Skip to main content

The Dark Side of Momentum: Why Disturbance Drives Success - Spencer Uncensored ep 85

Warning: This post contains explicit language.

Good evening, Mavericks and Momentum Makers. You’re here because you’re not satisfied with average, and neither am I. This is Spencer Uncensored, Episode 85. If you're just joining us, buckle up. We’ve had 84 conversations before this about how to build momentum, boost mastery, and tap into the deeper levels of productivity, profitability, and purpose that most people only dream about.

Let’s get one thing straight: Businesses don’t grow—people do. The money, the success, the accolades—they all come on the backside of personal development. Why? Because over the last 20 years of working with business leaders, I’ve seen it over and over again: You don’t level up your business without leveling up yourself. If you’re new around here, welcome. And if you’ve been with me for a while, thanks for coming back. Let’s dive in.

We recently wrapped up the Unshakeable Weekend Event—a three-day immersion where people changed their trajectories or cranked up the speed on their path to success. It’s not therapy; it’s transformation. One attendee told me, “I got more out of this weekend than in 26 years of therapy.” Let me tell you, if you think this is some feel-good, sit-on-the-couch bullshit, you’re in the wrong room. As my Coach, Micheal Burt says, we're working with Navy SEALs, not baby seals.

What Disturbs You?
Tonight, we’re diving into the dark side of momentum. The stuff that nobody likes to talk about—the disturbances, the setbacks, the punches that make you question why you ever started. We’re talking about the Drift to Drive framework from my book, Momentum and Mastery. Everyone loves to dwell on the light—dreams and desires—but they conveniently forget about the harder stuff: disturbances and decisions. You want momentum? You want mastery? You better get comfortable with discomfort.

Tap Into Your Failures and Setbacks
Step one is embracing past failures. Remember every time you were doubted, dismissed, or overlooked. Own those memories; use them as fuel. Your past pain is a bottomless gas tank for your future drive. I’m not talking about wallowing—I’m talking about weaponizing. I’ve made plenty of mistakes. I’ve owed money I didn’t have, missed opportunities I didn’t see, and been criticized in ways that would make most people quit. I didn’t quit. I used every bit of it to build the fire that got me here. Feeling stuck? Look at your scars. That’s where your power lives.

Focus on Your Critics
Next up, let’s talk about your critics. You know who they are. The naysayers who think you’re crazy for trying, the doubters who whisper that you don’t have what it takes. Sometimes, the loudest critic is the one in your own head. Good. Let that voice push you harder. Turn those doubts into determination. Take every “you can’t” and turn it into fuel that says, “watch me.” Don’t silence your critics; harness them.

Channel Your Anger
Here’s a secret: Anger is not a primary emotion; it’s a secondary one. It’s born from disappointment, from unmet expectations. And when you understand that, you can find a whole playground of motivation in the things that piss you off. Didn’t close that deal? Good. Get angry. Didn’t get the promotion? Great. Get angry. Anger, when used right, is jet fuel. It’s the difference between sitting on your hands and punching through walls. Fear, frustration, disappointment—use them all. Negative emotions are not your enemies; they’re your allies.

Set Ruthless Standards
Lastly, if you want to keep your fire burning, you’ve got to demand more from yourself. Set high standards and be ruthlessly accountable. Don’t settle. You will get disturbed when you miss the mark, and that’s the point. Someone tells you, “Hey, you’re doing fine, why push so hard?” Tell them to get lost. Your standards are not for other people to understand; they’re for you to uphold.

We’re not here for comfort. We’re here for change. And that change often comes wrapped in discomfort, anger, and a burning desire to prove yourself right. This isn’t about healing your past—it’s about turning it into rocket fuel for your future. So next time you feel disturbed, don’t shy away. Lean in. That disturbance is your path to greatness.

And remember, the Unshakeable Weekend is your gateway drug. Grab your copy of Momentum and Mastery, and come experience the fire for yourself. Because the truth is, you don’t need more motivation.

You need more leverage.

Here’s to building a chip on your shoulder and turning it into momentum. See you at the top.

Spencer Combs - Breaking the drift since 2004.

For more daily insights, hop on our daily dose of Momentum & Mastery here.

About Spencer Combs:

Spencer Combs is a business leader and author of Momentum and Mastery: The Business Leader's Guide to Fastrack Unshakeable Profit, Productivity, and Purpose. With a passion for helping others transform their challenges into opportunities, Spencer offers unique insights through his events, coaching programs, and daily text messages.


Take the Next Step:


Connect with Spencer: www.spencercombs.com/social 


Contact Us: info@spencercombs.com 

Comments

Here's what others like you are reading:

The Firewall

  The world is a machine. A vast, efficient, relentless machine focused on two things: speed and automation. If your job, your skill, or your output can be described by a predictable set of instructions, the machine will eventually learn to do it faster, cheaper, and without complaint. This is not a threat. It is a reality. It is the new baseline. So, where do you stand? Are you building your house on sand, relying on tasks that are easily copied? Or are you building a firewall? The firewall is the part of you the machine cannot touch. It's the unique combination of judgment, empathy, creativity, and the courage to make a non-obvious choice. This week is a choice. You can perform the necessary, replaceable tasks. Or you can invest in your firewall. The question isn’t about job security. It’s about value creation. What is the one thing you can learn, practice, or build this week that will make you so valuable, no one else can do your job five years from now? It's the dif...

The Hidden Quarter

The calendar says "Holidays." The world outside begins to slow, to pause, to look inward. Presents, parties, reflection. For many, this period is a collective exhale. A shared agreement to take the foot off the gas. To coast. Your competition is doing it. They're already mentally checked out, planning their breaks, anticipating the collective slowdown. And that, precisely, is the point. Because while they are distracted by eggnog and holiday stress, an invisible, unfair quarter opens up. This isn't Q4. This is the Hidden Quarter . This isn't the time to rest on your laurels. It's the time to build your launchpad. This is the moment to install the system, master the process, or build the lever that your distracted competitors won't even think about until mid-January. What is the one high-leverage system or process you can dedicate yourself to installing and mastering in the next 30 days that will guarantee you start January at an undeniable 5x speed? It...

The Multiplier

The clock runs. The hour passes. The time is spent. Most of the world gets paid for the passing of that time. It's a comfortable contract. An agreement of safety. Trade one hour of life for an agreed-upon unit of currency. The problem with this contract is that it caps your potential. It rewards presence, not performance. It celebrates effort, not outcome. But the economy of impact is different. No one pays the painter for the hours she spent cleaning the brushes. They pay her for the masterpiece. No one pays the entrepreneur for the hours he spent staring at the ceiling. They pay him for the breakthrough idea. They pay for the result . The moment you accept this truth, your relationship with the clock fundamentally changes. You stop asking, "How long will this take?" You start asking the only question that matters: What can I do with this time that will yield the single greatest result this week? This is the question of leverage. It's the search for the acti...