Massive Action, Not Massive Plans: How to Beat the TOEIC Procrastination Trap

There are two types of people who set out to take the TOEIC test.

Those who do.
And those who plan to do.

You already know which one gets the score.

The planners spend weeks designing the perfect study plan.
They watch videos, read blogs, buy new notebooks—
and wait for the “right time” to start.

The doers?
They pick up the first drill and start swinging.

Tony Robbins, author of Awaken the Giant Within, has one piece of advice that applies to every goal—
whether it’s starting a business, finding the love of your life, or crushing the TOEIC:

Take action. Take massive action.

And if that action doesn’t work?
Try something different.
And if that still doesn’t work?
Adjust and act again.

You don’t think your way to results.
You act your way there.

If you’re still waiting to feel ready, you’re stuck in the procrastination trap.
And the only way out is massive, imperfect action—now.

The Perfect Plan Is the Perfect Excuse

Let’s be blunt.
The more you plan, the less you act.

Planning feels productive.
It makes you feel safe.
But in reality, it’s a shield—
a clever way to avoid the discomfort of starting.

You’re not “preparing.”
You’re hiding.

Action Creates Momentum. Planning Does Not.

You cannot “think” your way to a TOEIC breakthrough.
Movement is what creates progress.

Massive action isn’t about working longer.
It’s about making the decision to do something immediate and impactful,
even if it’s messy, even if it’s small, even if it’s not “the perfect drill.”

Every score increase you’ve ever wanted begins with a single step.
Not a plan.

The 5-Minute Massive Action Drill

Here’s how you break out of the loop:

1. Set a 5-minute timer.
   No setup. No overthinking. Just start.

2. Pick a task that feels slightly uncomfortable.

• Answer one listening question at full speed.

• Analyze one mistake deeply.

• Do two reading questions under strict time pressure.

1. Focus completely for those 5 minutes.
   Zero distractions. Just movement.

It’s not about the size of the task.
It’s about the signal you send to your brain:
“We act now.”

Five minutes of real action beats hours of “planning to start.”

Action Builds Confidence. Planning Builds Anxiety.

Every small action chips away at hesitation.
It changes your identity from “I’m still getting ready”
to “I’m someone who moves.”

Planning without action feeds anxiety.
Action kills it.

As Tony Robbins teaches:
“Motion creates emotion.”
Confidence doesn’t come before action.
It comes because of it.

REMEMBER — Plans Don’t Change You. Actions Do.

• The perfect plan is a comfortable excuse.

• Massive action breaks the loop of hesitation.

• Small, focused actions done consistently create unstoppable momentum.

• Awaken the Giant Within is a manual for immediate, decisive action—not wishful thinking.

Stop planning to start.
Start acting.
The shift begins in the next 5 minutes.

Want to Learn More?

Our blog is full of practical strategies that help test-takers like you build better habits, overcome common blocks, and improve TOEIC scores through smarter, easier methods. Try our free TOEIC Block quiz now!

You Don’t Need to Walk on Fire. You Just Need to Walk Through Fear.

In Tony Robbins' book, Awaken the Giant Within,
there’s a moment where he talks about fear—
not as something to avoid,
but as something to walk through.

That’s where his famous fire walk comes in.

Walking barefoot across burning coals sounds insane.
But it’s not about the fire.
It’s about facing every fear, every doubt, every “I can’t” that’s been holding you back.

The fire is just a mirror.
The real obstacle is in your mind.

Your TOEIC Plateau Is a Mental Fire Walk

Most learners stay stuck not because the work is too hard,
but because they fear:

• Failing a full mock test.

• Trying a practice method that feels “too advanced.”

• Committing to a habit they’re not sure they can sustain.

It’s not the task that stops them.
It’s the fear of starting.

In Awaken the Giant Within, Robbins explains that your life changes
the moment you make a true decision.
Not a wish.
Not a hope.
A decision backed by immediate action.

