It Takes What It Takes: Why Neutral Thinking Changed Everything For Me

Sean Herman

— 3 min read
“The world doesn’t care how you feel. It only cares about what you do.”
— Trevor Moawad, It Takes What It Takes

Those words hit me like a freight train the first time I read them.

I’d spent years chasing progress through passion, willpower, and high-stakes expectations. If I could just get into the right state—motivated, focused, inspired—then I could take action. Then I’d follow the diet. Crush the workout. Build the product. Show up as the perfect dad, husband, founder.

But that mindset has a dark side. Because what happens when motivation doesn’t show up? What happens when life gets messy, or my energy dips, or I just don’t feel like doing it?

For a long time, the answer was: I’d stop. I’d fall off. And when I did, the voice of perfectionism would creep in: “You failed. Again. Back to square one.”

It was exhausting. Unsustainable. And deeply personal.

That’s why I have these words tattooed on my left forearm:
“Choice is an illusion. It takes what it takes. Stay neutral.”

Because that’s not just a mantra. It’s a lifeline.

The Illusion of Choice

When Trevor Moawad wrote that “choice is an illusion,” he wasn’t saying we don’t have free will. He was saying that if you want something bad enough, the options shrink. If you’re serious, then the path is the path.

If I want to be healthy, I can’t debate with myself every night about eating clean. If I want to become fluent in AI, I can’t renegotiate with myself every Monday and Friday at 11:30 a.m. The choice has already been made, I just need to act on it.

This has become my filter: Is this something I’ve chosen to pursue seriously? If yes, then the feelings don’t matter. The excuses don’t matter.

It takes what it takes.

Not more. Not less. Just exactly what’s required.

All or Nothing, and the Crash That Follows

As I shared in my last post, I don’t tend to do things in moderation. I go all in. Whether it’s fitness, learning, family, or building Kinzoo, I pour myself into it. That can be a gift. But it can also be a trap.

Because when I fall out of rhythm, I don’t just feel behind, I feel like I’ve failed. I internalize the break in consistency as a character flaw. And once that failure sets in, it’s harder to get back up. I don’t stumble. I disappear.

Trevor’s message helped me understand that this mindset wasn’t serving me. He offered a third way, neutral thinking, that cut through both the hype and the self-loathing.

What Neutral Thinking Looks Like for Me

Neutral thinking means this: no emotional reasoning. No toxic positivity, no destructive negativity. Just facts. Just the next action.

It’s:

  • “I missed a workout yesterday. What’s today’s plan?”
  • “I had a beer and some chips. Cool. What’s the next meal?”
  • “I didn’t get to my AI study block. Can I show up for the next one?”

Neutral thinking breaks the cycle of guilt and justification. It gets me back in motion faster. It quiets the noise.

And it’s not just about reacting better when things go sideways. It’s about setting the standard in advance. Making decisions ahead of time, so that when emotion shows up, and it always does, I already know what to do.

The System I’m Building

I’ve been designing a system to support the person I’m trying to become. It’s not about grinding harder or optimizing every corner of my life. It’s about reducing friction. About showing up consistently, not perfectly.

The system is simple:

  • Two hours a week of focused AI learning
  • A sustainable, flexible diet that respects my boundaries and preferences
  • A gym routine I trust
  • A morning and evening reflection built around these ideas

And most importantly, a mindset I can return to:

“Choice is an illusion. It takes what it takes. Stay neutral.”

That tattoo on my arm? It’s there to remind me on the days I want to justify skipping the work. On the days I spiral. On the days I feel off-track. It reminds me: This isn’t about how I feel. It’s about what I do.

Final Thought

Perfectionism wants drama. It wants hero stories or total collapse.
Neutral thinking wants none of that. It wants action. Quiet, consistent, unremarkable action.

And that’s what I’m chasing now. Not a highlight reel, but a foundation.

Because in the end?
It takes what it takes.

Read more