Motivation

Do not quit after trying something for only 1-3 days; ignore the ego's claim that it isn't working.

It does work.

one person who lived it

Pick one specific, achievable goal and master it before moving to the next.

It is better to be on top of one thing than to struggle with everything; things may change faster than expected.

4 people, independently

• Break down each goal weekly and take it one step at a time rather than going from zero to everything all at once.1
• Focus on one goal at a time.1
• List minor objectives, complete them, then progressively list larger ones.18

Do productive things even when you feel terrible.

These days count the most because climbing out of a low point to do good work is twice the effort but yields twice the achievement.

one person who lived it

Complete demanding tasks early in the day so the rest of the day is free for whatever you want.

Having the rest of the day open is more appealing than delaying tasks.

one person who lived it

Start a task even if it seems ridiculous or impossible to finish; momentum often builds naturally once you begin.

Starting helps things get rolling.

• One person's experience

4 people, independently

Keep a dated list of small accomplishments and challenge yourself to add at least one entry per week.

• Bucket lists can become frustrating and ruin your mood.

3 people, independently

• Set personal targets and give yourself a reward when you reach them.4
• Grab a journal and write down your thoughts, problems, possible solutions, and future goals.3
• Build a daily routine that reserves time for personal growth, such as working out, reading, or studying.6
• Set daily objectives and review your performance at the end of each day.3
• Establish modest, reachable targets and acknowledge every bit of forward movement, regardless of scale.9

Take baby steps, such as putting one foot on the floor, to overcome inertia.

The other foot will follow soon after.

one person who lived it

Use a 5-minute rule: commit to doing a task for just 5 minutes (like loading dishes) to break it into small chunks.

It may inspire you to do additional tasks, like taking out the trash.

one person who lived it

Set a timer for 10 minutes and force yourself to do something for that period.

Doing better with teeny goals.

one person who lived it

• Set timers to work for short intervals, such as 15 minutes, followed by rest periods.1

Set weekly targets, such as going three times this week, instead of aiming for daily streaks so that missing one day does not cause you to quit.

Thinking in weekly targets makes it easier to continue after a missed day.

one person who lived it

Find three great things in your life each day and be grateful for them.

Focusing on the positive makes small negative things feel like little obstacles rather than mountains.

one person who lived it

Do the work even when you do not want to, knowing you will feel worse if you do not.

Knowing you will feel much shittier if you don't.

2 people, independently

If you struggle with starting training, sign up for a challenging event before you have the equipment or skills to force yourself to prepare.

Knowing you signed up ensures you will train.

• One person's experience after doing half marathons.

one person who lived it

If you are trying to wake up earlier, aim to get up just one minute earlier each day.

It frames progress as competing with your past self rather than an immediate leap.

one person who lived it

Write your big goal in a journal every single day to keep it top-of-mind.

It constantly reminds you of what gets you going.

one person who lived it

Set the bar really low for new habits to ensure follow-through.

Setting the bar low helps with follow-through.

one person who lived it

Block time in your calendar for tasks and use bullet journaling to plan your year, month, week, and days.

This helps build a routine and stay on top of tedious jobs.

one person who lived it

Start chipping away at a goal like moving out.

Life will get better!

one person who lived it

Write down your goals on paper and tape it to your wall.

One person did this to remind themselves of how much more they can achieve.

one person who lived it

Do good habits just for the sake of doing them.

The point of habits is performing the action versus not.

one person who lived it

Focus on making 'future you' less anxious and sad by doing small tasks now.

It is often the first step needed to get moving.

one person who lived it

Add a small behavior, such as a 2-minute task before or after a workout with a friend, logged just for you.

To make you the stakeholder too.

one person who lived it

Focus on micro-wins and tiny daily actions rather than motivation or big breakthroughs.

Shame does not help you climb out, but stacked daily actions do.

one person who lived it

Perform at least one difficult task daily that you would rather avoid.

5 people, independently

• Commit to performing a task every day, accepting that consistency is difficult but necessary.3

Automate bills and savings so that only discretionary money remains on your debit card.

It lifts a huge weight off your shoulders.

one person who lived it

Practice doing small tasks immediately when you don't want to, to build resilience against fear.

Doing so helps you realize you can handle anything that causes variation of fear within.

one person who lived it

Pick one measurable metric and compare yourself to it weekly for a month instead of comparing to others.

You are likely in a stretch where effort has not yet turned into visible results.

one person who lived it

Write down important advice and start it into your life one day at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

You can get overwhelmed if you try to do too much at once.

one person who lived it

Set and achieve small daily goals, such as making your bed or brushing your teeth by a specific time.

Small accomplishments help you realize that you are achieving things during the day.

6 people, independently

Dedicate decades to steady daily work to slowly reach your aims.

3 people, independently

Start with small, reasonable goals rather than extreme measures.

Starting too big makes it easy to adopt a 'fuck it' mindset and give up.

one person who lived it

Start with small tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed and tired before you even begin.

Trying to do big tasks all at once leads to overwhelm and fatigue.

one person who lived it

Give someone money that you only get back if you succeed in abstaining from the old behavior.

3 people, independently

Track your effort instead of focusing on visible results.

You may be in a phase where effort has not yet produced visible results.

one person who lived it

Create a strict daily plan and eliminate distractions.

It helped me a lot.

one person who lived it

Choose long-term pleasure over short-term challenges by committing to getting things done now.

Getting things done now leads to greater happiness in the future.

one person who lived it

Apply the Pomodoro method: work in 25-minute intervals followed by a pause.

31 people, independently

• Use the Pomodoro technique to focus on tasks.1

Take note of smaller accomplishments to maintain motivation instead of waiting for large results.

That's what will keep you motivated.

• NEVER compare yourself to anyone.

one person who lived it

Start your day by making your bed and opening your blinds to start the day on the right foot.

It is a small task that starts the day on the right foot.

one person who lived it

Tell yourself you will succeed at a task to trigger your brain's best effort to make it happen.

People often trick their own minds into failing with negative thoughts; positive declarations counter this.

one person who lived it

Establish identity-based habits by proving your new identity through small wins.

Small wins serve as proof to yourself that you are becoming the person you aim to be.

one person who lived it

Rate your daily accomplishments on a scale of 1 to 3 to build motivation.

Looking at the accumulating scores should motivate you.

one person who lived it

Start with simple tasks to build motivation for larger ones.

The human mind is programmed to dislike big tasks; starting small can lead to bigger accomplishments.

one person who lived it

Define a clear 'Why' for your tasks to improve completion rates.

Understanding the purpose helps in completing tasks.

one person who lived it

Count backwards from five to force yourself to start an action immediately, even if you do not want to do it.

11 people, independently

Celebrate each milestone to help keep yourself on track.

It helps maintain momentum and stay on track.

one person who lived it

Reward yourself with guilt-free internet time after completing a specific amount of work.

