One of the most common excuses people make is that they’ll “make it up tomorrow”.

You’re too tired to get a workout in now so you’ll make sure you do it tomorrow...

You’ve got some errands on your plate today but the day has already been pretty demanding and stressful, so you’ll circle back on doing those errands tomorrow...

You’ve got some difficult phone calls to make or tasks to complete at work, and there are other things that popped up and took your time so you’ll get around to making those calls and doing those tasks tomorrow...

In the moment, it seems like a perfectly reasonable plan. It’s going to be tough to get it done today so let’s get it done tomorrow. But the problem is, ‘tomorrow’ is going to have all the same demands, inconveniences, frustrations, and distractions. That perfect moment is never going to come and truly, by postponing a day you’re delaying the inevitable.

This rationalization of “I’ll make it up tomorrow” is a version of self-sabotage. Self-sabotage is your unconscious mind’s way of getting you to avoid taking actions that are uncomfortable. It uses things like distraction, self-doubt, procrastination, confusion, fear, and others to do so. In this case, the ‘rationalization’ convinces you that you’re making a good decision, where delaying action seems logical to you, but all that’s doing is keeping you from doing the uncomfortable thing you know you need to do.

The antidote to self-sabotage is self-discipline. Doing what you said you were going to do even when you don’t feel like it. When you’re self-disciplined and follow through on your commitments then you can overcome your mind’s sabotaging attempts to make you stop.

But… Easier said than done.

It’s scary to market yourself and be bold about growing your business. But self-discipline inspires you to be courageous.

You might feel like a fraud when someone invites you to be on their podcast, speak at their event, or ask for your advice. But self-discipline helps you take action even when you feel like an imposter.

You might want to make constant tweaks to that project before you finalize it like a perfectionist. But self-discipline keeps you accountable to meeting the deadline.

Cultivating a sense of self-discipline instills within you a sense of self-trust. It empowers you to make things work, be more consistent, and show up more for your life. It’ll inspire you to take action today and that you don’t need to put it off.

Because the reality is this, and I’m borrowing the words of Jim Rohn: “You could have done that anyway”. The workout and the bold action and the errands… Each day is a new opportunity to attack all of these things. And ‘making it up tomorrow’ is just an excuse that keeps you from stepping into your fullest potential today. 

So what are you waiting for? Tomorrow is a day that never comes. Live today. And if you want to start making the most out of life, and cultivating the self-discipline you need to show up consistently in every area of your life, then check this out!

Recently I’ve been hearing Alex Hormozi talk a lot about the importance of strategy, which he defines as “what you do with what you have”. There’s an infinite number of ways you can plan to make an improvement, solve a problem, maximize an opportunity, initiate a change, or optimize an output. Strategy is that lens of discernment where you choose how to best allocate your resources.  

First and foremost, your strategy is most limited by your clarity. If you are clear on what results you want to generate, then your strategy can directly align with that. But if the desired result is fuzzy, then even the best strategy isn’t going to work for you. So to start, investing time in knowing exactly what you want to happen is the best investment of time and resources. In other words, you need to set a clear goal.

It’s from that intention you can craft the right strategy and 'do the most with what you have'. This is your plan for how you are going to achieve your goal. The process of establishing a strategy starts with getting inspiration from what has worked for others who accomplished a similar goal, or even what has worked for you in the past. Ultimately you want to choose the path that you have the resources for and that you believe is most likely to perform for you. 

What’s refreshing about Hormozi’s approach is that it’s very practical. The effectiveness of a strategy isn’t a binary marker of ‘either it worked or it didn’t’. It’s more a measurement of how much it worked or how much it didn’t. Any strategy can work, it’s how much it works that most concerns you. And to improve your approach, you can use the feedback you get from your performance to inform your next decisions about how you can improve your strategy, or shift to a new strategy altogether.

This concept of having an underlying strategy will help you to achieve any goal. Let’s say you have the goal to double your business. Your strategy can be to do double the marketing volume, add a new product, or cut expenses to improve your profits. All are viable strategies, you pick the one that you think is most likely to work for you. Or you have the goal to lose 20 pounds. Your strategy can be to workout more, workout harder, eat less, eat more nutritiously, etc. All are strategies.

Or let’s say you have a goal to visit Paris. You can create a monthly savings plan to visit on vacation, finagle your way into a work event with expenses paid, or meet a cute “Frenchie” at your local bistro and elope in their home country. There are so many pathways available to you, and it's the reason why your process for picking the right strategy needs to come down to this: allocating your resources in such a way that you do the most with what you have.

When it comes to being the best, most inspired, most achieving version of myself, my strategy is to use a high performance tracking system that I call my Self Improvement Scorecard. And it doesn't just work for me, nearly 1000 people have used it too!

