Introduction: Two Paths to Success
Success has been a topic of fascination for centuries, and different thinkers have proposed contrasting approaches to achieving it. One of the most well-known modern success philosophies comes from self-help guru, Tony Robbins, who advocates for massive action—the idea that radical, decisive, and intense effort is necessary to break through barriers and reach one’s goals. The idea, while useful in some occasions, has key flaws I will outline bellow.

This concept is at the heart of Robbins’ Ultimate Success Formula, which he has taught in his books, seminars, and coaching programs in the 80s and 90s. The formula consists of four key steps:
- Know your outcome – Clearly define what you want.
- Take massive action – Move aggressively toward your goal.
- Notice what’s working and what’s not – Adjust accordingly.
- Change your approach until you succeed – Keep adapting until you achieve your desired results.
While this formula has helped many people achieve breakthroughs, the emphasis on massive action raises concerns about its sustainability. Intense effort can generate rapid progress, but it also suggests an underlying problem—either in the environment or within the person themselves.
Historically, massive action has been associated with survival crises—war, famine, economic collapse, or scarcity. These situations demanded urgent, large-scale responses because survival was at stake. In war, entire populations were mobilized overnight. During famines, societies made drastic shifts to secure food. Hardship forced people into desperate, high-risk endeavors. In these cases, massive action wasn’t a strategy for long-term success—it was a reaction to immediate danger and extreme uncertainty.

When individuals today take massive action, they often do so from a similar mental state of perceived scarcity or inadequacy. Whether it’s a trader obsessively monitoring charts, an entrepreneur working 18-hour days, or an investor making desperate all-in bets, massive action is often fueled by fear of missing out (FOMO), self-doubt, or a deep-seated feeling that they are not enough. This leads to burnout, chronic stress, depression and an inability to feel satisfied, no matter how much is achieved.
Contrast this with Aristotle’s perspective, who famously stated: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Unlike Robbins’ high-intensity approach, Aristotle’s philosophy is built on consistency, stability, and incremental improvement. Rather than requiring extreme bursts of action, Aristotle’s model suggests that true success and excellence emerge naturally from daily, sustainable habits that shape character over time.

The Unsustainable Nature of Massive Action
Massive action, by definition, requires an extraordinary level of energy, motivation, and intensity. While it can indeed lead to quick results and radical change, it is often unsustainable in the long run. The very concept of massive action is rooted in urgency, which historically has been associated with survival scenarios—war, famine, and crisis. When people operate from this mindset, they are often signaling to their own nervous system that they are in danger and that only through extreme effort can they escape their predicament.
This is particularly relevant in the crypto world, where traders often chase short-term pumps, make all-in leveraged bets, and have a 24/7 market obsession. Many new investors fall into the trap of believing they must act massively at all times—constantly researching, trading, and seeking the next 100x coin. This approach, however, leads to high stress, poor decision-making, depression, and burnout rather than sustainable success.
Additionally, massive action can reinforce the belief that something is fundamentally wrong—either with the external environment (that there is scarcity in the world and you must get things now before doomsday arrives) or with the individual (“im not enough and only achievement can fix me”). This mindset can lead to burnout, anxiety, depression and an inability to enjoy success, as the person is constantly striving for more rather than feeling fulfilled by their achievements.
This behavior is common in high-stakes fields like Wall Street trading and investment banking, where professionals push themselves to exhaustion in pursuit of greater returns. Many end up with severe mental health struggles, unable to detach from their need for achievement. Similarly, many crypto traders, NFT investors, and DeFi degens experience the same cycle—riding high on bull market wins, only to crash emotionally when the market turns.
Tony Robbins’ Evolution: From Massive Action to Sustainable Growth
Interestingly, even Robbins himself has evolved over time. In the late 1990s, Robbins reportedly experienced a period of depression, coinciding with his efforts to take his company, DreamLife.com, public during the dot-com bubble. This was a pivotal moment that led to a shift in his approach. While his earlier works, such as Unlimited Power (1986) and Awaken the Giant Within (1991), heavily emphasized massive action, by the early 2000s, Robbins began to incorporate principles of balance and emotional mastery into his philosophy.
Programs like The Power to Shape Your Destiny (2002) and later iterations of Unleash the Power Within placed greater emphasis on momentum and consistent progress rather than just short-lived bursts of action. He started promoting the idea that true success comes not from overwhelming effort in short sprints, but from steady, disciplined action over time. Its also notable that he came up with his Ultimate Success Formula in his 20s, a period where people will often overwork themselves due achievement addiction, only to later in life, find balance.
The Illusion of Temporary Massive Action
Some people believe they can embrace massive action temporarily, achieve their financial or personal goals, and then transition into a more balanced life. However, this overlooks the reality of neuroplasticity and habit formation. The brain adapts to repeated behavior, meaning that patterns of overwork, stress, addiction, feelings of inadequacy, and urgency become ingrained. If someone trains themselves to operate in a high-stress, all-or-nothing mindset, it becomes difficult to simply switch back to a balanced approach. Not to mention, blind spots exist, and people often don’t realize they’re engaging in self-destructive behavior—especially when it feels like their survival is on the line.
As Yoda warns in Star Wars, “If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.”

