Mastering Your Life with Ownership and Discipline

Eric Marquette

Welcome back to *The Relentless Mindset*, everyone. Let's dive straight in. So, here's the thing—success doesn’t care about your excuses. And I mean that in the toughest, yet truest, way possible. How often do we catch ourselves saying things like, “I don’t have enough time” or “The opportunity just wasn’t there for me”? Honestly, those lines—they might feel valid in the moment, but they're exactly what holds us back. Every single time we say that, we're handing over our power.

Eric Marquette

Let me tell you a little story about myself. There was this point early in my career—I'll never forget it. I was stuck, feeling, you know, overwhelmed and kinda bitter about how things weren’t really going my way. I’d spend days sitting there thinking, “If only someone could recognize my potential, if only some magic moment would, you know, just... appear out of nowhere.” But guess what? That moment—it never came. Not until I stopped waiting for it and started owning my situation.

Eric Marquette

And when I say “owning my situation,” I mean every bit of it. The things I didn't like, the ways I was falling short—everything. It wasn’t, like, immediate. I think I had to hit a point where I realized no one was coming to save me, and honestly, that realization stayed with me. The shift didn’t happen because the world suddenly got fairer or because I magically got “lucky.” It happened the moment I took full accountability for where I was and what I needed to do to move forward.

Eric Marquette

The truth, and it’s a hard one to swallow sometimes, is this: your circumstances, they don’t define you. Your response to them? That’s what tells the story. We’ve all heard people blame their schedules, their past, or whatever circumstances they feel are holding them back. And—and I get it, life is hard. But the reality is, that mindset keeps you stuck, keeps you stagnant.

Eric Marquette

When you stop pointing fingers and start asking, “Okay, what can I do here? What can I control?” you begin to see things differently. And look, it’s not easy. It wasn’t easy for me, either. There’s no magic pill for accountability. But once you embrace it? It changes the trajectory of your life, I promise you that.

Eric Marquette

So, let’s talk about something that’s, honestly, a bit uncomfortable for all of us—discipline. Now, before we even get into it, I want you to think about this: How many promises have you broken to yourself just this week? Maybe you said you’d wake up early, get a workout in, finish that project ahead of time. But then... life happened, right? You hit snooze, you skipped that workout, distractions just took over. Sound familiar?

Eric Marquette

This right here is where discipline comes in. And to be clear, discipline isn’t about being motivated all the time. Motivation—it’s like a spark, it feels exciting, it gets you started. But it doesn’t stick around for long. Discipline is different. It’s showing up, day in and day out, whether you feel like it or not. It’s about making those small decisions consistently, without negotiation.

Eric Marquette

I remember reading about Michael Jordan, and people always talk about his big wins, the championships, the game-winning shots. But what made him the greatest? It wasn’t just talent—it was the relentless hours of practice behind the scenes. The early mornings, the late nights, the work ethic that nobody else could match. And Oprah Winfrey, you know, she didn’t just wake up one day as a cultural icon. She faced setbacks, rejections, moments people told her she wasn’t good enough. But she kept showing up, even when it was hard. That’s what discipline looks like.

Eric Marquette

And here’s something I’ve learned the hard way—it’s the small choices you make every single day that dictate where you’ll end up. Success isn’t this sudden moment; it’s a build-up, a result of those tiny wins that accumulate over time. Like, one skipped workout might not seem like a big deal... but multiply it by a month, a year, and suddenly, you’re way off track. The same goes for good habits—they compound and work in your favor.

Eric Marquette

So, here’s a challenge I want you to try—a 30-day challenge, but really, it’s more than that. Pick one habit that’s holding you back. Just one. Maybe it’s too much time on your phone, skipping workouts, procrastinating—you know what it is. Now for the next 30 days, commit to replacing it with a positive action. No negotiations, no excuses, just consistency. And trust me, you’re gonna be amazed at what that kind of focus can do. It builds not just discipline but confidence—because you’re proving to yourself that you can take control. That’s huge, right?

Eric Marquette

The thing is, when you commit to these small, daily victories, something shifts. You stop being reactive, and you start becoming proactive about your life. You stop waiting for results, and you start creating them. And that’s, I think, the real power of discipline—it puts you in the driver’s seat.

Eric Marquette

Let’s switch gears a little and talk about struggles. How do you—personally—usually react when things get tough? Because here’s the thing: it’s easy to view challenges as obstacles holding us back. But what if, instead, they’re meant to shape us? What if they’re the exact thing we need to grow into the person we’re meant to be?

Eric Marquette

I know that sounds, maybe, a little cliché, but let’s look at the facts. Take Oprah Winfrey—a household name today, but rewind to the start of her journey. Fired from her first job, told she, you know, didn’t have what it takes to succeed in television. Or Michael Jordan—cut from his high school basketball team. Think about that. These moments, these setbacks could have completely derailed them, right? But instead, they used them as fuel.

Eric Marquette

It’s not about avoiding failure; it’s about how you respond to it. Oprah didn’t give up. She doubled down on her efforts, learned from her experiences, and eventually changed the cultural landscape. And Jordan? He didn’t sit there and sulk. He worked harder than anyone else, and, well, I don’t need to tell you how that turned out. These stories—they’re more than inspiring. They’re proof that our struggles, as uncomfortable and difficult as they are, can be the greatest catalysts for growth.

Eric Marquette

So, here’s my challenge for you: Think about whatever struggle you’re facing right now. Big or small. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” try shifting the question to, “What can I learn from this?” You might be surprised at how different that feels. Because when you see your hardships as lessons rather than roadblocks, you’re reclaiming your power. You’re turning something negative into a tool for your own development.

Eric Marquette

Look, I’m not saying it’ll be easy. Growth rarely is. But I am saying it’s worth it. Every time you push through a challenge, you’re not just surviving—you’re leveling up. You’re building resilience, strength, and perspective. And those qualities? They’re priceless. They’re what’ll carry you through not just this challenge but the ones that come after. And there will be more—because that’s life. But the difference is, you’ll know how to handle them.

Eric Marquette

So, as we wrap up today, I want you to remember this: Struggles don’t define you. What you take from them—how you use them to grow—that’s what makes you. And it’s not about being perfect or having it all figured out. It’s about showing up for yourself and refusing to let the hard stuff keep you down. Because at the end of the day? Growth is a choice. And it’s one you can make, starting right now.

Eric Marquette

And that’s all for today. If this resonated with you, share it with someone who might need to hear it too. Take what we’ve talked about and apply it—because you, my friend, are in control of what comes next. Until next time, take care and keep pushing forward.