The Unsexy Secret to Unstoppable Momentum

By Coach Jake

Let me tell you about Sarah, a client who came to me last year drowning in self-doubt. She wanted to write a novel but hadn’t typed a word in months. “I keep waiting for the perfect time,” she said. “But it never comes.”

Here’s what I told her: “What if you committed to writing one terrible sentence a day? Just one. So bad it’s almost funny.”

She laughed. Then she did it.

Fast forward six months: Sarah’s not just writing daily—she’s 80 pages into her manuscript. No “perfect time.” No dramatic overhaul. Just one ugly sentence, then another, until momentum took over.

This isn’t a fluke. It’s science. Let me show you how to hack it.

Why Your Brain Craves Ridiculously Small Starts

Neuroscientists call it the “progress principle”: Tiny wins trigger dopamine hits that rewire your brain to crave repetition. Translation? Consistency isn’t about discipline—it’s about designing wins so small they’re impossible to avoid.

But here’s where most people screw up: They mistake “small” for “easy.” True momentum-building starts with steps so tiny they feel almost pointless.

“You don’t need motivation—you need a threshold so low that action becomes inevitable.”

The 2-Minute Rule for People Who Hate Rules

Sarah’s “one sentence” strategy works because it bypasses resistance. Your brain doesn’t panic over something that takes 120 seconds.

Try this:

• Want to exercise? Put on your workout shoes. That’s it.
• Want to meditate? Set a timer for 60 seconds and breathe.
• Want to network? Send one “I loved your post” DM.

The magic isn’t in the action—it’s in the ritual of showing up. Most days, you’ll do more. Some days, you won’t. But you’ll never face the shame of “zero.”

How to Turn Drips Into Floods

Momentum isn’t linear—it’s cumulative. Think of your efforts like filling a bucket one drop at a time:

1. Drop 1: Write one sentence
2. Drop 50: Notice patterns in your writing voice
3. Drop 100: Hit “flow state” unexpectedly on a Tuesday

Client story: Mark, a burned-out entrepreneur, committed to “10 minutes of nothing” daily. Just sitting quietly. Within a month, those minutes became his clarity anchor—and he restructured his business without burnout.

Celebrate Like a Kindergartener

We lose momentum when we dismiss small wins as “not enough.” Reverse engineer this:

• Did you open your journal? Throw a fist pump.
• Did you meal prep one lunch? Text a friend: “Adulting win!”
• Did you resist doomscrolling for 5 minutes? Do a victory lap around your kitchen.

Why this works: Celebration isn’t frivolous—it’s behavioral cement. You’re training your brain to associate effort with reward.

Build Your “Momentum Council”

Progress thrives in community. Surround yourself with:

• The Permission Giver: “It’s okay that today’s effort was tiny.”
• The Pattern Spotter: “Wait—you’ve done this 14 days straight!”
• The Perspective Shifter: “Remember when this felt impossible?”

Last month, I watched a client group erupt in cheers because someone finally unsubscribed from a toxic newsletter. That’s the power of a tribe that honors small wins.

Your Momentum Challenge

1. Start smaller than your ego wants: Pick one goal and reduce the first step by 90%.
2. Track wins visually: Tape a paper chain to your wall—add a link for every tiny effort.
3. Share one “silly” win this week: Normalize imperfection. Momentum loves company.

Jake
P.S. If this resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if you’re ready to take your life to the next level, join us at Completionist Academy. Let’s do this together.