Dopamine feels better after a period of abstinence.

one person who lived it

Set reasonable weekly goals and daily task lists focused on moving your life forward to avoid end-of-day regret.

Completing tasks that move your life forward prevents feeling angry at yourself at midnight.

one person who lived it

Use concepts from Cal Newport's 'Deep Life Stack' podcast episode to decide what to focus on and which activities to complete.

It helps determine if something is important enough to fit in or should be dropped.

one person who lived it

If you struggle with bad habits, find a direction that inspires you and focus on building toward it.

It reduces the urge to engage in those other things.

one person who lived it

Set milestones throughout the path to a goal to receive dopamine hits from each accomplishment.

Having a vision helps, and pacing out the road with little goals provides dopamine hits.

one person who lived it

Challenge yourself with a specific small physical goal, such as doing +10 pull-ups over your current limit, to refocus your attention when feeling stuck in a routine.

It will not make the routine more exciting, but it will refocus your attention.

one person who lived it

Start cleaning your living space with simple tasks like vacuuming to re-establish the connection between work and reward.

Completing these tasks feels good and improves habits and lifestyle.

one person who lived it

Stop working when you know exactly what happens next, so you can start immediately the following day without facing a blank canvas.

Leaving a blank canvas will paralyze you.

one person who lived it

Join a local marathon to force yourself to train by reminding yourself that failing to finish wastes the expensive entry fee.

The high cost serves as a reminder to avoid wasting money if you are not fit enough to finish.

one person who lived it

Reframe your efforts as a climb or a race to create positive emotional momentum.

This reframing drives you forward in that moment.

one person who lived it

Focus on whether you performed the action today rather than obsessing over immediate results.

Doing the thing is the win.

one person who lived it

Complete small tasks daily to chip away at feelings of helplessness and build momentum through stacking tiny wins.

Small actions reduced feelings of helplessness and started stacking over time.

2 people, independently

Immediately do small tasks that come to mind, such as trimming nails, to fight laziness.

Fight laziness.

one person who lived it

Channel self-destructive tendencies by working out to failure in the gym, making the physical exertion a productive expression of that impulse.

One person found this allowed them to express self-destruction productively, and since they are used to failing, the sting of failure in workouts feels familiar.

• This advice is based on one person's experience of channeling self-destructive urges.

one person who lived it

Do small cleaning tasks immediately when you notice them, such as throwing away trash or cleaning a dish, rather than waiting.

Putting things off makes them feel more overwhelming and undesirable.

one person who lived it

Set extremely small, daily goals—such as writing two lines instead of three pages—to build sticky habits and reduce procrastination.

Small goals make tasks easier and less likely to be procrastinated on, eventually creating sticky habits.

one person who lived it

Start the day by making your bed and doing laundry to feel accomplished.

These are easy jobs that make you feel accomplished and can help develop further cleaning habits.

one person who lived it

Focus only on the next immediate small action rather than the entire task.

3 people, independently

Begin a minor tidying task by concentrating on a single drawer or shelf.

3 people, independently

Make the first step of a task extremely easy to overcome intimidation and gain momentum.

An easy first step allows you to gain momentum.

one person who lived it

Pair self-authoring exercises with weekly reviews of a daily journal.

One person found this combination works well.

one person who lived it

Set a fixed daily structure with anchors like waking up and eating at specific times.

It creates a framework that helps with focus and builds confidence in capability.

one person who lived it

Do tasks despite fear, tiredness, or sadness; bypass default inclinations by acting while uncomfortable.

Allow yourself to be uncomfortable so you end up acting even when you hate it.

one person who lived it

Take up challenging activities like learning a new skill to build confidence.

Challenging yourself and growing makes you more confident.

one person who lived it

Praise yourself often and regularly, focusing on the work you did rather than the outcome.

Regular praise reinforces positive behavior; being on target is more important than hitting a bullseye.

one person who lived it

Schedule specific times for difficult tasks and restrict your online activity during those windows to content solely about how to start the task.

This helps when desired actions feel harder than passive browsing.

one person who lived it

Train yourself to act immediately upon feelings of enthusiasm to build automatic action habits.

Over time, this trains the brain to bypass debate about effort.

one person who lived it

Build tiny habits to integrate desired behaviors into your life until they become automatic.

Habits take the thinking out of action, so once established, you do not need willpower to perform them.

one person who lived it

Create a visual or material representation of your progress to track advancement.

It helps imagine progress and maintain focus, similar to how prisoners draw lines to keep their sanity.

one person who lived it

Boost commitment by having an accountability partner or publicly sharing your goals.

Being held accountable is proven to boost commitment.

one person who lived it

Do the work immediately.

Action breeds action, while inaction breeds inaction.

one person who lived it

Focus on consistency in exercise over intensity.

Consistency is the most important factor, and a bad workout is better than none.

one person who lived it

Recognize that your actions compound over time; even without big wins now, six months from now you will start compounding your current efforts with future ones.

one person who lived it

Write down negative thoughts and feelings about tasks to add to clarity.

It provides enhanced clarity.

one person who lived it

Choose the difficulty of working toward goals over the difficulty of feeling bad for not doing so.

one person who lived it

Define goals in terms of identity ('I am a runner') rather than actions ('I will run'), as suggested in 'Atomic Habits'.

one person who lived it

Take immediate action on a task to trigger inspiration, rather than waiting for inspiration to cause action.

Action itself triggers inspiration.

one person who lived it

Set up rewards, such as listening to music, to occur only after you have accomplished necessary tasks.

4 people, independently

• Design a reward structure to help you endure difficult tasks, encouraging your brain to feel motivated or rewarded for acting early.4

Identify your greatest fear (such as dying without achieving your potential) and associate failing to do critical tasks with moving one step closer to that fear manifesting.

one person who lived it

Acknowledge that achieving goals takes time.

One person found this acknowledgment personally helpful.

one person who lived it

Acknowledge your progress to rebuild confidence and build positive reinforcement by showing yourself you can do it.

Rebuilding confidence and building positive reinforcement

one person who lived it

Create external accountability structures by setting parameters and involving others with 'skin in the game'.

Self-will is difficult.

one person who lived it

Practice daily visualization of both pleasurable outcomes and painful consequences to strengthen desire.

Mixing positive rewards with negative avoidance can yield the best results.

one person who lived it

Set long-term goals supported by specific short-term goals that link directly to the larger objective.

3 people, independently

Recognize that video games provide artificial achievement that may reduce care for real-world goals.

one person who lived it

Replace bad habits with neutral or slightly better alternatives rather than trying to become super productive immediately.

3 people, independently

Provide positive reinforcement for every win.

positive reinforcement is key

one person who lived it

Wash dishes immediately to avoid procrastination and sweep floors to keep a clean, pleasant environment.

