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When motivation feels distant, you already have access to a higher gear. EXPERT OPINION BY MOSHE ENGELBERG, PHD, SPEAKER, EXECUTIVE COACH, AND AUTHOR OF "THE AMARE WAVE" @ MOSHEENGELBERG Nov 1, 2025 Illustration: Getty Images Picture this: You’re a mountain biker riding your favorite trail when suddenly a black bear bursts from the trees and starts chasing you. Instead of stopping to think, your motivation to move kicks in big time. Your muscles tense, your heart pounds, and your vision narrows. You pedal with a focus you’ve never felt before. The bear pursues at full sprint, getting closer until, with a fresh burst of adrenaline, you pull away and make it down the mountain safely. When motivation finds you Everyone has moments when they’re not highly motivated until something external comes along. A competitor blitzes your field. A major client walks. Your culture cracks. Suddenly, your body—and mind—shift dramatically into super-high motivation mode. That’s when your primal survival wiring lights up—the amygdala triggers, adrenaline and dopamine surge, your focus narrows, and action accelerates. Your motivation is in high gear. You are fired up. The truth is that in modern leadership, a) people rarely have literal bears chasing them, and b) you don’t need a crisis to access your highest gear. The real leadership question is: How can you access that kind of powerful energy intentionally without the impetus of danger? You simply need proper alignment of purpose, connection, and clarity. Featured Video An Inc.com Featured Presentation I gamified this at home with my kids. When they said they couldn’t finish homework, I’d ask, “If I gave you a million dollars, could you?” They always said yes. It wasn’t the million that changed anything. It was the shift in perceived value and urgency. Reflection questions What would make you pedal faster—purpose, urgency, clarity, or pride? What “bear” is lumbering in your business or within you right now: a missed opportunity, a slipping culture, or a silent competitor? How can you access that surge of motivation without waiting for something to chase you? 7 ways to kick your motivation into high gear Move first to get motivated. Initiate action even if the spark is weak. Motion often ignites motivation. Name your deeper why. Before beginning a task, ask, “Who or what benefits from me doing this well?” Connect to that. Simulate stakes. Create an imagined bear survival scenario. Really see it and feel it. Get your other senses in on the action, too. Then, act accordingly. Use the million-dollar test. Ask yourself or your team, “What would make this task feel like if it were worth a million (or a billion)?” Then, get to work. Break into microbursts. Set a short timer for 15 to 20 minutes, and commit to deep focus. Neuroscience research has demonstrated that short wins tip dopamine in your favor. Lead from love, not fear. Fear can start the sprint. Love, purpose, and connection keep you in the race. Be in love. Debrief your surges. After you’ve had a high-focus stretch, ask yourself, “What triggered this energy? How can it be replicated without a crisis?” Build that recipe. Team talk: How to increase motivation At your next team huddle, ask each person: When have you performed at your peak in a crisis? Without a crisis, when have you moved fast because meaning and clarity drove you? Next, brainstorm ways to replicate those conditions in your work rhythm moving forward. Your inspirational challenge Your brain is wired to save your life, and you can rewire it to enliven your life. Don’t wait for fear to flip the switch. Instead, use love, purpose, and clarity to activate that same neuro-energy. That’s how you summon the same surge of focus and clarity without the panic. Love-powered leadership transforms intention into action and pressure into purpose. So, when motivation feels distant and you’re feeling flat, remember: You already have access to a higher gear. The only thing you need outrun is your own hesitation. Use your inner power not just to escape danger, but to pursue what truly matters. The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
