The Inner Game: How to Stay Motivated When Life Gets Messy
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
Last week, we discussed how to spark motivation from nothing, those low-energy days when the most challenging part is just getting started. Today, we’re going deeper. Because sometimes it’s not just about a rough morning. Sometimes life hits harder than that.
Ever had one of those seasons where everything feels like it’s crashing down?
Your schedule’s overflowing. Your inbox is a mess. Maybe you’re juggling stress at work and something personal behind the scenes. Motivation? Completely missing. And worse, you feel like you’re falling behind while everyone else is somehow thriving.
If that’s you right now, you’re not weak. You’re human.
But here’s what matters: you don’t have to wait for life to be calm to stay focused. You don’t need things to be perfect to make progress. If you want to lead yourself through the hard stuff and grow through it, you have to master what’s happening inside.
That’s what this article is all about: building the mindset to stay motivated when everything else feels like a mess.
Let’s talk about the inner game.
Life Doesn’t Have to Be Easy for You to Move Forward
Motivation is easy when you’re rested, winning, and in control. But what about when you’re overwhelmed? What about when you’re doubting yourself, or battling burnout, or scrolling through everyone else’s highlight reel, wondering if you’ll ever catch up?
This is where real leaders are made, not in the wins, but in the fight.
Staying motivated when life is heavy isn’t about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about learning how to shift your focus, reset your energy, and move forward with confidence.
Here are three ways to do that, with no fluff and no fake positivity. Just practical, powerful mindset shifts you can use today.
1. Set a Non-Negotiable Anchor in Your Day
When everything around you feels chaotic, you need one part of your day that grounds you. Something small, consistent, and yours. That’s your anchor.
It could be as simple as ten quiet minutes with your coffee. A short walk without your phone. A morning journal prompt. A single line you say to yourself in the mirror: “I’ve got this.”
That one moment becomes a reset point, proof that you’re still in control of your energy, even if nothing else feels stable.
When you feel overwhelmed, the temptation is to skip these small moments. But those are the exact moments that keep your mindset from spiraling. Anchors don’t fix everything, but they stop the drift.
What’s one anchor you can protect today, no matter what else is going on?
2. Reframe the Situation, Not the Struggle
You can’t always change the stress. You can change the story you tell yourself about it.
Instead of “I can’t handle this,” try “This is my training ground.”
Instead of “This is too much,” say “This is building my capacity.”
Instead of “Why me?” ask “What is this here to teach me?”
This isn’t about pretending the pressure doesn’t exist. It’s about giving the pressure a purpose.
Every great leader has learned to reframe challenging situations as opportunities for growth. That doesn’t mean you won’t feel tired. It means you get to choose the story, and the story you choose shapes the energy you bring.
You are not powerless in the midst of the mess. You’re building resilience you’ll use for years to come.
3. Coach Yourself Instead of Criticizing Yourself
Here’s a truth that most high achievers struggle with: being hard on yourself isn’t the same as being driven.
That inner voice? It matters. If it’s tearing you down, it’s costing you energy and clarity. But if it’s building you up, you’ll move through obstacles with way more strength.
Think about it: when your friend’s having a rough day, do you shame them? No—you listen, support, and remind them who they are.
You deserve that same grace. But you also need that same push.
A great coach knows how to encourage and challenge you simultaneously.
Try this: The next time you mess up, instead of saying “I’m failing,” say, “I’m learning, and I’ll bounce back stronger.” Speak to yourself the way you would speak to someone you care about.
Because the way you talk to yourself determines whether you stay stuck or keep going.
Final Thoughts
Motivation isn’t about everything going right. It’s about what you do when everything feels wrong.
You can feel tired and still take one more step.
You can feel unsure and still show up.
You can feel messy and still move forward with purpose.
That’s what leaders do. They don’t wait for clarity; they create it from within.
The inner game is the real game.
Your Challenge
Write down one situation that’s weighing on you right now. Something real. Something heavy.
Now ask: How can I grow through this?
Not just get through it. Grow through it.
Let that question shape how you lead yourself this week.
And if you want tools like this every Monday, strategies to help you think sharper, lead stronger, and bounce back faster, subscribe to the EXCEL2WIN Leadership Newsletter.
It’s free. No spam. Just honest, powerful insight to help you stay motivated and focused, even when life gets messy.
It’s my way of paying it forward.
Let’s keep building.
The Gifts of Imperfection
Life gets messy. Deadlines, self-doubt, and the pressure to be perfect can drain our energy and make motivation feel out of reach. In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown offers a refreshing and life-changing perspective: you don’t have to be flawless to live, lead, and grow with purpose—you just have to be authentic.
Drawing from years of research, Brown reveals ten guideposts for what she calls “wholehearted living,” including the courage to be vulnerable, the compassion to be kind to ourselves, and the willingness to let go of what other people think. Instead of chasing perfection, she encourages us to embrace our true selves—imperfections and all—because that’s where resilience and real motivation begin.
This ties directly to our recent article, The Inner Game: How to Stay Motivated When Life Gets Messy. Motivation isn’t about having a perfect environment or flawless track record—it’s about moving forward in the middle of the mess. Brown’s work reminds us that when we release the need to appear perfect, we free up energy to focus on what truly matters.
Grab your copy of The Gifts of Imperfection today and take the first step toward wholehearted motivation. Then subscribe to the EXCEL2WIN Leadership Newsletter—it’s free, my way of paying it forward—to fuel your growth every week.