Avoids procrastination and creates a clean, pleasant environment.

one person who lived it

Structure your objectives by adding new activities to your life instead of removing existing habits.

3 people, independently

Focus on your own well-being rather than trying to win back someone whose mind has already moved on.

The opportunity with the other person has passed, so the effort should be for yourself.

one person who lived it

Treat each morning as a new choice and chance to make the most of your life.

Life gives you a choice and a new chance every day when you wake up.

one person who lived it

Practice Stoicism to help deal with things you do not have power over.

7 people, independently

• If you are interested in philosophy, try Stoicism.1

Put in the effort to change now, recognizing that life is short and you do not get a do-over.

one person who lived it

Follow a cycle of taking in new knowledge, reflecting on it, and then practicing it; repeat this process.

If you fail to practice, you won't get far.

one person who lived it

Declare the past over and commit to making your next decade the best of your life.

one person who lived it

Believe that consistent effort drives progress toward your goal, even when visible results are delayed.

Growth accumulates silently; initial work builds capacity before becoming apparent, and significant shifts frequently occur at such a slow pace that they seem nonexistent.

3 people, independently

Reflect on what you enjoyed doing for fun when you were younger.

4 people, independently

Voluntarily choose hardship and embrace the pain of action regularly.

It guides you to a happy life and transforms you into someone you are proud of.

one person who lived it

• Embrace the pain of action to transform yourself into someone you are proud of.1

Remind yourself of your underlying reasons when you feel you aren't making progress.

It gets better as you go.

one person who lived it

Accept that there is a difference in your abilities even if your feelings suggest otherwise.

Feelings can be wrong.

one person who lived it

Once you get out of stagnation, use that experience to ensure you never fall into it again.

Knowing what it feels like helps you avoid repeating it.

one person who lived it

Remember that others would trade places with you to shift focus from situation to perspective.

It is more about perspective than situations.

one person who lived it

Imagine how a self-assured person would handle the current moment, then act accordingly.

You may eventually become that person.

3 people, independently

Improve one aspect of your life, such as losing weight, trusting everything else will fall in place.

Losing weight can improve confidence.

one person who lived it

Choose the hard path of self-improvement over staying stagnant, acknowledging that both are difficult.

Both paths are hard.

one person who lived it

Do the thing you know will progress you toward success, even if you feel resistance.

Resistance is sabotage.

one person who lived it

Take the opportunities currently in front of you to avoid wasting more time.

To avoid wasting more time.

one person who lived it

Take one step at a time and gradually increase pace, avoiding impulsive drastic changes.

Impetuous change does not last long.

one person who lived it

Embrace the discomfort of learning as a necessary part of growth.

Learning tears up the brain like exercise tears muscles.

one person who lived it

Accept that any movement forward is better than staying still, even if the progress feels painful.

Inaction is described as death.

2 people, independently

• Take imperfect action instead of staying still, knowing you can always choose again if the decision proves wrong.1

Analyze failures to identify errors and extract lessons so you avoid repeating them.

Doing this ensures you are moving forward.

4 people, independently

• Reflect on past events with a neutral mindset to identify mistakes and how to correct them.4

Ensure your desire for the outcome outweighs your fear of it.

one person who lived it

Ask yourself who you are, what your favorite things are, and what kind of person you want to be, then act on those answers.

one person who lived it

• Decide who you want to be and work backward from that identity.1
• Define your desired future self and align your behavior with that vision.4

Look at old photos of yourself as a child to help remember your goals, dreams, and plans for the future.

one person who lived it

Talk yourself into carrying on each day, even if just out of spite or to prove doubters wrong.

one person who lived it

Accept that no one is coming to fix your life but you, then take small, consistent steps.

one person who lived it

Reframe mistakes as opportunities for growth and tweaking rather than reasons to give up.

One bad decision can create a slippery slope making further bad decisions easier.

one person who lived it

If you break your routine, do not feel bad; simply get back to it immediately.

Everyone breaks their routine sometimes.

one person who lived it

Create urgency by acknowledging that you do not know how much time you have left.

one person who lived it

Ignore other people's timelines for success.

Everyone else is going through their own struggles and no one has it fully figured out.

one person who lived it

Use the feeling of wasted potential as fuel to create something beautiful.

We need this feeling to flip it to something beautiful.

one person who lived it

Wait until you are genuinely tired of your current situation before expecting change.

Change reportedly does not happen until you have had enough.

one person who lived it

Accept yourself, including strengths and flaws, to become kinder to others and yourself.

It’s transformative

one person who lived it

Recognize that life fluctuates for all people and that nobody truly has everything sorted out.

3 people, independently

• Accept the impermanence of both good and bad times instead of forcing outcomes.1

Recognize that there is no roadmap for life; do your own thing because it is not a race or competition.

2 people, independently

• Do not compare yourself to others or view opportunities as wasted, since everyone lives in their own timing.1

Hold realistic views of yourself and recognize that errors are part of learning.

5 people, independently

Work for what you want and live your best life, recognizing that death can happen at any moment.

one person who lived it

Maintain your discipline even after rejection.

Discipline is hard to get and easy to lose.

one person who lived it

View self-improvement as a lifelong habit built brick by brick, requiring patience and perseverance.

once you get the wheels turning, it starts to speed up and slowly accelerate

one person who lived it

Accept and embrace challenges rather than avoiding them, so you can become better.

Avoiding challenges means never living; embracing them allows you to improve.

one person who lived it

Concentrate on future achievements rather than fixating on history or missed opportunities.

Fixating on history only deepens the rut.

5 people, independently

• Build your desired future through current actions rather than letting history dictate it.9

Ask yourself what promise you can keep to yourself today instead of asking how to rebuild your whole life.

one person who lived it

Begin with small steps, build gradually, move slowly, and show yourself compassion.

4 people, independently

Set realistic, smaller targets and measure your progress against your previous self, not other people.

6 people, independently

Ensure you genuinely want to quit, rather than just knowing you should.

one person who lived it

Push yourself to take action now rather than waiting for life to become frustrating enough to force you into motion.

3 people, independently

• Quiet your mind, cease overthinking, and begin taking action.3

Focus on making your younger self proud of your current progress to ensure past suffering was not in vain.

one person who lived it

• View yourself as a product of everything you have achieved and haven't, so that when you achieve your goals, you feel you deserved them.1

Accept that discomfort is helpful and you do not need to feel comfortable before acting.

2 people, independently

Recognize that most progress with discipline and habits occurs when you struggle the most.

one person who lived it

• Push through discomfort and accept that hard work is necessary.3
• Persist through initial difficulty, knowing that change becomes part of you once adapted.1

Avoid letting ego lead to defeat when facing painful failure; choose to stand up and fight instead.

one person who lived it

• Do something about it rather than accepting failure as inevitable.3

Ask yourself whether your current life or the steps required to change it are more uncomfortable.

one person who lived it

Find something worth failing repeatedly for, just to succeed in it.

