It’s another blissful day and after another amazing episode from the Daily Stoic podcast by Ryan Holiday: It Takes What It Takes, I will be sharing, escalating and throwing more light on what he already very clearly discussed., so let’s do this again today.
There is something very inspiring about watching a master at work, like an athlete, a skilled musician, a wise leader, people who move with such confidence and ease that we can not help but wonder: How do they do it?
But the answer, though, is not mysterious, at all; it is not talent alone or luck or some secret shortcut. It is what Trevor Moawad, a renowned mental conditioning expert, called the simplest truth behind success: “It takes what it takes,” there is no hacking greatness, it is either:
- You do the work, or you don’t.
- You rise to the standard, or you settle for less.
The Stoics knew this long before the phrase “It takes what it takes” was coined. “First, tell yourself what you want to be,” Epictetus said, “then act your part accordingly.” Marcus Aurelius wrote about doing what his nature demanded, regardless of how he felt. In their world and ours discipline is the bridge between who we are and who we could become.
So today, this blissful day, let us explore how greatness is not a gift, but a consequence. Through identity, habit, and character, we will see how ancient wisdom and modern performance science agree: If you want to become something meaningful, you have to put in what it takes.
Don’t Wish for It. Train for It!
Everyone wants to be great, right? Obviously. Everyone wants peace, success, resilience, or mastery in some form, but wishing for it is easy and it is very very much NOT enough. The Stoics, and modern performance coaches alike, are clear on this point: Desire without discipline is just noise.
Epictetus offers a timeless challenge: “First, tell yourself what you want to be, then act your part accordingly.” It sounds simple, right? But guess what? It is deeply uncomfortable, because acting the part means training for the role over and over again. It means living as if you are already that person, even when no one is watching, even when it is hard.
Trevor Moawad’s mantra, “It takes what it takes,” eliminates the illusion of shortcuts. If greatness requires a certain amount of effort, preparation, or sacrifice, then you either do it or you don’t; there is no negotiation with the process.
The NBA legend Vince Carter understood this at 38. To keep playing, he had to follow a defined set of behaviors. He did not debate whether it was fair; he accepted the cost and paid it, or he stepped away. Wanting it was NOT enough. He had to train for it! And so must you, if you truly want it.
The Discipline of Becoming: Acting Your Way Into Identity
There is this debate that identity shapes behaviour and by others behaviour shapes identity, but the Stoics and modern thinkers like Moawad say: Your behavior shapes your identity. Who you are is revealed, and ultimately formed, by what you consistently choose to do.
So on that note, it is safe to guess that you want to be disciplined, right?
- Act with discipline, even when you don’t feel like it.
- Want to be wise? Practice self-control, reflect before reacting, study truth.
Identity is not a title you claim, but a character you become through action.
This is why Epictetus emphasized role-playing: If you want to be an Olympic athlete, you train and live like one, not just in public, but in the quiet, repetitive moments no one sees. The same goes for those who want to be excellent parents, entrepreneurs, artists, or leaders. You live the part until it becomes your nature.
As the Stoics might put it: If you want to be good, then do good things, consistently. Not perfectly, but persistently.
Greatness Is Muscle Memory: How Habits Shape Fate
You do not rise to the occasion, you fall to your level of preparation; that is the uncomfortable truth many ignore. Greatness does not suddenly appear in big moments; it is built in small ones, then recalled automatically.
Again Trevor Moawad put it plainly: “Behavior, which you have drilled into your muscle memory, will dictate what happens next.” That is why habits matter, not just routines or productivity hacks, but deeply rooted patterns of thought, discipline, and response.
For the Stoics, this principle was essential. Marcus Aurelius journaled daily not for show, but to rehearse the kind of thoughts he wanted to live by. His mental training became muscle memory, and in moments of stress, loss, or leadership crisis, he did not have to figure out how to respond because he already knew.
The same applies to athletes, artists, and all of us navigating life. Whether it is patience in traffic, courage in conflict, or integrity under pressure, we do not decide our character in the moment, we reveal what we have practiced.
So if you want to be ready, then rehearse; if you want peace under pressure, then prepare for it. Over time, the repetition turns action into instinct and that is what real greatness is: Automatic excellence born from disciplined practice.
Character Is Fate: Why the Work You Do Becomes Who You Are
The Stoics believed something radical: Your destiny is determined not by luck, but by character, and character is built by what you repeatedly do.
Marcus Aurelius wrote, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it,” but thoughts alone are not enough, they must be backed by consistent action. Trevor Moawad and the Stoics agree: The habits you train, the disciplines you keep, the choices you make; those are the things that shape your future.
This is liberating and demanding at the same time; it means your life is in your hands but it also means you are responsible for the results. You can choose the easy way and get the predictable outcome. Or you can do the hard work of becoming excellent and live a different kind of life.
This is not about perfection, but direction, because each act of discipline reinforces the person you are becoming, and each compromise does too. Over time, those small decisions harden into identity and identity sets the course of your life.
So if you want to shape your fate, start with your habits. If you want to build character, start with what you do today, because in the end, you become what you practice, and your character becomes your legacy.
Read Also: What is Resilience, And Why Is It Important to Bounce Back And Continue?
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Read Also: Doing Your Work With All Your Might
Conclusion
Greatness is not reserved for the gifted. It is not a mystery, a miracle, or a matter of luck; it is a result; the natural outcome of consistent discipline, clear intention, and relentless repetition, so: Decide who you want to be, then do what it takes to live it daily, quietly, faithfully. Not just when it is exciting, but especially when it is hard, boring, or thankless.
Your habits are your training! Your choices are your practice! And your future is already forming in what you do today!
So set your sights! Accept the cost! Do the work! Because at the end of the day: It takes what it takes.