The Fire Walk Is Not About Strength — It’s About Decision

When someone steps onto those hot coals,
they don’t suddenly become braver or more capable.
They simply choose:
“I’m doing this now.”

Your breakthrough in TOEIC will come from the same place.
Not from more study hours.
Not from finding the “perfect” method.
But from a single, bold act of courage.

What’s Your Fire Walk?

It might be:

• Taking a full mock test you’ve been avoiding.

• Trying a new drill that feels uncomfortable.

• Committing to a focused daily habit.

The specific action doesn’t matter.
What matters is that it scares you a little.
Because the moment you act, fear loses its grip.

REMEMBER — The Fire is Never the Real Obstacle. Fear Is.

• The task is never as hard as the fear that surrounds it.

• Courage is acting while afraid, not waiting to be fearless.

• A single bold action can break months of hesitation.

• You don’t need to walk on fire. You need to walk through fear.

If you’re waiting to “feel ready,” you’ll wait forever.
Decide.
Step.
That’s how you awaken the giant within.

Want to Learn More?

Our blog is full of practical strategies that help test-takers like you build better habits, overcome common blocks, and improve TOEIC scores through smarter, easier methods. Try our free TOEIC Block quiz now!

🧳 TOEIC Exam Day Belongings List: Facing the Test with Zero Forgotten Items

You know you should pack the night before.
But will you?

More than one test taker has woken up early on exam day, only to realise they forgot their test voucher, their ID… or even worse — their confidence.

Let’s fix that.
This isn’t just a packing list. It’s your calm-before-the-storm checklist — a small habit that makes a big difference.

✅ The Calm-Test-Day Checklist

Here’s what you actually need to bring — and why it matters:

1. Your Test Voucher (受験票)
No voucher = no entry. It happens more often than you think. Put it in a clear file and pack it first.

2. Valid Photo ID
The name must match your TOEIC registration exactly. Double-check expiration dates too.
Accepted: Driver’s license, passport, or My Number card — but always check official guidelines in advance.

3. Pencils (x2) and Eraser
Standard #2 or HB pencils (not mechanical).
Bring at least two — both sharpened — and a reliable eraser that won’t smudge or tear the paper.

4. Analog Wristwatch (Not a Smartwatch)
Phones and digital timers are off-limits. A simple analog watch is your best pacing tool — especially in Part 7.
Set quiet mental checkpoints (e.g. “Part 5 done by 10:10”) and check in as you go.

5. Nutrition for Mental Focus
We recommend a banana and a small bottle of electrolyte drink (like Pocari Sweat or Aquarius).
The goal: steady blood sugar and hydration.
Think: calm, stable, marathon energy — not a sugar spike followed by a crash.

6. Light Jacket or Cardigan
Test centres can be chilly — especially in summer when the air conditioning is strong.
Bring a layer, even if it’s warm outside. You don’t want to shiver through Part 7.

7. Eye Drops or Tissues
Dry eyes from AC? Runny nose from nerves or allergies? It happens.
You won’t be allowed to leave often, so bring a small pack of tissues and eye drops just in case.

8. Quiet Good Luck Charm (if that’s your thing)
A small item — a charm from a shrine, a pebble in your pocket, a note from someone who believes in you.
Sometimes it’s not superstition — it’s stability. And it reminds you: you’re not alone.

🌅 Pack the Night Before = Calm the Morning Of

One of the simplest ways to reduce test anxiety?

Pack everything the night before.
Lay it all out on your desk or dining table.

🎒 Clear file
✏️ Pencils and eraser
🪪 ID
⏰ Watch
🥤 Drink + snack
🧥 Jacket
🍀 (Optional) Lucky charm

When your bag is ready, your brain rests better.

You’ll sleep deeper, wake up calmer, and walk into the test without that frantic “Did I forget something?” panic that drains mental energy.

🧠 Bonus Tip: Prepare Your Brain Too

The TOEIC exam doesn’t start when they say, “Begin.”

