Neill Conor, a leadership coach, shared a powerful message in one of his YouTube videos: “Life rewards action, not intelligence.” It’s a simple yet profound idea, one that took him years to fully embrace.

Growing up, Neill realized he could do well in school by relying on intelligence alone, with little effort. This gave him the impression that being smart was the key to success. However, over time, he discovered a significant drawback of this mindset: the smarter you are, the better you become at making excuses. You can easily convince yourself that the actions you take are too small or unimportant to make a difference.

One Step at a Time

Neill shares wisdom from George Leonard, the man who introduced jiujitsu to the U.S.: “You can’t do everything, but you can do one thing, and another, and another.” Massive progress comes not from grand gestures but from consistent, incremental actions.

On his YouTube channel, Neill often reflects on how he builds connections with his audience. His ideas may not always seem groundbreaking, but his success comes from showing up consistently. Week after week, he shares his thoughts, learns from his actions, and gradually improves. Even imperfect actions, he says, teach valuable lessons and build momentum.

The Role of Discipline

According to Neill, discipline is critical for sustained action, but you can’t gauge your discipline until you measure something tangible. He learned this through a writing challenge.

His mentor, Esa, encouraged him to write technical notes, but for years, he didn’t make progress. Eventually, Neill hired a writing coach. Each week, his coach asked, “How many words did you write this week?” Early on, Neill felt he was putting in a lot of effort, but when he saw the numbers, he realized his output didn’t match the energy he thought he was investing. By tracking his progress daily and weekly, he was able to turn ideas into measurable results.

Neill emphasizes that measuring your progress is essential for self-awareness. Without it, your mind can trick you into thinking you’re productive when, in reality, little is being accomplished.

Prioritize Action

Neill’s key message is that everything good in life happens when you step out of your comfort zone and take action. Whether it’s writing, creating videos, or leading a team, action leads to growth, connection, and success.

Here’s Neill’s challenge for you:

1. Identify something that truly matters to you.
2. Set a clear way to measure your progress.
3. Reflect on whether your actions align with your goals.

Remember, life rewards action—not just intelligence. The best ideas in the world mean little if they aren’t acted upon. So, get started, take one step, and keep moving forward.

Neill shared this message while teaching a leadership program at ESA Business School in Barcelona. His videos continue to inspire individuals to take action, stay disciplined, and make meaningful progress.