Listen to “The Rock” to Boost Your Motivation to an All-Time High

Always remember where you come from.

Perhaps the world’s most famous movie star, you probably know who Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson is.

Aside from his massive physique and regular action roles, he has a mantra to live by. Johnson comes from a place of struggle and hardship. His production company, “7 Bucks Productions” is titled after the last seven bucks he had in his pocket upon getting cut from the CFL, which denied his chance at making it into the NFL.

Dreams shattered at 22. Me being 22, it’s hard to fathom. Where do you go from there?

Johnson doesn’t forget his background. He reminds himself all of the time — it’s what keeps him going. Sure, he is the highest-paid movie star in the world, but he understands what it’s like to have very little.

This mantra is something carried with him and enables him to stand out from the crowd. He has a unique ability to make people listen to what he has to say. Yes, 186 million Instagram followers help, but that’s not my point.

A speech he recently gave to the LA Lakers basketball team explains his mantra.

Let’s break it down.

Always Act Like You Have Your Back Up Against the Wall

He leans against the wall and says

“I lean against this motherfucker, and there’s nowhere to go.” He points forwards and says “but that way.”

It’s a point he reiterates over and over. His back is always up against the wall, no matter what. It’s not as if he needs to think that way. He is rich beyond his wildest dreams, has a successful career and could happily retire, but he doesn’t.

Why? He acts with the need to survive as he did with the seven bucks in his pocket, jumping between projects — often running simultaneously with one another.

Most importantly, he never settles.

This, he says, gives him the fuel to keep pushing. Before the pandemic, he was rolling out film after film — a seemingly never-ending juggernaut. You know he’s motivated to stay on top when you see a trailer for one of his movies before the one you’re about to watch.

I’ve learned that you can’t rest on your laurels. Sure, you may reach a goal of yours, that doesn’t mean you should settle for it. Goals change once you reach them. What doesn’t change is the wall. It’s always there — a ballast to set yourself against.

It’s not supposed to be comfortable. Discomfort pushes you further. As Adam Braun says:

“true self-discovery begins where your comfort zone ends.”

Be “the Hardest Worker in the Room”

If you follow him on Instagram, you’ll find he regularly says this. It’s a simple but powerful message.

Dive into his videos, and you’ll see him shouting “FOCUS!!” Can you imagine that screaming at you in the gym? The video alone is scary. It shows his relentless drive. The man is 48 years old but still looks like a mountain range.

There comes a time when “you have to become sick of being number two.” You get the feeling that he always sets new heights, still with his back to the wall.

In the past, he’s outlined his routine. He arises at 4 am for some cardio, then has some breakfast and hits the weights for an hour. He’ll then head to set for the day.

He doesn’t worry about anyone else. All he cares about is his performance — he knows he’ll be the hardest worker in the room.

Dan Brown famously said:

“write like nobody is watching because nobody is watching.”

Apply this to all corners of your life, and you’re onto a winner. Nobody is counting how many press-ups you do, so why rush them and do them wrong? Nobody is analysing how hard you work, so why worry about them?

Put yourself first, and reap what you sow.

Find Your Anchor

For him, his anchor is his weight training. He leaves it all in the gym, pumping away at the iron before a long day on set.

You don’t need to lift copious amounts of weights to find your anchor, but the principle applies. Take a bath, read a book, go on your daily walk or listen to your favourite song. It’s simple. Think of it as a reset. Use your anchor to stabilise you, then like a 100-metre sprinter, fly out of the blocks.

Set Lofty Goals

No doubt, you have goals in life — your goal when opening this article was to find out what Dwayne Johnson had to say. Well, he tells a story from the beginning of his Hollywood career.

He says he sat down with his agency, and they asked him what he wanted to accomplish.

“I want the world. I want Will Smith’s career, but I want to do it bigger and better.”

No doubt some raised eyebrows ensued. Still, it shows the ambition of the man.

Life is a grind, but what is the grind for? To make it worthwhile, you need a goal. The goal motivates you.

Ambition + hard work = success.

Final Thoughts

Johnson has concocted a swirling cocktail of advice, bound to fill you with a fiery dose of motivation. So, let us go over it one last time:

• Always act with your back against the wall.
• Be “the hardest worker in the room.”
• Find your anchor.
• Set lofty goals.

Reach for the stars, but remember where you are. No one is watching, so stop worrying about what they think, and get to work. As Johnson himself says:

“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.”

Ready to improve your life? Start here.