imagine a month where you’re unstoppable.

you’re reading multiple books, consistently hitting the gym, and meeting every deadline with ease.

but then, one morning, you wake up feeling off.

suddenly, the motivation that fueled your success evaporates, leaving you in a rut.

sound familiar?

this is a common cycle many face, including me.

i’ve experienced periods of high productivity followed by slumps of inactivity and self-doubt.

i found myself skipping workouts, forgetting to post content, and laying on the couch 65% of the time watching memes, unable to remember why i was productive in the first place.

one inactive day turned into two, then two days turned into a week. the worst thing? not only was i not doing the things i should be doing, but i didn’t even want to.

sometimes, your focus feels like a distant memory, and the motivation to reclaim it seems out of reach.

but there’s a 3-step formula you can follow to reclaim your focus and get yourself out of a rut.

let’s dive in.

1) optimize for action, not motivation

the key to breaking free from an unproductive cycle is to take action, even when you don’t feel like it. most people believe that action follows motivation, but it’s often the reverse.

starting with small, manageable tasks can help create momentum.

for example, sending one dm to a potential client or cleaning your room can be the first steps toward bigger achievements.

these actions, no matter how minor, can spark the motivation needed to tackle more significant tasks.

this principle works because once you initiate action, it often leads to more action, creating a productive cycle. think of it as jump-starting a car – a small push can get things moving again.

2) reward yourself after small victories

while it might feel trivial, rewarding yourself for small accomplishments is crucial. it’s about negotiating with the primal part of your brain, which craves immediate gratification.

recognize and celebrate these minor victories to build a positive feedback loop. for example, if you complete a task like writing social media content, reward yourself with a short break or a 10-minute walk.

this strategy not only boosts your morale but also makes your brain associate productivity with positive feelings. over time, these rewards can help solidify new habits, making it easier to stay productive without feeling overwhelmed.

taking action will become automatic.

3) apply progressive overload

like building muscle through weight training, gradually increasing your workload can help you climb out of a rut.

start with small, achievable goals and progressively challenge yourself.

let’s take walking as an example.

start by walking for 10 minutes every day. stick to this 10-minute walk every day for a week. ensure you don’t miss a day to build the habit.

after a week, increase your walking time to 15 minutes per day.

walk for 20 minutes daily during the third week, then 25 minutes during the fourth week, and so on.

once you’re comfortable walking for 30 minutes daily, add other forms of exercise. for example, include 5 minutes of stretching after your walk.

same principle can be applied to business (outreaching):

week 1: send 5 cold dms a day

week 2: send 10 cold dms a day

week 3: send 15 cold dms a day

week 4: send 20 cold dms a day

once you’re comfortable sending 20 dms a day, add other forms of outreach. for example, send 3 cold emails to potential clients + 20 cold dms a day.

this steady increase will help you maintain the habit without feeling overwhelmed and prevent the all-or-nothing mindset that often leads to failure,

the journey out of a rut begins with a single step

take that first small step.

celebrate every small victory.

challenge yourself a bit more each day.

before you know it, you’ll be back on track.

unstoppable and thriving.

– jordan