You Are the Bottleneck: Why Most People Sabotage Their Own Success (And How to Stop)

The most powerful lever in the world is useless if you don’t know how to apply force properly.

​3-4 million years ago man first grabbed a rock and a stick, he’s been able to increase his ability to impact the world.

More importantly, he’s been able to use the leverage those tools allowed.

The rock allowed him to leverage space with force.

The stick, with a fulcrum, allowed him to leverage force itself.

And "sharpening" the rock allowed him to butcher and skin animals.

Hence the famous Archimedean quote:

Is it any wonder why we keep seeking ever-more-powerful levers, tools, and ability to influence our world?

But here’s the catch.

Actually, two of them.

First:

The power of leverage works both ways.

F=ma.

The force you’re applying is being applied back to you.

If you’re not prepared for the feedback, for the resistance, for the consequences—you’ll get knocked back.

Second:

Applying leverage is contingent upon the focus of the applied force.

If you’re not focused properly and intentionally, you may not get the results you desire from the force you exert.

You might push in the wrong direction. You might waste energy. You might break the lever itself.

And that’s why you are the bottleneck to your own success.

You need to make sure you’re applying force properly. You need to be prepared for the fallback that may occur. And when you do apply force, it needs to be intentional, focused, with follow-through.

Most people fail not because they lack tools, resources, or opportunities.

They fail because they don’t know how to apply force. They’re their own worst bottleneck.

What Martial Arts Teaches About Leverage

Martial arts, in its purest form, is nothing more than attempting to create the greatest impact with the least amount of effort to achieve a goal.

That’s leverage.

That’s why we train to use our whole body, not just a limb, when attacking.

We focus on small, vulnerable areas of our opponent: vital points (sternum, testicles, eyes), joints, arteries. Or in my case in '92, my spleen.

We concentrate maximum force on minimum area.

And when we strike, we give it our full commitment—to and through the target.

Not hedging. Not half-measures. Full commitment.

Because anything less wastes energy. Anything less gives your opponent time to counter. Anything less fails.

Have you ever had the misfortune of walking into a glass door or wall, not realizing it was there? Were you surprised at how hard you hit? That's the force generated from "just" walking!

My head still hurts from the memory.

That's the power of being fully committed.

And the same principle applies to life.

If you want to achieve something—a goal, a business, a relationship, a skill—you need to apply force properly.

You need to focus. You need to commit. You need to follow through.

And most people don’t.

The Three Ways You Become Your Own Bottleneck

Here’s how most people sabotage themselves:

1. They don’t fully commit to a single course of action.

They hedge. They keep options open. They try to do everything at once.

And they end up doing nothing well.

Instead of focusing maximum force on one target, they spread their energy across ten targets.

And they wonder why nothing moves.

2. They’re not prepared for what can happen.

They apply force without thinking about the consequences. Without preparing for resistance. Without anticipating feedback.

And when the force comes back at them, they’re knocked off balance.

They didn’t prepare for failure. They didn’t prepare for setbacks. They didn’t prepare for the hard parts.

So when those things happen, they quit.

3. They don’t follow through.

They start strong. They apply force. But they don’t follow through.

They stop halfway. They pull back. They second-guess themselves.

And all that energy, all that effort, is wasted.

Because leverage only works if you follow through. If you commit fully. If you push to and through the target.

Anything less is just motion. Not progress.

Why You’re the Bottleneck (Not Your Circumstances)

Most people blame their circumstances for their lack of success.

• “I don’t have enough money.”
• “I don’t have enough time.”
• “I don’t have the right connections.”

But that’s not the bottleneck.

The bottleneck is you.

You’re not focusing your energy.

You’re not committing fully.

You’re not following through.

You have the tools. You have the lever. You might even have the fulcrum.

But you’re not applying force properly.

You’re pushing in ten different directions instead of one. You’re not prepared for resistance. You’re not following through.

And that’s why you’re stuck.

How to Stop Being Your Own Bottleneck

Here’s how you fix it:

Step 1: Choose one target.

Not ten. Not five. One.

What’s the one thing that, if you achieved it, would make everything else easier or irrelevant?

That’s your target.

Everything else is a distraction. Everything else is wasted energy.

Focus on the one thing.

Step 2: Apply maximum force to minimum area.

Don’t spread your energy. Concentrate it.

If your target is building a business, don’t try to do marketing, sales, product development, operations, and finance all at once.

Pick one. The one that will move the needle most. Focus all your energy there.

If your target is getting in shape, don’t try to overhaul your diet, start a new workout program, fix your sleep, and meditate all at once.

Pick one. The one that will have the biggest impact. Focus all your energy there.

Maximum force. Minimum area.