When it comes to behavior change, there are few things more effective than accountability. There’s something deeply powerful about knowing someone else is expecting something of you, that they’re counting on you, and it causes you to take action in ways you wouldn’t have the motivation to do yourself. The opportunity is to be intentional about how you leverage accountability in your life to help you be more consistent in doing the things that most serve you.

Perhaps a quick lesson on the psychology behind why accountability works will give you the understanding you need to incorporate it in your life.

Our brains are optimized to do one thing - keep us alive. This is an instinct we were all born with, passed down through generations as part of our evolution as a species. One of the components to staying alive, particularly in prehistoric days (which is largely what our brains are still designed for), is that it was safer for us as humans to live in groups. This offered protection, extra hands to raise young, an ability to share resources, and other survival advantages. 

Psychologically, this caused humans to develop a deep need of acceptance and belonging. Those who had that need were more likely to engage in collaborative, altruistic, prosocial behaviors that maintained their status of being a contributing member to the group. If you weren’t helping, then you were more likely to be outcasted and have to fend for yourself.

In today’s world we have this same psychological need to belong engrained into our brains. We are the modern product of our species’ evolutionary history. And that means, when someone is counting on you for something, you feel compelled to follow through on it so that you don’t let them down. You fear that you’ll be removed from the tribe.

Accountability is our way of hacking this evolutionary instinct to survive and using it for growth. Especially when it comes to the healthy, productive actions we know we should be taking to feel, perform and be at our best... The reason we don’t do these things naturally is because they’re not essential for our survival in the short-term, and therefore become deprioritized by the brain. 

But, when those behaviors become essential survival behaviors, because they’re connected to maintaining good standing within your group, then you feel a more natural motivation to do it. And it’s by having accountability that you establish this connection and get your brain to start working for you.

If you want to learn more about how to implement accountability, check out this past podcast episode about How To Make Accountability Work For You.

Last week I was speaking at an event and I had a conversation with one of the attendees. The talk I gave was about the benefits of self-care, and how many busy professionals see time for themselves as a tradeoff... That it takes time time from other important things rather than as an investment in creating more quality time for important things. In the talk I shared the importance of getting enough sleep, and how it contributes to you being more energized, focused, and present throughout the day.

To that point, this attendee said to me “Brian, I hear what you’re saying about getting more sleep. But I can’t. I have 4 kids, a commute, a demanding job, and 24 hours in the day.  It’s impossible for me to get 8 hours of sleep.” 

That might be how you feel too if you have a lot of responsibilities. Your days are already full and if you were to carve out time for more sleep or improved self-care, something else would need to go. And while the logic is right, the perspective isn’t. And here are two reasons why:

1. It’s not that it’s impossible to get 8 hours of sleep… It’s that it seems impossible to maintain your current load of responsibilities and add on the extra time for added sleep. You could make changes to your current commitments and enable yourself the rest. You could completely neglect your kids needs and get more sleep. You could do a horrible job, work part-time even though full-time is expected of you, and have more time to sleep. Obviously those aren’t acceptable solutions... But what it illuminates is the choice you’re implicitly making. You’re choosing to be a good parent, friend, and worker. You’re choosing that it's not worth it to you to disrupt these other important things. So let’s use the right language that’s more accurate - it’s not impossible - you’re choosing not to get 8 hours of sleep and you’re choosing the consequences of that over the alternative.

2. It’s with that fairer perspective that you can actually do something about it. You don’t need to accept a certain fate for yourself and improve the quality of your choices. Even with everything on your plate, there are ways to create space and get more sleep. Waste less time on your phone throughout the day and be proactive about doing your errands so that they don’t pile up at night. Delegate certain responsibilities so that you don’t need to handle them. Change your routine from working out early in the morning to integrating it within the work day, and enforce boundaries that protect that time. There tradeoffs you’re making are within the current design of your life, and the opportunity is to create a new design that supports you in choosing to do things in a way that help you get more of what you want.

Nothing is impossible, it’s that it appears to be impossible based on how things are currently set up. When you realize that you’re in more control than you think, that you have agency, you feel empowered to make small adjustments that support you in creating the life that you want. So embrace the creativity that comes with your most important responsibility - doing your best with what you’ve got - so that you can fulfill your personal and professional mission in the world.

I don’t know who needs to read this, but let me tell you something about destiny. The factors in the world are always supporting you in living out your destiny. The world desperately wants you to maximize your impact and contribution to others. However, it’s often beyond our awareness to know that it’s happening for us. 

