Ever wonder why some people seem to thrive under pressure while others struggle? It turns out, the secret isn’t genetic—it’s a part of your brain you can train.
Take David Goggins, who once broke the pull-up world record after failing multiple times. His ability to push through isn’t just extraordinary willpower—it’s a testament to the strength of the anterior midcingulate cortex (AMCC), the part of the brain that helps us overcome challenges.
The AMCC (as Huberman explains in the podcast with Goggins) acts like a mental muscle—it lights up when we face discomfort, but it also grows stronger with use. Each time we resist the snooze button, step into the gym, or choose the harder path, we’re literally rewiring our brain to be more resilient. That means we can train ourselves to have more willpower and tenacity—just like we train our bodies at the gym.
To me, that sounds wild. I used to think willpower was something you were born with. Some people are just “lazy” or “doers,” right? But when I started reflecting on the people I know who are “doers,” I realized they weren’t born that way. They became that way because they did hard things—over and over.
And that realization flipped everything I thought I knew about motivation. The truth is, those “doers” weren’t motivated to wake up at 6 a.m. and crush a workout. They built that motivation by showing up, even when they didn’t want to. In other words, motivation doesn’t come before action—it comes after. And that’s a tricky proposition. How do you take action when you’re not motivated? Isn’t that the catch-22 of self-improvement?
So, how do you overcome this catch-22?
The answer, like most things in life, is simple but not easy: You just decide to do it and then stick to it.
This is where it gets hard, though, because when that 6 a.m. alarm rings, your mind starts throwing excuses at you. “It’s so warm and comfy in bed—just five more minutes.” Fifteen minutes later: “You’ve already missed your workout window; you might as well skip today and start tomorrow.”
That voice in your head? It’s not you. If you’ve read The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Singer explains that the voice inside your head—the one that argues, negotiates, and makes excuses—is just a stream of thoughts created by the mind. Your real self is the one who hears those thoughts. He calls it the observer or the witness.
At first, this idea blew my mind. But once I accepted that the voice isn’t me, everything changed. When I hear it now, I just acknowledge it, like an annoying roommate who won’t stop talking. Then I do what I planned anyway.
It’s not easy—it takes practice. But the more you do it, the better you get at recognizing the voice for what it is: just noise.
Building the Mental Muscle
The 6 a.m. workout is one example, but waiting for that one big, hard thing every day takes too long to build mental strength. That’s why I started looking for smaller moments to practice throughout the day.
As I mentioned earlier, the AMCC grows when we do things we don’t want to do. That means every time we tackle even a tiny inconvenience, we’re training our brain to be stronger the next time we face a bigger challenge.
Here’s a list of small, annoying things I dislike doing:
• Walking past a dirty cup in the living room and having to take it to the kitchen sink.
• Turning off the light in the office after I’ve already settled into my bean bag.
• Taking out the trash when it’s time, not when it’s overflowing.
• Choosing healthy food with a dozen sweets next to me.
• Doing an ice-cold shower after a workout.
• Starting a difficult project instead of procrastinating.
• Picking up the phone to call someone instead of sending an email.
On the surface, these tasks seem trivial. They don’t feel life-changing. But each one is a chance to flex that mental muscle. Each one makes the AMCC just a little stronger.
Why this matters
You might think these small actions—like taking out the trash or eating a healthy meal—don’t prepare you for life’s bigger challenges. But science says otherwise. These tiny wins build the foundation for handling the really hard stuff: tackling a marathon, building a business, or simply sticking to your goals in the face of relentless excuses.
The anterior midcingulate cortex is like any other muscle—it grows when you use it. And, just like any muscle, the hardest part is showing up. But the more you show up, the easier it gets.
So start small. Pick one thing today—a dirty dish, an uncomfortable conversation, or a workout you’ve been avoiding—and do it. Each time you choose action over comfort, you’re strengthening the part of your brain that makes doing hard things easier.
Over time, you won’t just be a “doer.” You’ll be someone who thrives on challenges and doesn’t wait for motivation to strike—you’ll create it.
What small hard thing will you conquer today?
Hit reply and let me know! Until next time, stay committed,
Jure & Mojca