2 people, independently

• Persist through setbacks, maintain effort, and experiment with different approaches until you find what works.3

Be passionate, practice gratefulness, and maintain good relationships.

You'll eventually live a flourishing life.

one person who lived it

Admit your current state of being to build the consciousness and awareness needed for improvement.

Consciousness and awareness are key to improvement.

one person who lived it

• Focus on awareness and work on that awareness as the first step in improving yourself.1

Accept that effort involves discomfort, but trust that pleasure follows completion.

This sequence can create a positive feedback loop.

one person who lived it

Be comfortable and confident with being different rather than trying to appear normal.

2 people, independently

Consider enjoying simply 'being' yourself as a goal to get in a society that demands you be everything else.

one person who lived it

Accept yourself and your shortcomings, adopting a sense of humor about your misfit ways.

one person who lived it

Reframe the feeling of 'going in circles' as moving in an upward spiral, recognizing that old habits are part of a larger progression.

one person who lived it

Practice meditation as part of your self-improvement routine.

4 people, independently

Accept that falling behind at first is okay and part of doing something extraordinary.

one person who lived it

Be active in seizing daily opportunities rather than passively waiting for a second chance.

Second chances imply passiveness.

one person who lived it

Reframe obligations as privileges by telling yourself 'I get to do this' instead of 'I have to,' such as viewing going to the gym as an opportunity to get stronger.

one person who lived it

Implement the 1% rule, accepting that progress is not linear and may involve setbacks.

one person who lived it

Recognize that your existence as a human is statistically way more unlikely than you might think.

one person who lived it

Ignore everyone else’s expectations or opinions of you and focus on building yourself.

one person who lived it

Distinguish between wanting the outcome and wanting the process; accept if you only desire the identity.

one person who lived it

Take calculated risks that are backed by your experience and proactive drive.

one person who lived it

Accept that nothing is accomplished without some sacrifice and that you cannot have everything.

one person who lived it

Push yourself to listen more and be considerate of other people's moods and feelings.

one person who lived it

Picture yourself as a pilot behind your eyes, viewing pains and laziness as body signals like dashboard gauges rather than personal directives.

one person who lived it

Recognize that being called intelligent as a child may condition you to view your ability as static, whereas being called a hard worker conditions you to view it as dynamic and improvable.

one person who lived it

Reframe confusion or difficulty as an opportunity for growth rather than a source of frustration.

one person who lived it

Adopt the concept of the 'inner team' to recognize that conflicting internal voices represent different people inside of us whose desires often conflict.

one person who lived it

Recognize that it is impossible to avoid wasting potential entirely, and that maximizing every situation does not guarantee a positive outcome.

one person who lived it

Focus on living remarkably rather than achieving remarkable things.

one person who lived it

Take trial classes in hobbies you are curious about to get out of your comfort zone; continue only if something sticks.

It gets you out of your comfort zone and allows you to meet new people.

one person who lived it

Read aloud to a stuffed animal when you are having trouble falling asleep.

It can be calming.

• One person's experience

one person who lived it

Go on long walks with your partner to burn calories and improve communication.

Most people can walk for much longer than they can run, and the activity leaves little else to do but talk.

one person who lived it

Establish boundaries with people you date, such as stating you need to sleep for early classes.

You will have better relationships and won’t lose yourself.

one person who lived it

Go do something active on dates instead of sitting across a table eating dinner to avoid the need for constant chatting.

Sitting across from each other while eating is incredibly boring.

one person who lived it

Consider finding a relationship partner whose active lifestyle forces you to wake up and be active.

One person reported that a loud, early-rising partner fixed their habit of sleeping in.

one person who lived it

Look up to coworkers for inspiration and strike up conversations about their side projects.

It might inspire you.

one person who lived it

Learn to enjoy activities like reading, gaming, or going out alone without waiting for someone else.

5 people, independently

Enlist your partner as an equal contributor to housework and childcare.

one person who lived it

Delay pursuing romantic relationships until you feel mentally stable and better about yourself.

3 people, independently

Find a local group, club, or sport to join so you can hang out with them.

The internet does not replace real human interaction.

one person who lived it

Leave your parents' house to remove comfort and dependency, forcing you to take action to survive.

Living somewhere where you must do something minimal to get food and sleep forces action.

one person who lived it

Live with and associate with people who appear to have their lives together.

It helps when everyone around you is also attempting to get their life together.

one person who lived it

Get a dog to find purpose through unconditional companionship and the commitment of caring for another life.

Dogs can help you find purpose again by depending on you and loving you unconditionally.

one person who lived it

Volunteer at homeless shelters, animal shelters, or community centers.

It can help you feel like you are making an impact.

one person who lived it

Hope that we all get better together.

Collective hope strengthens community bonds.

one person who lived it

Look into Financial Independence Retire Early communities for their approaches to financial freedom.

one person who lived it

Start by taking a daily walk to get out of bed and avoid scrolling.

It is good for the body, mind, and soul and covers a lot of bases.

one person who lived it

Get off screens, as they are like Soma and are not helping.

They are not helping.

one person who lived it

Remove social media apps from your phone and use a desktop browser instead to add friction.

Apps are addictive due to their ease of access; increasing difficulty lowers usage.

3 people, independently

Set a strict sleep schedule with alarms and place your phone in another room to avoid nighttime distractions.

It prevents temptation to look at distracting content like Reddit.

one person who lived it

Wake up earlier than usual to have time for yourself before family obligations, such as journaling, cleaning, or reading.

It feels better than scrambling and rushing out of the house.

one person who lived it

Set a night routine with specific habits before sleep.

It helps your brain wind down and makes the process easier over time.

one person who lived it

Force yourself to shower every single day without skipping.

It’s an easy start.

one person who lived it

Stay active and do things rather than sitting around doing nothing.

It keeps your mind occupied and prevents feeding the slump.

one person who lived it

Sit quietly in a park alone to talk to yourself and think.

It takes time to break out of repetitive lazy routines, but this approach can help.

one person who lived it

Force yourself to take 20-minute walks every morning and do basic yoga stretches, regardless of how you feel.

This tiny routine can snowball into real energy again.

one person who lived it

Force yourself to go out even if you lack energy.

Going out will generate energy.

one person who lived it

Set a positive routine that includes bathing daily and wearing clean clothes.

These were described as two of the best things done.

one person who lived it

Focus on yourself first by taking care of your appearance and hitting the gym.

Taking time for hair, oral hygiene, clothes, and shoes helped one person stop looking down when walking.

one person who lived it

Reduce screen time if you feel it is making you numb.

Too much screen time can make people feel numb.

one person who lived it

Go for a walk to help reset your state.