It starts the moment you wake up — how you eat, how you move, how you breathe.

So:
Eat breakfast.
Walk slowly.
Check your belongings one last time.
And take one deep, steadying breath before you enter.

You’ve got this.

And now… you’re packed for it too.

Want to Learn More?

Our blog is full of practical strategies that help test-takers like you build better habits, overcome common blocks, and improve TOEIC scores through smarter, easier methods. Try our free TOEIC Block quiz now!

TOEIC Nerves? Here’s How to Stay Calm and Perform at Your Best

You know the feeling.

You’ve studied. You’ve practiced. You know the material.

But the morning of the TOEIC test arrives… and suddenly, your heart won’t stop pounding.

You forget everything. You panic. And you walk out thinking,

“I knew that answer… why couldn’t I say it?”

Nervousness doesn’t mean you’re unprepared.

It just means you’ve never been taught how to prepare your mind — not just your memory.

Let’s change that.

🚨 Why You Freeze — Even When You Know the Answer

Your brain is designed for survival.

In a calm state, you can remember what you studied, think clearly, and make decisions.
But under stress? Your brain switches into “fight, flight, or freeze.”

And that’s exactly what happens on test day.

For many learners, the TOEIC test environment feels threatening — not because of the test itself, but because of everything riding on the score:

• A job interview

• A promotion

• A chance to study abroad

• The end of a long study journey

So when you sit down to take the test, your brain is flooded with adrenaline and stress.

And what do we know about adrenaline?

It shuts down the prefrontal cortex — the part of your brain responsible for calm thinking and memory retrieval.

Translation?
You blank. You guess. You panic. And worst of all… you blame yourself.

🛠️ How to Stay Calm and Take Back Control

Let’s get practical.

Here are four techniques that My TOEIC Coach uses to help students stay grounded and perform at their best:

1. Rehearse the Day Before

One major source of stress is uncertainty. So remove it.

• Pack everything the night before

• Set out your clothes, test voucher, ID, and stationery

• Set two alarms

• Decide what time you’ll leave

• Visualise yourself arriving, checking in, and sitting down

If your brain knows the path, it doesn’t panic.

2. Treat It Like a Marathon

Would you run a marathon on an empty stomach?

Before the test, fuel your brain like an athlete:

• A banana and a small electrolyte drink give you potassium and stable energy

• Avoid sugar crashes or skipping breakfast

• Don’t over-caffeinate — you want energy, not jitters

3. Anchor Yourself Physically

When you feel panic rise, use your body to reset your brain:

• Place both feet flat on the floor

• Sit upright, hands resting on your thighs

• Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 6

• Repeat 3 times

This shifts your nervous system from “fight or flight” to “rest and focus.”

4. Use a Grounding Phrase

Just before the test begins, whisper to yourself:

“I’ve done what I can. I’m ready to show it.”

This isn't positive thinking. It's alignment.
You’re reminding your brain that this is your moment — and that you’re allowed to succeed.

🔁 Bonus: Practice Under Test Conditions

The more your practice feels like the real thing, the calmer you’ll be.

That’s why at My TOEIC Coach, we simulate real test environments in coaching:

• Timed sections

• Background noise

• “One shot” answering rules

So when the real day comes, your body says, “I know this.”
And confidence takes over.

🌱 Final Thought

Being nervous doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you care.

But caring without a strategy leads to panic.

With the right tools — and a coach who understands — your nerves can become focus, and your preparation can finally turn into progress.

You don’t need to fight the fear.
You just need to train your brain to breathe through it.

Want to Learn More?

Our blog is full of practical strategies that help test-takers like you build better habits, overcome common blocks, and improve TOEIC scores through smarter, easier methods. Try our free TOEIC Block quiz now!

Atomic Habits & TOEIC Burnout: Why Small Wins Build Lasting Energy

Many TOEIC learners feel stuck. Not because they’re lazy. Not because they lack discipline. But because they’re exhausted.

