“Failure is just data. If you treat your life like an experiment, you can’t lose—you either get the result you wanted or the information you needed.” – Inspired by Mark Rober’s engineering mindset

NASA Doesn’t Build Rockets Through Willpower. So Why Are You Trying to Build Your Life Any Other Way?

You don’t launch a rocket by “trying harder.”

No NASA engineer is standing on the launch pad yelling at the rocket, “Come on, you’ve GOT this!” and hoping it reaches orbit through sheer motivation.

They run experiments.
They test, tweak, fail, and try again.
They don’t take failure personally; they take it as data.

Yet when it comes to your health, your work, your habits, or your relationships, you probably do the opposite.

You muscle it.
You white-knuckle it.
You decide, “This time I’ll just be more disciplined,” and when it doesn’t stick, you blame yourself.

What if the problem isn’t you?

What if the problem is your method?

The Morning You Decide “Enough”

Picture this.

You wake up on a Tuesday, look in the mirror, and say, “That’s it. I’m done. I’m getting my life together.”

You write a big list:

• Start working out 5x a week

• Eat clean

• Stop scrolling in bed

• Fix your sleep

• Apply for a new job

• Be more present with the people you love

By 10 a.m., you’re hyped. By 3 p.m., work has derailed you. By 9 p.m., you’re on the couch, scrolling, and that old familiar shame creeps in:

“Why can’t I just stick with it? What’s wrong with me?”

Now imagine handling that exact same situation like an engineer at NASA.

Instead of:

• “I failed… again.”

You say:

• “Interesting. That design didn’t work. What can I change in the next test?”

Same reality.
Different framework.
Completely different future!!

“Failure Is Just Data”: Rethinking How You Change

“Failure is just data. If you treat your life like an experiment, you can’t lose—you either get the result you wanted or the information you needed.”
– Inspired by Mark Rober’s engineering mindset

Hit play if you’re tired of ‘trying harder’ and ready to start experimenting your way into a better life. This episode breaks down Mark Rober’s engineering mindset into tools you can use today.

Finished the episode? Come back to this post and choose one experiment you’ll run for the next 7 days. Remember: you’re not fixing yourself—you’re testing a better design!

The Core Concept: Think Like an Engineer, Not a Self-Improvement Project

The core shift is simple:

Stop treating your life like a test you either pass or fail. Start treating it like a series of experiments.

NASA doesn’t:

• Bet everything on one perfect design

• Expect things to work on the first try

• Take failure personally

Instead, they:

1. Define the mission

2. Run small experiments

3. Study what went wrong

4. Improve the design

5. Try again

You can apply that exact framework to:

• Your health

• Your career

• Your habits

• Your confidence

• Your relationships

A few key pieces inspired by Mark Rober’s approach:

1. The Super Mario Effect
   In a video and TED Talk, Mark explains that when people play Super Mario, they don’t quit because they “failed” a level. They just think, “Okay, next time I’ll jump earlier.”
   The focus is on the goal (saving the princess), not the shame of messing up.

   Translate that to life:

   • Instead of: “I suck at waking up early.”

   • Try: “Cool, that alarm strategy didn’t work. What’s my next experiment?”

2. Make the Goal Fun (So Your Brain Wants to Play)
   Engineers love tinkering and experimenting. They build fun into the process so they stay curious and engaged.
   If your goals feel like punishment, your brain will fight you.

3. Zoom in to the Next Experiment, Not the Whole Future
   When the future feels blurry or overwhelming, engineers don’t try to predict 10 years ahead.
   They ask: “What’s the next best data point I can gather?”
   That’s your next experiment.

Language matters. When you label it an experiment, you give yourself permission to learn instead of judge.

How to Use the “Life as an Experiment” Method in Daily Life

Let’s turn this from theory into something you can actually use today.

1. Stop Saying “This Has to Work”

The fastest way to get stuck is to make every decision feel like a permanent verdict on your worth.

Instead, say:

• “This is Experiment 1.0.”

• “I’m testing this routine for 7 days.”

• “I’m running a small experiment on my evenings this week.”

Language matters. When you label it an experiment, you give yourself permission to learn instead of judge.

2. Define the Mission, Not the Mood

Engineers don’t say, “I want the rocket to feel more disciplined.”
They say, “I want the rocket to reach orbit.”

For you, that might look like:

• “Mission: Have more energy at 3 p.m.”

• “Mission: Feel less dread on Monday mornings.”

• “Mission: Be present for at least 30 minutes each evening with my partner/kids.”

Clear mission → better experiments.

3. Build Tiny, Testable Experiments

An experiment is:

• Small

• Specific

• Time-bound

Examples:

• “For 7 days, I’ll move my phone charger to the kitchen and read 5 pages in bed instead of scrolling.”