It always helps.

one person who lived it

Include some type of workout in your daily schedule.

It is described as essential.

one person who lived it

If you are feeling a sense of nothingness, take a medium or long walk on a different path to clear your mind.

One person found this helped clear brain fog and feelings of nothingness.

one person who lived it

Add an activity or hobby, such as riding a bike or walking a dog, to fill your time.

to fill your time

one person who lived it

Focus on general mobility by stretching your body, even if you are lying in bed or sitting.

It opens up your lungs and indirectly builds strength.

one person who lived it

Go to the gym to mix up your routine, gain a confidence boost, and have time for meditative reflection.

It provides a routine change, confidence, and reflective time.

one person who lived it

Create a pre-sleep ritual involving no screens, dim light, herbal infusions, and podcasts to disconnect before bed.

It helps you disconnect before sleeping.

one person who lived it

Leave your phone behind during walks unless listening to music.

To enjoy nature as it is.

one person who lived it

If your current surroundings feel uninspiring and cause you to hide at home, try changing your location.

A different place might look completely different.

• This is a possibility, not a certainty.

one person who lived it

Run the same boring route every single time to induce a meditative state.

The boredom shuts off concentration, allowing the mind to wander and the body to run on autopilot, which de-stresses you.

one person who lived it

Eliminate distractions cold-turkey for a short interval, such as no social media or shows.

It helps let boredom inspire action.

one person who lived it

Take a break from self-improvement routines to recover from burnout, then resume later.

Life is seasonal.

one person who lived it

Include fun activities in your routine to prevent burnout, which is difficult to recover from.

burn out is hard to recover from

one person who lived it

Set a daily routine that includes sleeping early, waking early, making your bed, eating breakfast, and showering.

This routine helps you become your best self.

one person who lived it

Place your alarm clock far away from your bed if you have trouble waking up.

3 people, independently

Get away and explore new areas to help maintain positivity.

One person reported this helped them a lot.

one person who lived it

Avoid doomscrolling in bed strictly.

Sleep quality improves over time as a result.

one person who lived it

Quit competitive gaming (PvP) if it makes you toxic and angry.

Quitting can lead to feeling zen, increased productivity, uncluttered thoughts, weight loss, and motivation to exercise due to boredom.

one person who lived it

Gradually reduce porn use by practicing masturbation without visual stimulation.

4 people, independently

Be conscious of your media consumption by limiting advertising and trash TV.

one person who lived it

Depend on discipline instead of motivation to complete tasks.

Motivation is inconsistent; discipline helps you act even when you lack desire.

42 people, independently

• Replace reliance on motivation with discipline, doing what needs to be done even when you have no desire to do it.3

Imagine how you will feel in 10 years looking back on this moment to motivate yourself to act now.

The fear of regretting wasted time motivates action when other motivation is absent.

one person who lived it

Stay motivated by not wanting to let your parents down.

One person found this keeps them going.

one person who lived it

• Share your progress with others to gain further motivation.2

Write down your deep reason for changing and keep it in mind when tempted by bad habits.

Motivation is less reliable than having a clear 'WHY'.

one person who lived it

• Ask yourself 'why' repeatedly until you find a powerful reason to commit to changing your habits.1

Set up real stakes of loss if you don't follow through.

To provide motivation.

one person who lived it

Create artificial necessity by paying family members for support, such as rent, as if they were landlords; try it for three months to see how obligation builds discipline.

Most people don't get disciplined because they want to, but because they have to.

one person who lived it

Start living for yourself and set boundaries, as you cannot help others if you cannot help yourself first.

Motivation comes from within.

one person who lived it

Go to the gym or do difficult tasks even when you do not feel like it, as one person found this is when they made the most progress.

One person reported making the most progress when going anyway despite not feeling like it.

one person who lived it

When something interests you, read about or watch content on it, then take action on that topic to stay motivated to improve.

This approach helps one person stay motivated to improve.

• Based on one person's strategy.

one person who lived it

Focus on responsibilities, such as caring for a child, to motivate yourself to clean up and get things done.

Having a kid got one person off their ass and cleaning up.

one person who lived it

Use the fear of specific pains, such as having to live with family members, to drive yourself into action.

Fear of pain can be a motivating force.

one person who lived it

Find your core reason for change and how you will feel when you achieve it.

This fuels your desire, whereas motivation fluctuates easily.

one person who lived it

Watch motivational content to remind yourself of your dream life and the effort required to get it.

It reinforces the vision of the life you want and what it takes to get there.

one person who lived it

Base your discipline on your own life rather than proving others wrong.

Proving others right or wrong leaves you with no motivation once the goal is achieved.

one person who lived it

Try cultivating gratitude to see if it boosts your motivation.

It can create limitless motivation for some people.

• For others, it induces a lazy state.

one person who lived it

Treat responsibilities as mandatory rather than optional, making decisions to act even when you do not feel like it.

Discipline is a decision made when you don't feel like it, not a feeling.

one person who lived it

Think about times you've accomplished things in the past and ask why you did so to identify what motivates you.

Those reasons are the things that motivate you.

one person who lived it

• Define your incentives and review your past achievements to motivate yourself.1

Act according to your best judgment regardless of how you feel, rather than trying to simulate motivation.

Trying to simulate motivation is like building a castle on sand; it skips the substantial changes needed for real progress.

one person who lived it

Define a clear purpose to motivate discipline, which in turn creates more motivation.

Purpose gets you up in the morning; motivation and discipline strengthen each other in a loop.

one person who lived it

• Define a core purpose to sustain drive when motivation and discipline wane.1

Find your foundational 'why'—the reason you want to be better—to sustain discipline when tactics fail.

Tactics like scheduling or gamification are like building a house frame without a foundation; they will fall apart when stronger forces are applied.

one person who lived it

Spend hours in nature, such as riding a bike, and unplug from devices to restore motivation.

It brings your motivation back.

one person who lived it

Use the pride gained from enduring cold showers as an incentive to work toward your goals.

The feeling of pride provides motivation and a kick in the ass to pursue objectives.

one person who lived it

Treat every day as 'Day 1' to recall the motivation felt on the first day of a new endeavor.

It reminds you how motivated you were on the first day regarding discipline

one person who lived it

Reframe motivation issues as problems of incentives and friction rather than character flaws.

The problem usually isn't inability, but that the brain doesn't see a clear reason or reward to act right now.

one person who lived it

Celebrate every small win to provide self-motivation when no one else is guiding you.

It serves as a necessary pep talk when relying on yourself.

one person who lived it

Allow yourself to feel mad and stubborn to fuel improvement, using the desire to prove others wrong as motivation.

This approach helped counter a fear of trying hardest and failing.

one person who lived it

Use pain to light a fire under your ass to motivate improvement.

3 people, independently

Build consistency despite low motivation by focusing on doing what is not enough, but only what you are willing to do.