Tragedy strikes and it’s nearly impossible to realize how it’s in your best interest. You keep struggling with the same personal problems and feel embarrassed that you just can’t get your act together, but the struggle is part of your destined growth process. You’re surrounded by injustices, unfairness, and inequities but somehow, it offers the exact perspective you need to prepare you for what’s next.

The universe doesn’t make mistakes - you’re exactly where you’re meant to be. And I believe that’s because, whatever you’re going through, it puts you in a position to be more helpful toward other people going through something similar. Rory Vaden says “you are most qualified to help the person you once were.” 

Personal tragedy, addiction, financial hardship, unhealthy relationships, health issues, everything is all part of your lived experience for a reason. It’s what you’re meant to go through to live out your destiny.

In the iconic book “The Alchemist”, author Paolo Coehlo calls this the process of “living out your personal legend”. It’s impossible to know how the dots are going to connect, but you must have faith that ultimately they do. And when you do believe that, it infuses your life with hope, possibility, and purpose. It turns your mess into your message, pain into promise, and wakes up your spirit.

So rather than judging that you’re falling behind, caught in the same unhealthy habits and patterns, struggling in the same areas, realize there’s a reason for it. You can’t have a story of overcoming if you have nothing to overcome. So absolutely, do the work to change your life and break-free of the things that are holding you back from your fullest potential! And know that it’s the process you discover along the way that becomes your best guidance to help others.

You, me, everybody - we’re right where we need to be. That’s not to say that we need to stay there, but it helps us accept that we’re exactly where we need to be to start.

Having found yourself right here, right now... If you’re looking for a place to start, I’ve got this for you.

One of the most incredible, overlooked aspects about life is that we’re creating it. Literally everything that you see around you was once just an idea that someone had that they dedicated themselves to and made a reality. First and foremost, we are creators. It’s within our control to shape the future. 

Some of us take that seriously and become inventors, pioneers, and leaders… And some of us don’t tap into that potential and become the recipients of the life that everyone else creates for us.

There are two components to being the creator of your life: The idea to do it and  the follow through that creates it.

Both of those components improve when you have an example to follow, and that’s why it’s important to follow people who inspire you. When you see someone else succeeding, achieving, or creating at the level you want to, it gives you reason that it’s possible for yourself. In particular, you have selected your life heroes, mentors, and guides for a reason. They’re the voices and examples that you feel most aligned with, that you gravitate toward, that are shining the light on your path ahead.

“It’s easier to dream it if you see it.” Creation starts with the dream, the idea, and then it gets built into reality. Your vision may not take the form you thought it would, and the process might not be as smooth as you’d want it to be, but when you’re committed to creating you are literally shaping your future.

The main thing people relate the idea of 'creating' to is in business. You identify a problem and create a product, service, or solution that solves the problem. The world has changed because now it has your creation. 

But similarly you can create the health, relationships, impact, influence, culture, fulfillment that you desire in life as well. And it all stems from having an idea that you really believe in, a dream, and finding ways to build it into your world.

I think of it like a snow globe. At rest all of the snow settles to the bottom of the globe. When you shake it, it all gets disrupted but in time it’ll all settle in a similar way again. But if you add some structure and elements into the globe and shake it again, the snow settles around those structures in a new way. 

That’s what creating does - it establishes a new normal. But again, you won’t have the ideas to create, or feel like it’s worthwhile to create, unless you see how it’s being modeled by others. “It’s easier to dream it if you see it.”

One of my greatest creations, that I’ve designed to help myself and others get into the good habits, routines, and next level consistency, is my Self Improvement Scorecard. Check it out!

My wife Irene is remarkable and very inspiring. She grew up doing gymnastics and still trains and competes as an adult, getting back skills that she only was able to do in her prime. Last week she was frustrated though because she has a big competition coming up in a few weeks and she injured herself by twisting her ankle.

Motivated to heal it as fast as possible, she pulled out all the stops - ice bucket, compression recovery, acquiring a stabilization boot, doing physical therapy exercises… Whatever it takes to get better quickly.

As someone who helped to build and a sports recovery technology company that got acquired, and as a former D1 student athlete, I know a fair amount about recovery. And I have recommendations for her... But it’s a fine line to play between offering to help someone and supporting them.

In my morning meditation I forecast the next 24 hours and set an intention for my health choices, my work tasks, and my quality time with others. This was on a Tuesday morning and every Tuesday evening we go for a nice walk near the ocean with friends. Knowing Irene was unsure about if / how she could do the walk, I set the intention to prioritize supporting her. Whatever she reasoned was the right path forward, my intention was to not challenge it even if I disagreed with it.

