Tag: motivation

Lessons from Rocky: Have a Compelling Why

A happy yellow Labrador retriever resting on a stone patio beside a tennis ball.

Originally published on September 30, 2024 | Updated on October 16, 2025

My dogs have taught me countless lessons over the years: patience, living in the moment, seizing the day, and forgiveness. Last summer, my yellow lab, Rocky, reminded me of a lesson I first learned many years ago.

Rocky was ten at the time, and he hadn’t seemed interested in running around the yard anymore. If I compared him to a horse, he’d barely be trotting. Early in the summer, my wife bought some toy doggie balls for our four dogs, including Rocky. I always knew Rocky loved balls—but I didn’t realize just how much.

The moment I threw one, Rocky didn’t just trot—he galloped after it. If I had two balls, he’d drop the first to chase the second, repeating this over and over until he finally needed a rest. Watching him, I realized something: he had found his “why.”

Many years ago, I learned that your “why”—your reason for doing something—needs to be strong enough to propel you forward. Without a compelling “why,” momentum fades and goals are abandoned. Rocky had been moving slowly, just going through the motions. But once his “why”—the ball—was introduced, he sprinted with joy and purpose.

The lesson is simple: choose goals and have a powerful “why.” You’ll find yourself overcoming obstacles and sprinting toward them with energy and focus—just like Rocky.

If you’re interested in bringing this type of message to a wider audience, I speak regularly on topics related to health and wellness. You can learn more about my talks at https://stevepiriano.life/speaking/

I also explore similar topics more deeply in my books, which you can find at https://stevepiriano.life/books/ if you’d like to dive in.

It’s Time to Fix the Hole in the Wall

Okay, that tiny hole in the wall your dog made has needed a patch for several weeks. You’ve been meaning to look in the toilet tank for a while because you always have to jiggle the handle to get it to stop running. You have a project at work whose deadline is fast approaching, yet you’ve not typed a single word.

If this is the case, then yes, you have been procrastinating. But don’t worry—you’re not alone. So many of us put things off for long periods of time. I find myself doing this often, and I realize that this is not the best practice and certainly not conducive to productivity. Is there any fix to this problem?

Yes, there is. I’ve found it to be a quick and straightforward fix. However, it does require a bit of effort. The biggest delay for me in getting a task done is the act of getting started. I can stare at that hole in my wall (courtesy of my dog) for weeks or even months, and it won’t change a bit. It turns out that, for me, the rate-limiting step is just breaking free from my inertia regarding the task and starting to work on it. Before beginning, it seems like it will take a great deal of toiling to get it done, leading to my procrastination. However, it becomes much more manageable once I have decided to begin and have committed to it. My inertia quickly gives way to increasing momentum; I get “into the zone,” and voilà—the task is done!

I can get stuck on anything, from fixing things around the house to writing a blog post. While thinking about these uncompleted tasks, they seem so difficult. It turns out that all I need to do is commit and say, “Okay, I’m going to get started on this right now.” Everything is much simpler once I make this declaration and act on it. Please don’t misunderstand; I may very well encounter obstacles and challenges along the way. But since I’ve got momentum on my side, I just go with the flow and am able to work through whatever hurdles I face.

So, look at that hole in the wall and declare to yourself that today is the day you are going to repair it. Then, drive to your neighborhood hardware store and get moving. You will feel so much better for it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope that you’ve enjoyed it and found it enlightening. Please feel free to share it.