These two basic approaches can make you consistent.

one person who lived it

Visualize both the success of achieving your goal and the worst-case scenario of failing to create a strong sense of urgency.

It creates a feeling similar to drowning where you are motivated to act rather than distract yourself.

one person who lived it

Stop looking for motivation and focus on building habits.

Motivation only exists for things you already like.

one person who lived it

Watch motivational videos or reels to realize you are wasting time by staying in a slump.

It triggers the realization that time is being wasted.

one person who lived it

Use positive social feedback as motivation to become more disciplined and improve your self-image.

Loving the feeling of being seen as cool can drive you to make yourself even cooler and more disciplined.

one person who lived it

If positive motivation fails because life feels too easy, try scaring yourself slightly to generate drive.

Positive motivation may not work if one has it too easy.

one person who lived it

Back your discipline with intrinsic motivation to avoid burning out.

People burn out when they rely on external rewards instead of internal drive.

one person who lived it

Identify a strong underlying motivation to drive change, as transformation starts there.

Without motivation to get up and change, it won’t happen.

one person who lived it

Remind yourself of your underlying motivations for studying a skill or working on a side hustle to reignite passion and drive.

Connecting with underlying motivations can reignite passion and drive.

one person who lived it

Find a strong reason to stay disciplined that exists outside yourself, specifically for other people.

It was very impactful for sustaining discipline.

one person who lived it

• Find an internal reason for staying disciplined and focused.1

Read biographies about Theodore Roosevelt if you need motivation.

One reader found that learning what he achieved before age 30 provided serious motivation.

one person who lived it

If you struggle with self-care, try an easy physical practice like yoga; noticing its positive effects on your body can motivate you to take better care of yourself.

Noticing huge amazing effects on the body motivated ongoing self-care.

one person who lived it

Set goals and visualize your desired life outcomes.

It increases motivation to take action and make changes.

one person who lived it

Give advice to others about how to feel motivated to increase your own motivation.

An experiment showed that giving advice increased motivation to act on issues compared to receiving it.

one person who lived it

Look through old photos of past successes or dreams to remind yourself of your aspirations.

It serves as a motivation booster.

one person who lived it

Ensure tasks are interesting or applicable to avoid boredom and the perception that they are harder than they are.

Lack of interest or applicability leads to boredom and makes tasks feel harder.

one person who lived it

Seek out pursuits that offer autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

These aspects are highly motivating to one person.

one person who lived it

Focus on the positive emotions you will feel upon achieving your end goal to maintain discipline and drive.

Expecting failure reduces excitement and drive.

one person who lived it

Integrate new hobbies into your existing lifestyle so that your daily routine drives practice and improvement without requiring extra motivation.

Prevents equipment from becoming junk due to poor integration with your current lifestyle.

one person who lived it

Focus on developing desire rather than seeking motivation.

Motivation is like firewood; without an existing fire (desire), collecting fuel is pointless.

one person who lived it

Motivate yourself by refusing to become a wasted role model for future family members.

To avoid being an uninspiring figure to children or nieces/nephews.

one person who lived it

When feeling demotivated, remind yourself of the benefits of personal growth and the progress you have already made.

It helps counter feelings of demotivation.

one person who lived it

Seek out the theory behind motivation rather than relying solely on how-to lists.

How-tos are often less useful because they lack deeper examination or scientific references.

one person who lived it

Be wary of complacency caused by a comfortable home environment, as it can hinder motivation to pursue external opportunities.

A house that is way too comfortable can lead to getting really complacent.

one person who lived it

Keep self-improvement goals private to avoid premature reward satisfaction.

Receiving praise triggers the brain's reward centers, making it feel less necessary to actually complete the task.

one person who lived it

Use external structures like classes, which provide feedback, grades, and social pressure, to help maintain discipline.

These forms of extrinsic motivation help the ordinary student.

one person who lived it

Frame activities as necessities to motivate people who only act when something is absolutely required.

Some people do not do things unless they are framed as necessary experiences.

• Only applies to people who don't do things unless absolutely necessary

one person who lived it

Develop discipline so you do not rely on whims or moods, accepting that motivation does not matter.

one person who lived it

• Rely on discipline rather than motivation to get success, consistently showing up especially when you do not feel like it.3

Take up activities you love, such as traveling or eating favorite foods, to release dopamine and motivate yourself.

These activities release dopamine and provide motivation.

• Do not make it hectic.

one person who lived it

If you have a comfortable job and enough money to live comfortably but feel you are wasting potential, recognize that you may lack incentive to change because life isn't hard.

one person who lived it

Ensure rewards for good behavior are internal, such as pride in achievement, rather than solely external.

External rewards can stop intrinsic motivation once they are removed.

one person who lived it

Exchange contact information with peers to maintain mutual motivation and accountability during plateaus.

Motivation from another person helps when progress stalls.

one person who lived it

Focus on becoming an active person rather than following strict activity rules to avoid demotivation from minor slips.

Breaking activity down into rules makes it easy to skip them occasionally and become demotivated.

one person who lived it

Mix negative motivation with positive motivation.

Negative motivation alone cannot sustain you long term.

one person who lived it

Skip waiting for motivation and just start moving.

Movement creates motivation

one person who lived it

Expect conditions to remain difficult before improving, as motivation often follows action.

Motivation and mindset come after behavior.

one person who lived it

Invest in your skill by taking risks, attending classes and tournaments, reading, writing, teaching, and asking questions; this engagement makes practice feel important and helps motivation arise.

It makes your practice important to you and hopefully motivation will arise.

one person who lived it

If you feel overwhelmed by your problems, reframe them as specific opportunities for improvement to maintain motivation.

Viewing issues as improvements to look forward to can keep you motivated.

one person who lived it

Continue self-improvement even if the original romantic target is unattainable, using the resulting motivation to better yourself.

The motivation gained helps you get better regardless of the outcome with the other person.

one person who lived it

Consider that boredom, not incompetence, may be the cause of lack of motivation.

one person who lived it

If you are risk-motivated, leverage high stakes or looming deadlines to kick into gear, acknowledging that motivation may be low when nothing is immediately threatening.

Risk-motivated people respond to high stakes and near deadlines but struggle with open-ended tasks.

one person who lived it

Decide that you will change no matter what, treating self-improvement as a mandatory obligation regardless of desire.

one person who lived it

Change your routine by starting a new hobby or craft, such as visiting thrift stores or joining a gym.

Nothing changes if you do not change your routine.

one person who lived it

Take a job or school seriously to build focus, which can help life changes fall into place.

Being focused in these areas can lead to broader life changes.

one person who lived it

Use curiosity and asking 'why' as an engine to keep moving forward.

The journey of asking 'why' keeps us going.

one person who lived it

Set a purposeful goal for yourself if you feel apathetic.

