Motivation is unreliable. Systems are reliable. Most productivity advice fails because it depends on mood.
True productivity is a design problem. Not an emotional one.

Principle: 
Your brain chooses the easiest next step. Make the right step the easiest step.
Marcus Aurelius gave a clean standard: live without Pretending, Frenzy, or Laziness.

If you want to bypass willpower, use this 3-step system:

1) Kill Pretending: The Asset Filter 

Principle: Your brain confuses activity with progress.
System: If it doesn’t create an asset, a decision, or revenue, it’s theatre.
Action: Label every task: A = Asset / B = Busywork.
Rule: Do B only in one 30-minute Batch Window (example: 4:00–4:30 PM).
Example: “Reply to emails” = B. “Send proposal v1” = A.

2) Kill Frenzy: The Visible Finish Line 

Principle: Open-ended time creates anxiety. Boundaries create flow.
System: Stop working from lists. Work in time-boxes.
Action: Set a tight but realistic deadline for the main task.
Rule: “Write the ugly first draft in 45 minutes. Then stop.”
Example: “45 minutes to outline. 45 minutes to draft.”

3) Kill Laziness: The 120-Second Ignition 

Principle: The resistance isn’t the start. Not the work.
System: Don’t commit to finishing. Commit to starting.
Action: Do only the first 120 seconds.
Rule: Open the doc. Write one bad sentence.
Example: “Title + 3 bullets” is enough to begin.

The Summary: 
🚫 No Pretending. 
🚫 No Frenzy. 
🚫 No Laziness.

Productivity is not about finding motivation.
It is about removing the friction.

One question for you: 
Look at your to-do list for tomorrow. What is the one Asset you will ship by 6 PM?