Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.

Jim Rohn used this line in the context of his motivational teaching on self-discipline and personal development, typically in speeches and seminar-style talks aimed at business audiences and self-improvement seekers. The remark reflects a recurring theme in his work: initial enthusiasm is common, but long-term results depend on building consistent routines that outlast fluctuating feelings. It is often presented as practical advice for goal pursuit—fitness, sales, study, or entrepreneurship—where early inspiration can spark action, yet only repeated behaviors (habits) sustain progress over time.

The quote draws a practical distinction between two drivers of action. “Motivation” is portrayed as the spark—an emotional or inspirational push that helps someone begin a project, change, or goal. “Habit,” by contrast, is the structure that sustains progress when motivation fades. Rohn’s point is that long-term achievement depends less on feeling inspired and more on building repeatable behaviors that operate even under fatigue, doubt, or distraction. The implication is strategic: design routines, environments, and commitments that make the desired action automatic, so success is not contingent on fluctuating moods. It’s a concise argument for discipline as the engine of consistency.