Step 3: Prepare for the feedback.

When you apply force, force comes back.

Are you prepared for it?

If you start a business, are you prepared for rejection? For failure? For setbacks?

If you pursue a goal, are you prepared for the hard parts? For the plateau? For the moments when you want to quit?

If you’re not prepared, the feedback will knock you off balance.

So prepare. Mentally. Emotionally. Practically.

Know what’s coming. And decide in advance how you’ll respond.

Step 4: Commit fully.

No hedging. No half-measures. No keeping options open.

Full commitment.

When you strike, you strike through the target. Not at it. Through it.

When you pursue a goal, you pursue it fully. Not tentatively. Fully.

Burn the boats. Close the exits. Commit.

Step 5: Follow through.

This is where most people fail.

They start strong. They apply force. But they don’t follow through.

They stop halfway. They pull back. They second-guess.

And all that energy is wasted.

Follow through. Push to and through the target. Don’t stop until you’ve achieved the result.

That’s how leverage works.

Step 6: Adjust based on feedback.

If you’re applying force and it’s not working, adjust.

But don’t quit. Adjust.

Maybe you’re pushing in the wrong direction. Maybe you need more force. Maybe you need a different angle.

Use the feedback to refine your approach. Then apply force again.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Here’s a real example from my life:

When I decided to become a foreman, I had one target: prove I could lead a crew.

Not ten targets. Not “become a foreman and also get better at estimating and also learn project management and also…”

One target. Prove I could lead a crew.

So I focused all my energy there.

I studied leadership. I watched the good foremen. I practiced on small crews. I asked for feedback.

Maximum force. Minimum area.

I prepared for the feedback. I knew I’d make mistakes. I knew some guys wouldn’t respect me at first. I knew it would be hard.

So I decided in advance: I’m not quitting. I’m learning from every mistake and adjusting.

I committed fully. I didn’t hedge. I didn’t keep one foot in being a journeyman “just in case.”

I committed to being a foreman.

And I followed through. When it got hard, I didn’t pull back. I pushed through.

And it worked.

Not because I was the most talented. Not because I had the best circumstances.

But because I applied force properly. I focused. I committed. I followed through.

What I See Most People Doing Wrong

Here’s what I see most people doing:

1. They try to do everything at once.

They want to start a business, get in shape, improve their relationships, learn a new skill, and travel the world—all at the same time.

And they make no progress on any of it.

Because they’re spreading their energy across ten targets instead of focusing on one.

2. They’re not prepared for resistance.

They start something. It gets hard. They quit.

Because they didn’t prepare for the hard parts.

They thought it would be easy. They thought it would be smooth. They thought they’d see results immediately.

And when they didn’t, they gave up.

3. They don’t commit fully.

They hedge. They keep options open. They try to minimize risk.

And they end up with mediocre results.

Because leverage requires commitment. You can’t move the world with a tentative push.

4. They don’t follow through.

They start strong. They apply force. But they stop halfway.

They get distracted. They lose motivation. They second-guess themselves.

And all that energy is wasted.

The Truth About Bottlenecks

Here’s the truth:

You are the bottleneck.

Not your circumstances. Not your resources. Not your opportunities.

You.

You’re not focusing your energy. You’re not committing fully. You’re not following through.

You’re spreading yourself too thin. You’re not prepared for resistance. You’re pulling back when you should be pushing through.

And that’s why you’re stuck.

But here’s the good news:

If you’re the bottleneck, you can fix it.

You can choose one target. You can focus your energy. You can prepare for feedback. You can commit fully. You can follow through.

You can stop being your own worst enemy.

The Challenge

Here’s what I want you to do this week:

Identify the one target that matters most right now.

Not ten. Not five. One.

What’s the one thing that, if you achieved it, would make everything else easier or irrelevant?

Then ask yourself:

1. Am I focusing maximum force on this target, or am I spreading my energy across multiple targets?
2. Am I prepared for the resistance, the setbacks, the hard parts?
3. Am I fully committed, or am I hedging?
4. Am I following through, or am I pulling back halfway?

Be honest.

Then make the adjustments.

Focus. Prepare. Commit. Follow through.

That’s how you stop being the bottleneck.

The Final Word

You have the tools. You have the lever. You might even have the fulcrum.

But if you’re not applying force properly, none of it matters.

You need to focus. You need to commit. You need to follow through.

You need to stop being your own bottleneck.

Because the world won’t move itself. And the lever won’t work if you’re pushing in ten different directions.

Choose one target. Apply maximum force. Prepare for feedback. Commit fully. Follow through.

That’s how leverage works. That’s how you move the world.

And that’s how you stop sabotaging your own success.

What’s the one target you’re committing to today?