Small Wins Build Discipline Habits

Picture this: It’s January 15th. You’ve finally broken in the $120 running shoes, the gallon-sized water bottle, and have the "perfect" workout playlist ready to go.

But right now, you’re in a localized war with your alarm clock…and you’re losing.

You feel like a failure because you aren't hitting the gym for two hours like that influencer on your feed.

But here’s a secret: discipline isn’t a giant, heroic leap.

It’s the quiet, boring magic of showing up when you’d rather stay under the covers, simply because it’s just what you do.

Winning Early Prevents The Mid-Season Crash

The biggest mistake I see is "New Year’s Syndrome."

You’re pumped, you’re at 110%, and you hit the weights every single day for two weeks until your "willpower tank" hits empty.

I saw this constantly during my time playing D3 college basketball. Guys would show up at the start of the year as a 'gym rat' who swears they’re doing the extra skill work. But by mid-season? Those same guys were cutting corners on defensive drills because they burned out their discipline too early.

To keep my own discipline muscle flexed today, I’ve challenged myself to post a video every single day for 100 days.

Are they all Oscar-winning masterpieces?

No way.

Some don't have any edits (like the one below summarizing this blog article) and the lighting is just "okay." 

I’m doing this challenge of posting a video every day because even as a former pro athlete, the "lazy" version of me is always trying to make a comeback. 

I have to train my habit of showing up just like I have to train my muscles.

An average video that actually gets posted is worth more than a "perfect" video that stays in my drafts.

Lowering The Bar Makes Success Inevitable

Why do we actually quit the gym?

It’s usually because we set the bar so high that we’re scared to fail.

If your goal is "I have to lift for two hours," you’ll quit the first time you’re tired or have homework.

But if your goal is simply "I have to walk through the gym doors," you remove the fear.

In my opinion, the intensity of your workout matters way less than the frequency when you’re starting out. 

Think of it like a cold shower. The hardest part isn't the freezing water; it's the three seconds of overthinking before you step in.

By committing to just showing up, even if you only stay for 15 minutes, you are training your brain to stop debating and start doing.

Plus, let’s be real: nobody at the gym is judging you. They’re all too busy worrying about their own gains.

Small Daily Wins Turn Into Automatic Habits

There’s a classic movie called What About Bob? where Bill Murray plays a guy who is so paralyzed by fear he can barely leave his house.

His therapist gives him a "hack" for his malfunctioning brain: Baby Steps.

Instead of worrying about a big journey, he just focuses on "baby steps to the elevator" or "baby steps to the door."

It sounds like a joke, but it’s a masterclass in psychology. You don’t walk a mile; you just take one step, then you take another.

Your brain is a pattern-matching machine. If you feed it chaos, it gives you stress. If you feed it a consistent 6:00 AM alarm, it eventually gives you an "autopilot" mode.

I once worked with a high school client who wanted to get recruited but couldn't wake up for early workouts.

We didn't start with the gym. We started with him just putting his sneakers on at 6:00 AM and sitting on his bed.

That was his "baby step."

A month later, he was consistently the first one in the weight room because he wasn't fighting his brain anymore, it was routine for him to wake up that early.

Consistency Builds Your New Identity

When I moved overseas to play basketball professionally, something changed.

I realized the "best" players weren't the ones with the flashiest highlights; they were the ones who never missed a morning stretch, even when they were jet-lagged or sore. They weren't there for the "New Year's" hype; they were there because it’s who they were.

When you show up for a habit every day, you aren't just "a kid at the gym" anymore. You become an athlete.

You’re building the "discipline muscle" that will help you pass hard exams, handle stress, and eventually dominate whatever career you choose.

My 100-day video challenge is just my way of keeping that muscle flexed.

Your Micro-Mission: Don't worry about the gym tomorrow. Your only "baby step" is to put your gym clothes on. That's it. 

If you want to stop guessing and start building these habits for real, you should check out our Life Skills Self-Led Program.

It’s designed specifically for you to practice building discipline step-by-step, so you can stop the burnout cycle and finally start hitting your goals.