Study feels heavy. Motivation fades.
This is Burnout — and more practice tests won’t fix it.

James Clear’s Atomic Habits explains a simple but overlooked solution: design your environment to make small wins automatic.

Burnout Isn’t About How Much You’re Doing — It’s About How You’re Doing It

Most test-takers try to “push through” burnout by studying harder.
But the problem isn’t effort. It’s that every study session feels like a battle of willpower.

Atomic Habits flips this thinking.
Instead of relying on motivation, you adjust your environment and habits to make success easier, not harder.

Example 1: The “Visible Cue” Trick — Vocabulary

Rather than setting a goal to “study vocabulary 30 minutes a day”, you place your vocabulary list somewhere you naturally pause during the day — like on your desk, or next to your coffee machine.

Every time you see it, you spend just 1 minute reviewing a few words.
No timer. No app.
Just a tiny, frictionless action that builds momentum without mental effort.

It’s not a “study session”. It’s a small win that happens naturally.

Example 2: Redesigning Your Listening Practice — Not Your Willpower

Listening practice often feels overwhelming because people wait until they’re “ready” to sit down and focus.

Instead, you can simply swap your phone’s default YouTube setting to English podcasts or TOEIC listening playlists.
Now, when you open YouTube or Spotify during a break, you’re casually exposed to English without forcing yourself into a study mode.

The environment does the work.
You’re not pushing yourself harder — you’re removing friction.

The Point: Small Systems Beat Big Willpower

Burnout doesn’t come from a lack of motivation.
It comes from relying on motivation too much.

Atomic Habits teaches that small, easy wins done consistently are what rebuild energy and progress.

If TOEIC study feels heavy, the answer isn’t “try harder” — it’s build lighter systems.

Want to Learn More?

Our blog is full of practical strategies that help test-takers like you build better habits, overcome common blocks, and improve TOEIC scores through smarter, easier methods. Try our free TOEIC Block quiz now!

Why Atomic Habits Is the Book You Should Have Read Years Ago — TOEIC Success and Life Success Start Here

What is Atomic Habits?

James Clear's Atomic Habits is a book about how small, consistent actions create big changes. It teaches that success isn't just about setting big goals, but about the daily patterns and habits that move you towards those goals.

One of the core ideas is: "You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems."

In other words, your habits and routines — the things you do every day without thinking — decide if you'll reach your TOEIC goals. So you need to work on your habits, and that's exactly what we encourage here at My TOEIC Coach (MTC). Improve your habits, and you will improve your TOEIC score — and even your life.

This is one of those books that, once you read it, you wonder why you didn’t find it years ago. As Chuck Jones once said, "The difference between you now and you in five years is the people you meet and the books you read." Atomic Habits is absolutely one of those books.

The 1% Rule: Small Wins That Build TOEIC Power

One powerful idea from the book is the "1% Rule." Instead of trying to make huge improvements all at once, you focus on small, daily actions that slowly but surely build up over time.

For example:

• A learner who reviews their vocabulary list for just 2 minutes before bed improves their word recall. Research shows that reviewing before sleep can boost memory retention by over 70%.

• Another learner watches their favourite Netflix show with English subtitles. This simple, enjoyable habit helps train their ear to English rhythm and phrasing, which often leads to better Listening scores.

These are small actions, but when done consistently, they build powerful results. It’s not about studying longer. It’s about making small habits that work for you.

Start a Great Habit Today

The ideas in this book are not complicated, but they are powerful. Even one small change — like reviewing vocabulary for a few minutes before bed — can lead to big results over time.

If you want to make lasting improvements to your TOEIC score, and to your daily life, start by reading this book. It will give you tools that keep paying off for years.

Build a better habit. Buy the book.

Want to Learn More?

Our blog is full of practical strategies that help test-takers like you build better habits, overcome common blocks, and improve TOEIC scores through smarter, easier methods. Try our free TOEIC Block quiz now!