Let me explain.

I asked five of the most productive and influential people I know how they always seem to stay so focused, driven, and motivated.

What they told me actually surprised me because I honestly thought I knew what they were going to say, but I was wrong.

I'm not here to waste your time.

This video is not just about fluff and meaningless motivation for your day.

This entire idea is incredibly complex and overwhelmingly deep.

Or so I thought.

I actually found the opposite to be true.

What I learned was surprisingly simple.

At least, way more simple than I thought it would be.

Let me explain.

Locking in.

Let's be honest.

If you're anything like me, you've tried before.

Or at least you think you have.

Maybe you started a fitness routine, but life got busy.

Maybe you set vague feel-good goals, which is great, but you didn't follow through.

The problem isn't effort, it's commitment.

The problem with me wasn't starting, it was following through.

You're not stuck because the world is unfair, even though it definitely is.

You're stuck because you're waiting for the right moment, the perfect conditions, the ideal situation.

The truth is, that moment will never come.

The conditions are never going to be exactly as you imagine.

So is there actually a solution to all this?

Or are you always going to feel overwhelmed by your goals and your dreams?

It begins with your time.

Your most valuable asset.

Something I used to say a lot is this, I don't have time.

That's funny though, considering I had time to watch that movie, scroll Instagram for hours, or spend the day doing random little things here and there that truthfully had no real benefit to my life.

The truth is, we do have time, but most of us are probably spending it wrong.

So if we break it down, we have 24 hours in a day, you sleep for 8, go to work or school for another 8, take 2 for daily necessities, that still leaves 6 hours of free time.

So why does it feel like we have no time?

It's because those hours are not being used wisely.

For me, they were slipping away on distractions, procrastination, and other things that did not richly benefit my future.

Let's talk about a massive time waster, your phone.

Of course you already knew this, but I'm going to say it again as yet another wakeup call.

You can use your phone to learn just about anything, but realistically, how much time do you actually spend on your phone doing beneficial things each day versus time wasting things?

Something all the influential people I talked to had in common was that they use their phones as tools to benefit their lives slash businesses and not for entertainment.

So I had to ask myself why I was using my phone so often to waste time instead of using it to build something meaningful.

While your phone is an incredible tool, here's the truth that no one likes to hear.

Tools aren't enough.

You need systems.

Goals without strategy are just wishful thinking, saying I want to save money is nice, but what's your plan?

Are you tracking expenses, automating savings, or just hoping for the best?

The same applies for fitness, learning, everything.

Success isn't just about setting goals.

It's about building habits that realistically help you accomplish those goals.

Another thing they all have in common is something most of us want to avoid, the grind.

Everyone loves the idea of success, but few are willing to put in the time and even fewer are able to determine the wisest way to spend their time.

Also, please don't mishear me.

Don't think I'm saying all this as if I've got it all figured out.

Of course, I don't.

I'm learning from people who are a lot further along than I am and trying my best to figure out what it is exactly that got them there.

Most of the work is boring.

It's repetitive.

It's choosing discipline over distractions.

It's putting in the reps when no one is watching, when no one cares, when there's no applause.

Does that mean you should work 24-7 like a machine?

No, but it does mean you need to stop chasing the illusion of perfect balance.

People want to have it all, work, growth, relaxation, fun.

But in reality, if you truly want something, sacrifices have to be made.

Your goals won't magically fit into whatever scraps of free time life gives you.

You have to intentionally carve out that time.

You have to actually force it.

Because here's the bottom line.

This year is not going to change your life unless you choose to change yourself.

So if you really want to lock in this year, I want to encourage you with this.

Today, take one small step in actually doing something and not just dreaming about it.