)
• Your parents are still alive (fingers crossed)
• Girls you crush/crushed on are single or just “dating around” (awesome!)

But give it another 5 years? All of these will shift. 

The landscape around you shifted, but you didn’t. 

Now you’re older operating off of old paradigms that didn’t serve you and with few skills (because you didn’t take the time to develop them).

That’s what happens when you don’t take action in timely windows.

Wasted energy

Some days, you WILL feel motivated. Some days you WILL feel jazzed and pumped up to do something. 

Maybe you had just the right amount of sleep with just the right amount of caffeine to start the day. 

Maybe you got some good news. 

Whatever it is…you’re in the zone.

My suggestion? Use it for all it’s worth.

Get projects done. Start planning ahead. Catch up on a backlog of work. Whatever it is.

Because honestly…those days are few and far between for many people.

If you’re feeling good, do better.

But a lot of people don’t do that. Instead, they waste time and end up wasting energy.

Who knows when you’ll get that wind back again? 

Identity Erosion

There is a price you pay in your self-image when it comes to not taking action.

You chip away at the person you think you are and who you know you could be.

You destroy your self-image bit by bit. It’s not instant, but over time, it will erode you, like the slow water drip of a rock formation.

And when the time DOES come to take action? You can’t do it – because you formed yourself into the guy who can’t take action.

“It will all work out”

This is one of the biggest barriers that I’ve seen that prevents people from taking action in their lives.

They believe that somehow, somewhere, someday, things will just “happen” for them. 

And for some people it does and for some people it may, but for the majority of people (especially if you are coming from a background of economic scarcity), you need to take action to change your circumstances.

Don’t get lulled into inaction.

Action & Momentum Ignition Protocol: How to Get This Going

Now that you know what is required to take action and now that you know what stops people from taking action, this is how to start.

This is what I call the “action & momentum ignition protocol”. 

You don’t have to do this exactly, but this is just a way to get some positive momentum going in your life–fast.

Start Ugly But Start Fast

Goal: Get the wheels in motion towards completion.

Your goal is not to chase perfection. Your goal is to start something. 

• Not hitting snooze in the morning and rising immediately despite fatigue
• Starting the plans to move somewhere you’ve always wanted to
• Asking a woman out on a date even if you bungle your words
• Buying a piece of technology that will save you time

Whatever it is – just START.

Lock in the Routine and Consistency

Goal: Build the daily structure.

Pick 3-5 daily keystone habits and non-negotiables you’ll build your life around.

It can be anything. Moving your body, meditation, drawing, brain games, etc.

Make these things you do every day. If you need help to build the routine, use a habit tracker. 

Make sure you never miss two days in a row. If you do, get right back on the horse.

Stack Wins & Build “Proof of Concept”

Goal: Accumulate a track record of success and validate your actions.

Your mind needs something to believe in. What better than to make it yourself and what you do on a daily basis?

You do this by repeating actions to yourself and proving “yes”, I am the person who shows up daily and makes progress”. 

This way, you make it much easier to take and complete constructive action the next time.

Conclusion + Wrapping Up

Action is the heartbeat of life. Without it, nothing moves. 

Start building a mindset of relentless action taking into your daily life and see how your life expands in the short and long term.

As a person and as a man on the come up, you owe it to yourself to take action. 

Because if you don’t, who will?

Finally, here’s a quick mindset shift to close this off: When in doubt, default to motion.

Constant motion in the direction of your cherished goals and dreams will do more for you than reading an endless encyclopedia of books ever will.

More Resources to Help You Take Constructive Action

• The Doer’s Revolution
• How to Take Massive Action
• The Mind-Shifting Question That Sparks Immediate Action
• Boost Your Drive: Maximizing Every Moment with the Philosophy of “No Zero Days”

FAQ: Common Questions On Relentless Action Taking

1. What if I don’t feel motivated to start?

You won’t. That’s the test.. Movement creates energy. Action builds belief.

And remember this: if you don’t do it–who will?

2. What if I don’t feel motivated to start?

Only if you stay down. Momentum isn’t about perfection—it’s about return speed. 

Miss once? Get back up. Break the chain twice? Forgive yourself, relock in. 

The most dangerous person is the one who can recover fast.

3. Can I build momentum in every area of life at once?

Eventually, yes. But for now, start narrow. Stack wins in one domain (fitness, business, habits), then let that energy bleed outward. 

Don’t blow your load. Build a center of gravity first.

4. I’m busy. Can this still work?

More than ever. In fact, if you’re busy, you need to do this even more than someone who isn’t (let’s face it we’re ALL “busy” at some level). 

Momentum thrives under constant motion.

You don’t need three hours—you need probably 30 minutes a day on something to see gains over time.

One needle-moving action per day beats overthinking forever.

5. How does this relate to hustle culture?

It doesn’t. Hustle culture is noise—constant motion with no center. We want aligned and deliberate execution.

It’s not about doing more for the sake of looking busy. It’s about doing what matters with non-negotiable intensity.

This isn’t burnout. It’s focused, internal, and mission-driven. You don’t grind to prove yourself to others. You execute because your vision demands it.