Why Energy, Not Talent or Time, Drives Success
Practical habits to boost your energy, break autopilot, and show up at your best every single day
Abstract
Our daily energy—not time, talent, or even luck—is the real driver of performance, mood, and purpose. Some days we wake up ready to take on the world; others, we feel drained and stuck on autopilot. What makes the difference is how we manage and protect our energy. Drawing on personal experience and practical habits, this article explores proven ways to boost energy (sleep, movement, breathing, music, discipline, gratitude, and mindful living) and avoid the hidden drains (alcohol, procrastination, digital overload, unresolved health concerns). Energy is the magic that fuels resilience, charisma, and consistency—and with the right practices, it can be cultivated daily.
Introduction
Some days you wake up and everything feels right. You want to train, to work, to connect with people. Your mood is magically positive.
And then there are the other days—when everything feels heavy, complicated, and you find yourself wondering why. You question whether what you’re doing even makes sense. You’re tired, fed up, maybe even a little depressed.
What causes these sudden shifts in mood from one day to the next? And what impact do they have on our performance?
In this article, I’ll share what I’ve learned so far—and the real secret behind it all: energy.
Discussion
Ask anyone what it takes to succeed in life and they’ll usually list hard work, talent, and a bit of luck. But there’s a hidden ingredient that makes hard work feel lighter, talent less critical, and luck easier to attract: your energy.
“Don’t forget about energy. The undefined, intangible asterisk. Some call it charisma. Some call it magic. The secret is the magic. And within energy, there is magic.”
— Matthew McConaughey, Greenlights
Keeping your energy high allows you to think positively, feel good, and feel alive. You’ve experienced it before—those days when you’re radiant and joyful, when your energy spreads to everyone around you. You become magnetic, driven, full of stamina and adrenaline—ready to change the world for the better.
But here’s the real question: is it possible to sustain high energy not just occasionally—on days when you woke up well-rested or something exciting happened—but every single day?
I used to be obsessed with time. Now I’m obsessed with energy. Because even if you organize your time perfectly, if you don’t have energy, you won’t achieve much.
There’s no universal recipe—it’s about experimentation. But I’ve identified a few practices that consistently add energy, and others that inevitably drain it. Here’s what I’ve learned.
Sleep more—and sleep better
Sleep makes all the difference. If I don’t sleep enough, the next day I struggle. I crave extra food or coffee to compensate (a trap I explain elsewhere), which only drains me further. Most people I know are stuck in this vicious cycle, sacrificing sleep and paying the price.
After tens of thousands of years of evolution, sleep still hasn’t been eliminated. That alone should tell us how essential it is for our body and mind. I’ve written about sleep in other articles, but it deserves a full deep dive on The C-Athlete—which I’ll do soon.
Personally, I aim for at least 7.5 hours, often more. Magnesium supplements in the evening have helped me, but supplements deserve a separate article. For now, just remember: good sleep is a non-negotiable source of energy.
Cut alcohol
Linked to sleep is the role of alcohol. If you care about energy, stop drinking at night—or, better yet, stop altogether.
Your body won’t waste resources detoxifying a substance that is toxic at any dose, and the next day you’ll be more positive, less anxious, and sharper.
When I used to drink regularly—even moderately—I didn’t realize how much it fueled irritability, stress, and low moods the next day. Only after quitting did I notice how much calmer, stronger, and more energized I felt. The real benefits kick in after a few weeks—and they’re substantial.
Music
We’re human. Some days, no matter what, energy is low. Maybe something bad happened or the day just feels off. In those moments, music is your ally.
Music is motion. Emotions come from motion. Put on something that uplifts you, and your state changes instantly. It’s so powerful that in professional sports, music is often banned during competitions—it works like a performance enhancer.
Movement: the power of e-motion
As I said earlier, emotion comes from motion. If you’re feeling negative, unmotivated, or stuck in a day without purpose—move. Go to the gym, run, cycle, swim—whatever it is, just do something. Movement changes you from the inside out, and you’ll feel better.
I’ll be honest: there are plenty of days when I don’t feel like training. But I still do it, every single day. Pushing myself not only strengthens my discipline—it makes me feel alive. It switches off the autopilot and reconnects me to the present.
Breathing and morning stretching
Breath is another tool we all have but ignore. It’s always on autopilot—but when used consciously, it changes everything.
When you feel drained or negative, stop. Close your eyes. Inhale through your nose for 5 seconds, filling your belly. Exhale for 5 seconds, emptying it. Focus on the air moving through your body. It relaxes you, shifts your energy, and reframes your perspective.
The key is consistency. I integrate it into my mornings, paired with light stretching or a quick yoga sun salutation. It sets a positive tone and fills me with gratitude.
Memento mori
For years, I didn’t understand the phrase “Live each day as if it were your last.” If it really were my last, I thought, I wouldn’t be working or setting goals.
Now I get it. The point is to step out of autopilot. To remember you’re mortal. To live each day fully, with gratitude, character, and awareness. This mindset works better than anything else I’ve tried.
Ask yourself: Am I on autopilot, or am I truly savoring this moment?
Health worries
Health—or fear about it—is a massive energy drain. If something feels wrong, don’t let anxiety eat away at you. Don’t wait months. Get it checked, run the tests, collect opinions. Living in fear of a problem is worse than the problem itself.
Here, even AI can be useful—if used wisely. But diagnostics and proper exams remain essential.
Don’t procrastinate
Unfinished business is another energy vampire. If there’s something annoying you’ve been putting off—do it.
As the saying goes: If you need to eat a frog, eat it early.
The longer you delay, the more it lingers at the back of your mind, draining you silently.
Get a haircut
Sounds trivial, but it works. On a bad day, go cut your hair—you’ll feel lighter, sharper, renewed.
YouTube and Instagram
I enjoy them—YouTube especially, where I find amazing content. But endless scrolling through shorts or stories is pure energy drain. It overloads your brain with fragmented images and information. It’s the opposite of meditation. After a few minutes, you can’t even recall what you’ve seen.
Podcasts, books, and biographies
Unlike scrolling, podcasts and books recharge me. I read at night before bed—usually biographies, which let me step into other people’s lives and freeze time for a while. It’s both energizing and deeply relaxing.
I listen to podcasts on flights (where I spend many hours each month) or during long, easy workouts. They always lift me up. Highly recommended.
Journaling
I’m not consistent with it, but journaling has proven to be a great way to cultivate positive energy and push away negative influences. I often write after reading something interesting, to capture a reflection. It brings clarity, lightness, and focus.
If you’ve never tried, give it a go. And if you can make it a habit, it works wonders.
Conclusions
At the end of the day, energy is the true currency of performance and life. Time, talent, and luck matter, but without energy they lose their power. With it, even ordinary days become extraordinary.
The good news is that energy is not random—it can be cultivated. Through quality sleep, movement, mindful breathing, discipline, gratitude, and cutting out what drains us, we can consistently show up at our best.
Energy is what keeps us alive, focused, joyful, and ready to face challenges. Protect it, nurture it, and you’ll discover that most of what we call “success” is simply the byproduct of having the energy to live fully, every single day.