7 perspectives · Updated · 3 min read
Many people wait to feel motivated. Several speakers here don't.
Kwame Christian, Frederik G. Pferdt, and Glenn Bill all say they don't chase or wait for motivation. They start with something small: one action, one word chosen before getting out of bed, and three breaths outside before checking the phone.
Their answers cover goals, first steps, rituals, and reminders.
Most of these speakers don't wait for motivation. They start with a small, specific goal or action, because doing something builds momentum. Rituals and reminders help them keep going.
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Seven speakers, from Brian Tracy, author of more than 45 books, to Sandi L Boucher, an Anishinaabekwe traditional knowledge keeper. Listen for a habit you could start tomorrow.
Brian Tracy · Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International
Listen for: Turning a goal into bite-sized pieces.
Kwame Christian · CEO of the American Negotiation Institute and host of Negotiate Anything
Listen for: Why confidence starts with doing.
Glenn Bill · Keynote speaker and founder of the University of Attitude
Listen for: The one word he picks each morning.
Sandi L Boucher · Anishinaabekwe speaker, traditional knowledge keeper, and author from Seine River First Nation
Listen for: Starting with a goal small enough to believe in.
Frederik G. Pferdt · Google's first Chief Innovation Evangelist; taught at Stanford for 10+ years
Listen for: Morning rituals as a signal that the day matters.
Kimberly Crowe · Inspirational speaker and founder of Entrepreneurs Rocket Fuel
Listen for: Why a passport in her wallet beats a vision board.
Jamie Metzl · Futurist and founder of OneShared.World
Listen for: Coming back to who you are when you lose steam.
Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International
Why themClassic advice on goals, confidence, and public speaking.
Brian’s advice: Aim at a clear goal and break it into bite-sized pieces.
I find motivation by aiming at a clear target, because the word itself starts with motive. When I have a specific goal and break it into bite-sized pieces, taking the first step releases endorphins and builds momentum.
CEO of the American Negotiation Institute and host of Negotiate Anything
Why themPractical on negotiating salary and handling difficult people.
Kwame’s advice: Chase the smallest action that creates momentum.
I don't chase motivation; I chase the smallest possible action that creates momentum, because confidence is a cycle that starts with doing something, not feeling ready.
Keynote speaker and founder of the University of Attitude
Why themFocused on attitude and energy under pressure.
Glenn’s advice: Pick one word and one small target before you get out of bed.
I don't wait for motivation to show up. I pick one word before I get out of bed, like power or ease, and I write down one small thing I'm going after that day, because when you see it, you're more likely to make it happen.
Anishinaabekwe speaker, traditional knowledge keeper, and author from Seine River First Nation
Why themGuidance on inclusion and reconciliation from lived experience.
Sandi’s advice: Find a spark small enough to believe in, then take one step at a time.
I don’t wait for motivation; I find a spark small enough to believe in, like making it six months without a cigarette or landing that first contract that never even came to pass. Once that fire lit, I just kept going, one course, one bid, one step at a time.
Google's first Chief Innovation Evangelist; taught at Stanford for 10+ years
Why themHelps people act on the future instead of waiting for it.
Frederik’s advice: Build morning rituals that tell you the day matters.
I don't chase motivation. I build conditions where it can find me. My morning rituals, the cold plunge, the matcha, the three breaths outside before the phone, are not about discipline. They are about signaling to myself that the day matters.
Inspirational speaker and founder of Entrepreneurs Rocket Fuel
Why themPractical on stage presence and getting booked.
Kimberly’s advice: Keep a small physical reminder of what you're working toward.
I keep my passport in my wallet, so every time I open it I remember the cultures, food, and stages waiting for me out there. That tiny physical reminder pulls me forward way more than any vision board ever did.
Futurist and founder of OneShared.World
Why themThinks across technology, genetics, and biotech.
Jamie’s advice: Connect each day to a larger story you believe in.
I find motivation by connecting what I do each day to a larger story I actually believe in: helping people see where technology is taking us before the choices harden. When I lose steam, I return to the question of who I am and what I stand for, because everything else flows from that.
| Who | Their advice |
|---|---|
| Brian TracyChairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International | Aim at a clear goal and break it into bite-sized pieces. |
| Kwame ChristianCEO of the American Negotiation Institute and host of Negotiate Anything | Chase the smallest action that creates momentum. |
| Glenn BillKeynote speaker and founder of the University of Attitude | Pick one word and one small target before you get out of bed. |
| Sandi L BoucherAnishinaabekwe speaker, traditional knowledge keeper, and author from Seine River First Nation | Find a spark small enough to believe in, then take one step at a time. |
| Frederik G. PferdtGoogle's first Chief Innovation Evangelist; taught at Stanford for 10+ years | Build morning rituals that tell you the day matters. |
| Kimberly CroweInspirational speaker and founder of Entrepreneurs Rocket Fuel | Keep a small physical reminder of what you're working toward. |
| Jamie MetzlFuturist and founder of OneShared.World | Connect each day to a larger story you believe in. |
Stop waiting for it. Kwame Christian, Glenn Bill, and Sandi L Boucher all start before they feel motivated.
Pick a clear target. Brian Tracy notes that the word starts with motive. He sets a specific goal and breaks it into bite-sized pieces.
Take the smallest first step. Kwame Christian looks for the smallest action that creates momentum. Sandi L Boucher started with a goal small enough to believe in, like six months without a cigarette.
Write it down. Glenn Bill writes down one small thing he's going after each day, because when you see it, you're more likely to make it happen.
Build a morning ritual. Frederik G. Pferdt's cold plunge, matcha, and three breaths outside before the phone signal to him that the day matters.
Keep a reminder close. Kimberly Crowe keeps her passport in her wallet to remind her of the cultures, food, and stages waiting for her.
They differ on where motivation comes from. Brian Tracy, Glenn Bill, and Kwame Christian focus on the next small action. Jamie Metzl looks at the bigger picture, tying each day to a larger story he believes in. Frederik G. Pferdt builds routines so motivation can find him.
Most of the speakers here act anyway. Kwame Christian takes the smallest possible action, because confidence starts with doing something. Jamie Metzl returns to the question of who he is and what he stands for.
Kimberly Crowe says a small physical reminder, her passport in her wallet, pulls her forward more than any vision board did.
Glenn Bill picks one word before he gets out of bed and writes down one thing he's going after. Frederik G. Pferdt takes three breaths outside before he looks at his phone.
Pick one small, specific thing and start it before you feel ready. Then ask the speaker whose habit sounds like one you would keep.
We asked this question to speakers on Delphi. Each quote is that person's Delphi answering in their own words, built from their own writing, talks, and interviews, and shown as given. Delphi wrote the introduction, the summary, and the steps from their answers. Last checked .
Ask Brian Tracy about aim at a clear goal and break it into bite-sized pieces
Ask Kwame Christian about chase the smallest action that creates momentum.
Ask Glenn Bill about pick one word and one small target before you get out of bed
Ask Sandi L Boucher about find a spark small enough to believe in, then take one step