3 Things Keeping You Stuck (And It's Not What Your Think)

I used to think I just needed to try harder.

Like… if I could just get my act together—eat better, move more, stay consistent—everything would click.

And every time it didn’t?

I made it mean something about me.

That I wasn’t disciplined enough.

That I couldn’t stick to anything.

That something was wrong with me.

Why could I be successful in my marriage, my career? But not this?

But looking back now, I wasn’t failing.

I was stuck in a pattern that basically guaranteed I would keep starting over.

Sound familiar? Yeah...I thought so.

1. All-or-nothing thinking

This one is sneaky because it feels like commitment.

You go all in. You clean everything up. You’re like, “This is it. This time I’m doing it.”

And for a few days, maybe even a week, you’re on FIRE!

Then life happens.

You’re tired. You’re busy. Something gets thrown off.

And instead of just adjusting… you drop the whole thing.

Here's me: “Well, I already messed up, so I’ll just start again Monday.”

I lived in that loop for years, on so many Mondays.

Now? I am stopping that “on ” and “off" thinking.

I just… keep going.

If dinner isn’t great, breakfast still matters.

If I skip a day at the gym, I go the next day.

If I miss I class, I don't quit.

No drama. No restart.

2. No plan that actually fits your life

I don't need a perfect plan. I need a real one.

Because I've had plenty of plans. Diet plans. Workout schedules. All-in plans. Programs. Lifestyle shifts.

But all my best laid plans only worked when I had time, I had energy, my auto-immune wasn't flaring, the planets were aligned, everything had to be perfect.

Let's be honest… when the hell has that ever happened? Never.

So what really happened?

I’d spend the day with the f-it attitude. Eat whatever I wanted. Sit out the gym. Cancel plans with my friends. Take the "off" path. Then I get mad at myself, and get myself pumped up to “do better tomorrow.”

That’s not a willpower issue.

That’s just not having a plan that works in real life.

Now I'm keeping it simple:

I know what I’m eating most days

I commit in advance to move my body

I make plans I don't break

I don’t overcomplicate it

Nothing fancy. Just consistent.

3. Waiting to feel motivated

I really thought motivation was the piece I was missing. It seemed like I had it, but maybe I didn't have enough. Or like motivation was something that I somehow misplaced that morning. Shit, I've got to go to work but I can't find my motivation.

Then, I'm saying, “once I feel motivated again, i’ll be back.”

But here’s what I learned about motivation:

Motivation is unreliable.

Some days I feel great. Some days I don’t.

Some days I want to go out. Some days I absolutely do not.

And if I only showed up when I felt like it… I wouldn’t show up very often. Or at all honestly.

Now, I am just deciding ahead of time, “I’m doing this.” That is my new goal, just get it done. I don't wake up every morning for work and say, "do I feel like working?" I get my butt out of bed and go, because that is what I need to do. That's what I've committed to do.

Not because I’m excited.

Not because I’m motivated.

Because I said I would.

And weirdly? That’s where motivation actually starts to show up.

Just Remember...

If you’re stuck, it’s not because you’re broken.

It’s because you’ve been trying to do this in a way that doesn’t work long-term.

This is where your comeback starts.

Not with a perfect plan.

But with doing this differently.