For a long time, I felt stuck in my own life. No motivation to move forward, no discipline to stick to anything, and no real direction to guide me. I’d wake up every day feeling like I was just existing—going through the motions without any clarity on where I was headed or who I even wanted to be.
And here’s the thing: I thought the problem was just me. Like maybe I wasn’t one of those people who could get their life together. Maybe I just didn’t have “it,” whatever “it” was. Sound familiar?
But what I’ve learned is that it’s not about being naturally disciplined or ridiculously motivated all the time—because let’s be real, who is? It’s about setting yourself up with small, intentional habits that slowly shift everything.
These six habits didn’t just help me get unstuck. They saved me from myself—my doubts, my excuses, and the endless cycle of waiting for tomorrow to feel different.
1) Start with ridiculously small goals
When you’re feeling unmotivated, even thinking about big goals can feel overwhelming. Trust me, I’ve been there—staring at this massive mountain of things I wanted to change in my life but not knowing where to even start.
So, I started small. And I mean ridiculously small. Instead of committing to an hour-long workout, I told myself I’d do just five minutes of movement. Instead of writing a full page in my journal, I’d jot down one sentence.
Here’s the magic: small wins build momentum. That five-minute workout turned into ten minutes, then twenty. That one sentence in my journal became two, then three.
The point isn’t to achieve a massive breakthrough right away—it’s just to prove to yourself that you can start. And starting is everything.
When you give yourself permission to begin with something tiny, you remove the pressure of perfection. You’re not trying to change your life in one day; you’re just taking the first step.
2) Embrace the power of routine
For the longest time, I resisted routines. I thought they’d make my life boring or robotic, and I liked the idea of being “spontaneous” (even though my version of spontaneity was more like chaos).
But when everything felt out of control, I realized something: I needed structure more than I wanted to admit.
So, I started with one simple routine—my mornings. I decided that every day, no matter what, I’d spend ten minutes journaling and sipping my coffee before diving into the day. That’s it.
At first, it didn’t feel like much. But over time, something shifted. Those quiet moments gave me a sense of grounding and clarity that I didn’t even know I was missing. It became a small anchor in my otherwise messy days—a reminder that I could create order even when life felt all over the place.
And here’s what surprised me: having that one routine made it easier to build others. Eventually, I added an evening wind-down ritual and a mid-day work break.
It turns out routines aren’t about taking away freedom—they’re about giving you a foundation to stand on, especially when motivation is nowhere to be found.
3) Stop waiting to feel ready
For years, I told myself I’d start “when the time was right”. When I felt more confident. When I had more energy. When life wasn’t so chaotic. But here’s the truth I had to face: that perfect moment?
It doesn’t exist. And waiting for it was just my way of avoiding what I needed to do.
One day, I just got tired of my own excuses. So, I decided to try something different. Instead of waiting for readiness, I acted anyway. Scared? Do it anyway. Tired? Do it anyway. Completely unsure if it would work? You guessed it—do it anyway.
It wasn’t magical or easy, and honestly, sometimes I stumbled hard. But every time I pushed through that wall of hesitation, things started to shift. Slowly but surely, action created momentum, and momentum created confidence—not the other way around like I’d always believed.
If you’re waiting for some kind of internal green light to move forward, let me save you some time: it’s not coming. And that’s okay. You don’t need to feel ready to take the first step—you just need to take it.
4) Stop making everything about willpower
Discipline isn’t about brute force. It’s about designing your environment to make things easier on yourself.
For example, I used to struggle with eating healthier. No matter how many times I told myself I’d choose a salad over chips, it never happened. So instead of relying on sheer willpower, I stopped buying chips altogether. Now when I’m hungry, my only options are ones that actually support my goals.
The same idea worked for my productivity. Instead of trying to resist the siren call of my phone while working, I started leaving it in another room. Out of sight, out of mind—and suddenly, focusing wasn’t such a battle anymore.
The key is this: don’t rely on willpower when you don’t have to. Set up your life so it’s harder to fail and easier to succeed. Because at the end of the day, even the most disciplined people aren’t superhuman—they’re just really good at eliminating unnecessary obstacles.
5) Prioritize sleep like your life depends on it
For a long time, I treated sleep like it was optional. I’d stay up late scrolling, binge-watching, or overthinking, and then drag myself through the next day running on fumes. I thought I could just “push through” the tiredness and be fine. Spoiler: I wasn’t fine.
What I didn’t realize back then is that sleep isn’t just about feeling rested—it’s about giving your brain the chance to reset. While you’re sleeping, your brain clears out toxins, organizes memories, and even helps you process emotions.
Without enough of it, everything—your focus, mood, and even decision-making—takes a hit.
Once I understood this, I stopped treating sleep like an afterthought and made it a priority. I started setting a bedtime for myself (yes, like a kid) and creating a nighttime routine to wind down.
Things like dimming the lights, putting my phone away, and reading a book instead of staring at a screen all helped me actually stick to it.
The result? A clearer mind, more energy, and—surprisingly—a lot more motivation. It turns out it’s nearly impossible to feel driven or disciplined when you’re running on empty.
6) Take responsibility without blaming yourself
I used to live in denial about why I felt so stuck. I blamed my circumstances, other people, even bad luck—but the truth I didn’t want to face was that my life was where it was because of my own choices.
At first, that realization hit me hard. It felt like admitting defeat, like I’d somehow failed myself. But over time, I started to see it differently. Taking responsibility wasn’t about beating myself up for the past—it was about recognizing the power I still had to change my future.
The moment you stop blaming and start owning your life, everything shifts. You realize you’re not waiting around for someone else to fix things or for the perfect conditions to magically appear. You’re in control—maybe not of everything, but of how you respond, what you build, and where you go next.
It’s not always easy to hold that mirror up to yourself, but it’s worth it. Because when you step into that kind of ownership, you stop being a victim of your circumstances and start becoming the person who shapes them. And that changes everything.
The bottom line
The habits we’ve explored aren’t about becoming perfect or forcing motivation; they’re about creating space for growth in the midst of imperfection. It’s not about waiting for the right moment—it’s about making the most of the one you’re in now.
Change doesn’t happen overnight, and that’s okay. Progress is built in those small, imperfect moments when you decide to keep going anyway.
Remember, you don’t have to have it all figured out to take control of your life. The transformation begins in how you show up for yourself today—and every day after that.