It’s with that clarity of intention that I was able to show up for her in the best way I knew how. She came up with some ideas to go for the walk in the boot, bring a scooter, ask us to walk slower… And amid all of these options my intention was to support her in doing what she wanted to do.

Interestingly enough when I approached the situation with that energy, she wanted my perspective and recommendations. So I provided them unattached to whether she’d take them or not, and it turns out she did!

The insight here is to connect with your intentions and let that determine the tone of your actions. When you have an intention, you have a specific purpose for doing what you’re doing. This purpose is connected to the highest version of yourself, and it helps you hold yourself accountable to that higher standard.

Intentionality is the North Star that I have in my life, and being intentional over being productive is one of the 7 Fundamentals To Self Improvement. Check out the rest if you want to build up your life the right way!

Perhaps the thing that holds people back the most from pursuing their dreams, taking more chances, and playing a bigger game in life is a lack of self-confidence. When you lack confidence it means that you’re more hesitant, tentative, and unwilling to put yourself outside your comfort zone for fear that you’ll fail... And give yourself more reasons to feel inadequate.

When you break down the etymology of the word ‘confidence’ it’s divided into two latin roots ‘con-fidere’ which translates to “intense trust”. When you fully trust a person or process, you have confidence in them. This means that in order to have self-confidence you need to have intense trust in yourself, that you will show up, perform, and give your best when you find yourself in challenging situations.

I’ve found that in order to build that intense trust in yourself, you need to earn it. And that the best way to build confidence is by doing hard things. When you take on hard things and prove to yourself that you have what it takes to overcome them, you gain confidence.

This is something I’ve been leveraging for myself. Literally today (as I’m sharing this) I’m giving a Keynote speech. Beyond preparing relentlessly for it, I’ve also been reinforcing my own self-confidence by pushing myself in the gym. I’ve been starting every workout by turning the treadmill on faster than is comfortable and holding the pace for longer than I thought possible. And each time I do, it’s giving me more evidence that I step up to the occasion when it’s presented in front of me. I'm doing this strategically to reinforce my self-confidence, which is elevating all areas of my life, but in the short-term is being specifically directed toward delivering on this Keynote.

But there’s an extra layer to it. Beyond just supporting you with the things that are on the horizon and that you’re aware of, building confidence proactively helps you to better manage the things that come up unexpectedly. I hear Mike Posner say “we choose to do hard things so that we can do the hard things we don't’ choose.” 

Life will always present challenges, and the more prepared we are when they arrive, the better we’ll be able to manage them. So if you’re feeling short on confidence, start giving yourself reasons to be confident. And that starts with stepping outside of your comfort zone and giving yourself the opportunity to prove to yourself that you’re more capable than you thought.

The primary purpose of our personal development is to achieve self-growth - to improve the quality of our lives by becoming healthier, more effective, more present, and more impactful. This idea of constant growth suggests that we’re always seeking to tap into our next level and maximize our potential. And as I’ve found in my life, when it comes to generating improvement and growth, there are only two paths to reaching your next level…

The path you take comes down to asking yourself this simple question: Do you know what you should be doing to improve your life?

If the answer is “Yes”, you do know what you should be doing to improve your life, then the path forward is just a matter of doing it. This becomes a process of understanding the roadblocks, obstacles, challenges, and details getting in the way of you doing it. It becomes more of a behavioral design approach to changing your life so that you can get consistent in doing the things that most serve you.

Some people would call this being more self-disciplined, which I define as “faithfully following through on doing the thing that most serves you, consistently, despite the circumstances around it”. Cultivating self-discipline isn’t just about willing your way into action but exploring all the factors around the action, clearing out the resistance, and structuring your environment to be more supportive in doing it.

If the answer to the question is “no”, you don’t know what you should be doing to improve your life, then the limiting factor is your own awareness. This means that the path forward is to go out and find the ideas, perspectives, examples, lessons, and recommendations that will help you improve in the ways you seek to. 

It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes of all time, shared by Maya Angelou - “Do your best until you know better. Then once you know better, do better.” It’s a reminder to not judge or criticize how things have been because it was the best you could do from that level of awareness. And then, once you have acquired that awareness, it becomes a matter of being more self-disciplined to faithfully follow through on what you know you should be doing.

The truth of it is… The majority of the time, if you’re being really honest with yourself, you do know what you should be doing to improve. Or at least you have an idea for something to try. So the real bottleneck to your own self-improvement, and reaching your next level, is to get yourself to follow through and take action. Even if it scares you, even if you don’t feel ready, even if you have reasonable excuses to make about it.

My personal process for that, which includes self-discipline subconscious priming, and honest self-accountability, and clarity on my goals and committed areas for growth, is my Self Improvement Scorecard. It's how I take action to elevate to my next level every single day.