One person found that setting a new goal made their life fun again.

one person who lived it

Let a burning desire drive you to remove all barriers between yourself and your goal.

A burning desire is described as enough to burn down bridges to the goal.

one person who lived it

Take small initial actions toward a new life to build momentum.

One person reported that taking this approach led to lasting happiness after moving far away from their previous life.

one person who lived it

Try journaling to gain insight into who you are and what is important to you.

It provides great insight into your true self and priorities.

one person who lived it

Recognize that massive success comes from effort, sacrifice, discipline, and the capacity to endure discomfort over decades, not talent or luck.

The difference between successful people and others is their threshold for pain and commitment to a single goal.

one person who lived it

Travel somewhere, even for a weekend, to gain inspiration and a fresh start.

Travel can inspire many things and provide a fresh start.

one person who lived it

Do things out of spite to generate fire and momentum when happiness isn't coming naturally.

It can provide fire in a good way if you cannot fake happiness.

one person who lived it

Continuously set goals, achieve them, and create new ones to maintain progress.

Happiness is found in progress.

one person who lived it

To really commit to something, risk losing something important to you.

The more important what you risk losing is, the more committed you will be.

one person who lived it

Analyze the interests you consistently return to and stick to those, rather than having zero direction.

This approach works better than having no direction.

• This is one person's experience; more work may still be needed.

one person who lived it

Pin a handwritten goal on a board to serve as a visible 'north star' for direction, not destination.

It provides direction as a guide rather than just a destination.

one person who lived it

Allow yourself periods of defocus to let compelling ideas emerge naturally.

This helps join the dots and can restore drive after some time.

one person who lived it

If you see meaninglessness in everything, treat it as an opportunity to choose what matters to you, such as family.

Seeing the meaningless in everything can be seen as an opportunity.

one person who lived it

Identify one activity that genuinely brings you joy and fixate on it.

That will be the answer.

one person who lived it

• Identify what brings you happiness and incorporate it into your life.8

Find a passion and pursue it yourself rather than relying on external pressure.

Being pushed can make you cynical and cause you to flounder; pushing usually results in a negative effect.

one person who lived it

Take a break from passions or goals you no longer feel passionate about.

Going after unpassionate goals can be problematic; taking a break may reignite interest later.

one person who lived it

If you enjoy the feeling of change and growth, look into education or courses you previously thought were out of reach.

Feeling good when traveling or making changes indicates a preference for learning and growing.

one person who lived it

Use journaling or meditation to reflect on what is important to you and define your goals.

These tools help clarify priorities and life objectives.

one person who lived it

Challenge yourself by learning something harder than you already know.

One person found they loved the challenge and became obsessed with learning.

one person who lived it

Judge if you are passionate about a task; if not, recognize that roadblocks will feel insurmountable because the challenge does not excite you.

Passion makes challenges exciting and helps you find ways around obstacles.

one person who lived it

Do not just sit around waiting for opportunities; take action rather than merely being prepared.

If you just wait, chances are opportunities will never come your way.

one person who lived it

Clearly define what you want in life rather than using vague terms like success or happiness.

one person who lived it

Develop interest and cultivate curiosity to turn work into fun.

That's what turns 'work' into 'fun'

one person who lived it

Stay flexible in your approach while remaining concrete about the desired outcome.

This combination is essential for achieving what you want.

one person who lived it

Admit your situation is unsatisfying, define your life goals, project yourself into your desired future, build a plan, and take action.

This process helps you have a better vision, moves you out of an uncomfortable place, and assumes responsibility for your choices rather than expecting solutions from external sources.

one person who lived it

Adopt systems and habits instead of relying on goals for sustainable development.

Goals are often unsustainable because they do not provide day-to-day encouragement.

one person who lived it

Adopt a craftsman mindset by focusing on the value you produce in your job rather than a passion mindset focused on what the job offers you.

one person who lived it

Ensure you truly desire the change, as saying you want something is different from actually wanting it.

one person who lived it

Identify why completing tasks is meaningful to you to make activities purposeful.

Attaching meaning to activities makes them purposeful.

one person who lived it

Develop passion by engaging in fun activities without forcing yourself, then allow a natural transition to productive tasks only when you are wholeheartedly inclined.

Forcing yourself creates internal conflict, whereas following your inclination aligns with your natural state.

one person who lived it

Develop a strong sense of purpose ('Why') to make sacrifices and delayed gratification tolerable.

2 people, independently

Clarify what specifically makes you happy and adjust your work efforts to earn just enough to fulfill those values, rather than chasing status symbols like wealth or luxury items.

one person who lived it

Use anger only as a short-term spark to start action, recognizing that it is not sustainable and will eventually drain you.

Anger burns out quickly and is not a reliable long-term fuel.

one person who lived it

Reject the idea that 'people don't really change' as an excuse for avoiding the hard work of self-improvement.

It is a comfort mechanism for those unwilling to improve themselves.

one person who lived it

If emotion is leading to inaction, do one non-indulgent thing for yourself to change your emotional state.

Action changes your emotion.

one person who lived it

Focus on performing good acts for yourself rather than trying to influence others' views.

Others' views do not shape your tomorrow, and focusing on self-driven action is the only way for change to last.

one person who lived it

Pursue success for your own betterment rather than to provoke others, as seeking their reaction allows them to control you.

Letting others control you through offense is counterproductive.

one person who lived it

If you are doing what you can to help, limit your news consumption and steer social conversations away from global crises to reduce worry.

To commit to not worrying when you cannot change the outcome.

one person who lived it

Focus on self-improvement for your own sake rather than to please others.

Putting someone else above yourself can lead to feeling sad and unmotivated.

2 people, independently

Replace thoughts of 'I can't' with 'I can do these things' to shift toward a growth mindset.

Thinking 'I can't' indicates a poor mindset; affirming capability supports growth.

one person who lived it

Be easy on yourself and avoid self-hatred when struggling, recognizing that guilt does not fix problems.

We make struggles harder by hating ourselves, similar to how a guilt trip would not fix a broken car engine.

one person who lived it

Consider the alternative to your current change; if it is unacceptable, recommit to the change.

Reinforces why you are changing by contrasting it with an undesirable option.

• If the alternative is acceptable, do that instead.

one person who lived it

Identify a strong reason or 'WHY' for wanting to do things to avoid self-sabotaging situations.

It helps you avoid the situation.

one person who lived it

Drive your goals through self-motivation instead of anger, fear, or other people's opinions.

Relying on negative emotions or others harms long-term growth.

one person who lived it

Reflect on what you are unhappy with as a starting point for change.

Acknowledging unhappiness is described as a good start, despite being difficult.

one person who lived it

Change for yourself rather than for your partner to avoid resentment and foster growth.

Changing for a partner results in resentment, whereas changing for oneself results in growth.

one person who lived it

Track your progress and recognize small personal wins to reduce reliance on external validation.