This applies to the mentality of massive action—engaging in it for prolonged periods reinforces habits of burnout, scarcity-driven decision-making, and emotional dependency on success. Just as traders who experience high volatility often struggle to switch to long-term investing, those who build their success through extreme hustle often find it difficult to slow down without feeling like they are falling behind or diminished emotionally. Recovery is possible(So Yoda was wrong, the brain is plastic and it can be trained both ways) but better yet is to avoid the problem in the first place.
Sustainable success is not built on temporary intensity but on enduring, intentional habits that support long-term well-being.
The Power of Consistency and Habits
Aristotle’s wisdom teaches that sustainable excellence is not built through isolated, grandiose feats but through small, repeatable actions. In his view, virtue and excellence are cultivated over time, through consistent, deliberate practice. This is reflected in his concept of habituation, where behaviors become ingrained and effortless the more they are repeated. Aristotle believed that the key to a fulfilling and successful life lies in developing habits that align with virtue, as these small, everyday actions accumulate to shape character and bring lasting satisfaction.
This principle is not only relevant to personal growth but also to how we approach goals and success. The value of small, consistent actions is clear: they require less energy and effort as they become habitual, and over time, they foster a sense of stability and well-being. When we focus on creating small positive habits—whether it’s practicing a skill, maintaining physical health, or cultivating relationships—we move away from the high-intensity, burnout-prone approach to success that is often glamorized today. Instead of trying to achieve one monumental goal through massive, exhausting efforts, we slowly but steadily work toward our ideal, which in turn creates a more grounded sense of purpose and achievement.
This concept contrasts sharply with the modern tendency to view success as the result of extreme, momentary bursts of action. In today’s fast-paced world, we are encouraged to hustle, to push ourselves to the limit, and to always strive for something greater. The allure of “massive action”—of throwing everything into a single goal, of achieving something extraordinary—can feel exhilarating, but it is also draining. It demands constant motivation, leaves little room for rest, and often leads to burnout. This approach also signals a deeper belief that we are not enough, that our success can only be achieved through immense effort. It suggests that the world is dangerous, uncertain, and that we need to fight to survive.
In contrast, the more natural way of living—one modeled by primates and native cultures—teaches us the power of consistent, daily action. Primates, for example, spend their days engaged in small but essential tasks: foraging for food, grooming, and socializing. These actions aren’t done out of urgency or crisis but are necessary for survival and well-being. Similarly, native cultures often thrive by performing small, daily rituals—hunting, farming, building, and bonding—each action serving a vital role in maintaining the community and its way of life. It’s only when faced with extraordinary circumstances, such as war, famine, or disaster, that these cultures mobilize for massive action. Until then, life is centered around consistent, manageable efforts.

When we apply this to our own lives, it becomes clear that the key to long-term success and peace is not about pushing ourselves to the limit but about cultivating habits that nurture us and allow us to thrive in the long run. Just as small, steady actions are integral to primates’ survival and native cultures’ resilience, they are just as crucial to our personal well-being. These habits signal that we are enough, that the world is safe, and that we can handle what comes our way. They bring us a sense of stability and calm, allowing us to focus on gradual improvement rather than constantly fighting against the pressures of urgency and excess.
If we examine those who embody Aristotle’s philosophy, we see a much happier picture, one that is more aligned with our evolutionary history and philosophies that have survived thousands of years. People who prioritize building good habits—like investors who stick to a disciplined, long-term strategy, teachers that take joy in helping one student at a time, painters who refine their craft daily, bakers who find happiness in their routine work, traders who manage risk responsibly and secure small steady wins, developers who keep building through bear markets, athletes who train consistently rather than chasing quick results using steroids, and writers who commit to writing every day regardless of inspiration—tend to experience less stress, greater fulfillment, and more consistent success.
Conclusion
Massive action can be powerful in the short term, but it is inherently unsustainable as a lifelong strategy. It often arises from scarcity, fear, and a need to escape rather than from true fulfillment. Good habits, on the other hand, provide stability, calm, and a path to lasting success—a philosophy that even Robbins has moved toward in recent decades.
If you want to achieve your goals without burning out, the key is to shift from massive action bursts to daily small gains and intentional habits. Because, as Aristotle wisely said, “We are what we repeatedly do.”