• “For 5 workdays, I’ll start the morning with 10 minutes of focused work before checking email.”

• “For 2 weeks, I’ll walk for 10 minutes after lunch and note my afternoon energy level from 1–10.”

You’re not changing your identity overnight.
You’re collecting data.

4. Turn Failure into Feedback (Super Mario Style)

When an experiment doesn’t work, ask:

• “What exactly made this hard?”

• “Was it the time of day, the environment, the size of the change?”

• “What’s one variable I can change next?”

You’re not a broken person.
You just found one design that doesn’t work—for now.

5. Make It Fun Enough to Repeat

Mark Rober is a master at making science fun. That’s why millions of people watch.
Your life experiments can use the same principle.

Ask:

• “How can I make this 10% more fun?”

• Add a soundtrack

• Turn it into a game or challenge

• Pair a habit with something you enjoy (podcast + walk, coffee + journaling)

Fun isn’t a luxury. It’s fuel!!

You don’t need a lab coat. You need 5 minutes and a pen!

5-Minute Action Plan: Start Your First Life Experiment Today

You don’t need a lab coat. You need 5 minutes and a pen.

Step 1 (1 minute): Pick One Mission

Choose one area where you feel stuck:

• Health, job, habits, relationships, confidence, focus

Then turn it into a clear mission:

• “Mission: Have more energy after work.”

• “Mission: Feel less scattered during the day.”

• “Mission: Take one tiny step toward a new career.”

Step 2 (2 minutes): Design a 7-Day Experiment

Fill in these blanks:

• For the next 7 days, I will experiment with: ________________________

• I’ll do it at: ________________________ (time & place)

• The smallest possible version of this is: ________________________

Examples:

• “For the next 7 days, after dinner, I’ll take a 10-minute walk outside instead of scrolling.”

• “For 7 days, I’ll write one sentence about my day before bed.”

• “For 7 workdays, I’ll spend 5 minutes planning my top 3 tasks before opening email.”

Step 3 (1 minute): Decide How You’ll Measure It

Engineers measure. So will you.

Pick one simple measurement:

• Energy from 1–10

• Mood from 1–10

• Hours of sleep

• Number of times you did the habit

Write:

• “Each day I will track: ________________________.”

Step 4 (1 minute): Pre-Approve Imperfection

Right now, write this down:

• “If I miss a day, I do not restart. I simply note what happened and keep going.”

You’re not restarting the test. You’re continuing it with new data.

Then, set a reminder in your phone for 7 days from now:

• Title: “Review Experiment 1.0”

That’s your debrief session:

• What worked?

• What didn’t?

• What will Experiment 2.0 look like?

What worked? What didn't? What next?

FAQ: Engineering Your Way Out of Being Stuck

Q1: What if I’m already burned out and the idea of “experiments” sounds like more work?
A: Then your first experiment should be about rest, not productivity. For example:
“For 5 days, I’ll go to bed 20 minutes earlier and skip screens 15 minutes before bed. I’ll rate my morning energy 1–10.”
Start with experiments that restore you. When your energy goes up, everything else gets easier.

Q2: How do I know if an experiment is ‘working’?
A: Look at your data, not your feelings on a single bad day. At the end of 7–14 days, ask:

• Did I feel even slightly more [energized / focused / calm / hopeful] on average?

• Was this routine realistically sustainable?

• What small change would improve it?

If something improved even a little, that’s a win. Iterate, don’t abandon.

Q3: What if I hate planning and I’m more of a “go with the flow” person?
A: Great. Then keep your experiments lightweight and playful:

• “For the next week, whenever I feel the urge to scroll, I’ll try drinking a glass of water first and see what happens.”

• “For 5 days, I’ll say ‘yes’ to one small thing that scares me and jot it down.”

You don’t need a 20-page plan. You just need curiosity. The experiment mindset works whether you’re a planner or a free spirit, because it’s about learning, not controlling.

Starting today, you are the lead engineer of your own life! To build a life you actually want to live!

Your Life Isn’t a Test. It’s a Lab.

NASA doesn’t question the worth of the rocket when a test fails.
They adjust the design and run another experiment.

You can do the same with your mornings, your career, your relationships, your confidence.

• No more “I blew it, so I’m starting over Monday.”

• No more “If this doesn’t work, I’m a failure.”

• No more waiting until you “feel ready.”

Starting today, you are the lead engineer of your own life.

Run small experiments.
Collect data.
Iterate your way forward.

Not to build rockets.

To build a life you actually want to live.

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Hey, I’m just your motivational friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this blog is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll catch you tomorrow.

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~Brett
TheMorningMotivator.com · CompleteBusinessFitness.com

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