Reminding yourself of how far you've come makes it matter less if others don't see it.

one person who lived it

Stop complaining to keep a happier attitude and reduce how easily you get annoyed.

Limiting complaints leads to a happier attitude and less annoyance.

one person who lived it

Do things for yourself rather than for external validation like upvotes.

Upvotes don't mean shit.

one person who lived it

Accept that you cannot change anyone but yourself and stop worrying about uncontrollable factors.

There is no point in worrying about uncontrollable factors.

one person who lived it

Do not rely on simply ignoring negative comments; engage with them instead.

Ignoring them allows the negativity to sit there until dealt with.

• The 'just dodge it' advice does not work for everyone.

one person who lived it

Implement life changes gradually by focusing on one habit at a time rather than attempting radical overhauls simultaneously.

Attempting too many changes at once often leads to disappointment, failure, and giving up; gradual steps allow for patience and clarity while slowly replacing old habits.

10 people, independently

Practice radical acceptance of others to reduce your own stress.

Thinking badly about others creates personal stress; accepting them reduces this stress and encourages kindness in return.

one person who lived it

Surround yourself with positive influences like uplifting music or movies, and avoid negative people who complain constantly.

The media and people you surround yourself with can make you a 'negative' person.

one person who lived it

Recognize that emotional attachment to outcomes clouds your judgment when solving problems.

Subjective experience is biased by attachment to pain or pleasure, which impairs objective judgment.

one person who lived it

Write out your thoughts and ideas anonymously using speech-to-text to reinforce your beliefs with minimal effort.

Writing out thoughts reinforces beliefs.

one person who lived it

Focus on self-improvement for your own sake rather than for superficial purposes or to please others.

Improving yourself for superficial reasons is not true self-improvement.

one person who lived it

Remove toxic friendships completely and hang around positive, successful, and active people.

Attitude is contagious; hanging around negative people brings you down, while positive people push you forward.

one person who lived it

Continuously seek improvements despite internal feelings of stagnation, focusing intently to notice objective progress.

Change may not feel immediate, but focused attention helps recognize actual improvements.

one person who lived it

Use journaling and reflection to identify how shortsighted or lazy choices contribute to your unhappiness.

• Unhappiness is tied to these choices only 'at least in part'.

one person who lived it

Stop conflating beliefs with action; intentions and virtue signals are worthless without results.

one person who lived it

Determine whether you care about others' opinions because you seek external validation or because you want personal growth.

one person who lived it

Read Charles Duhigg's 'The Power of Habit' to grasp habit mechanics and modification techniques.

It offers clear insight into habit mechanics and aids those relying on willpower over habit.

6 people, independently

• Read books like 'Atomic Habits', 'As a Man Thinketh', and 'Meditations' to support your journey.6

Watch the 10-minute TEDxYouth talk titled 'Meet yourself' to potentially shift your perspective.

It might change your perspective.

one person who lived it

Read 'The Success Principles' by J Canfield.

It is described as a perfect road map.

one person who lived it

Read motivational books such as 'Can't Hurt Me' by David Goggins to shift your outlook and gain motivation.

One person stated that the book changed their entire outlook and helped them take action.

one person who lived it

• Read 'Unfu*k Yourself' and 'Wise As Fu*k' if you need motivation.1

Read 'How to Be Interesting' by Jessica Hagy.

It is helpful in reminding you how to be interesting.

• Based on one person's finding.

one person who lived it

Look into Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies framework to gain insight into yourself.

One person found it life-changing.

one person who lived it

Read 'Can't Hurt Me' by David Goggins for inspiration to start changing.

3 people, independently

Enter a store in your city that you have never visited before to potentially discover new things about yourself.

The source suggests this action may lead to self-discovery.

one person who lived it

Read three pages from a book daily to improve cognitive function and knowledge.

Improves cognitive function and knowledge.

one person who lived it

Read 'The Last Lecture' by Randy Pausch as a starting point.

3 people, independently

Consider Jen Sincero's guided journal or 'You Are A Badass At Making Money' for financial knowledge and tools.

One person is looking into it for financial knowledge and tools.

one person who lived it

Surround yourself with inspiring material (books, videos, people) related to your growth to stay motivated.

You will feel more uplifted.

one person who lived it

Listen to podcasts featuring successful people or motivational speakers such as Ed Mylett, Tony Robbins, or Eric Thomas.

They are great motivational speakers who can help regain drive.

one person who lived it

Read inspiring survival stories, such as 'Miracle in the Andes,' to gain motivation and appreciation for life.

One person reported feeling more motivated and appreciative of being alive after reading it.

one person who lived it

Listen to Esther Perel and Jordan Peterson for perspectives on improving your life.

one person who lived it

Play VR rhythm games for cardio.

They provide good cardiovascular exercise, though they will not bulk you up.

one person who lived it

Use a hype playlist.

It is suggested as a helpful addition.

one person who lived it

Find emotionally charging activities like music, quotes, stories, or running to get excited and boost your level.

These things act as a 'cheat code' to provide a limited boost that helps you carry on.

one person who lived it

Watch a trailer for a game or movie you enjoy to get a quick motivation boost.

It helps provide immediate motivation.

one person who lived it

Listen to audiobooks or podcasts while cleaning to stimulate your brain.

Cleaning can be mindless, so this makes the time productive.

one person who lived it

Immerse yourself in content related to the task you want to do (e.g., reading forums, listening to podcasts) to get into a motivated mood.

It usually gets one into a motivated mood.

one person who lived it

Try running, cycling, or swimming to energize your brain and boost serotonin levels.

It energizes the brain and boosts serotonin levels.

one person who lived it

Watch motivational videos, such as those by David Goggins, to inspire action.

Watching these videos motivated the person to get off their ass.

one person who lived it

Listen to high-intensity music to get pumped up and motivated.

Music helps some people get motivated enough to start activities like going to the gym.

one person who lived it

Play entertaining videos while cleaning to reward yourself and keep company.

it works

one person who lived it

Brush your teeth, floss, and rinse with fluoride mouthwash to freshen your mouth and lift your mood for the next task.

one person who lived it

Declutter and clean your workspace to make it welcoming, as this therapeutic activity can automatically increase your motivation to start working.

Decluttering is considered a therapeutic activity and a nice, welcoming work area makes you more motivated to start.

one person who lived it

Listen to music suited to the situation, such as concentration tracks, to clear your mind and boost focus.

3 people, independently

Listen to podcasts about topics you enjoy to surround yourself with successful and disciplined role models.

It can motivate you by simulating having likeminded friends.

one person who lived it

Spend free time on enjoyable activities to rejuvenate yourself.

Being rejuvenated often motivates you to be more productive.

one person who lived it

Watch motivational videos on YouTube to help elevate your mood and drive.

one person who lived it