When You’re Sick + Tired of Feeling Sick + Tired, Do This
Imagine, it’s January 1st, and the new year feels ripe with possibilities.
You’ve got your shiny new journal, a Pinterest board full of inspiration, and an ambitious list of goals: lose 30 pounds, run a marathon, save $10,000.
By February, though, the treadmill’s collecting dust, the savings plan is just a fleeting thought, and the whole thing feels like yet another round of self-sabotage. Sound familiar?
Goal-setting often feels like standing at the base of a mountain, staring up at a peak shrouded in clouds. It’s intimidating, overwhelming, and, let’s face it, exhausting.
The problem isn’t the goal itself but how we approach it.
Ryan Holiday, a modern thinker drawing on ancient Stoicism, suggests that obstacles are opportunities for growth. James Clear, in his bestseller Atomic Habits, adds that success doesn’t come from grand ambitions but from the small, steady steps we take daily. Together, their wisdom reveals a way to move from frustration to progress.
Take Emily, a mom of three who works full-time and dreams of getting in shape. Like many, she starts big: hitting the gym five times a week, cutting out carbs, and waking up at 5 AM to meditate. But by week two, life gets in the way. The gym bag stays in the car, and her dreams of fitness fade. Her mistake isn’t her ambition—it’s that her goal isn’t actionable.
As Clear points out in Atomic Habits, “You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.” Goals are the destination, but habits are the vehicle that gets you there.
What if Emily focused on something smaller? Instead of “get in shape,” what if she committed to a 10-minute walk after dinner or doing 10 push-ups every morning? These actions might seem insignificant, but they hold the power of momentum.
A snowball starts tiny, yet grows with every roll. Each small action builds confidence, sets the stage for bigger wins, and reinforces the identity she’s working toward.
Ryan Holiday reminds us that the only thing we control is what we do today. Focusing on manageable steps, rather than outcomes, is where power lies. This is how Karen can climb her mountain—one deliberate step at a time.
The same principle applies to Alex, an aspiring writer with dreams of publishing a novel. Every time Alex sits down to write, he’s paralyzed by the enormity of the task. Instead of making progress, he ends up scrolling through Instagram. What changes everything is when Alex shifts his focus to writing just one sentence each day. One sentence. No pressure, no 2,000-word quotas. And yet, one sentence often leads to two, then three, then a paragraph.
Over time, Alex’s novel begins to take shape. This approach is rooted in what Clear calls “habit stacking”—pairing a new habit with something you already do. Alex starts writing during his morning coffee. The action becomes automatic, woven seamlessly into his day.
So how do you escape the cycle of frustration and procrastination? Start now, and start small. Think of a big goal you’ve been putting off. Break it into the smallest possible step. Want to read more? Commit to one page a night. Want to eat healthier? Swap one soda for water. Pair that step with something you already do, like brushing your teeth or taking a lunch break.
Perfection isn’t the goal; progress is. Holiday, in his book The Obstacle Is the Way, writes, “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” Every small step you take is a victory, and together, those steps move you closer to the person you want to become.
Imagine your future self a year from now. They don’t thank you for the perfect plan you never executed. They thank you for every imperfect step you took today.
Don’t wait for Monday, January, or the mythical “right time.” The only moment that matters is now. Grab it, start small, and let the power of small actions carry you toward the life you’ve envisioned.
For more insights, dive into Atomic Habits by James Clear here or explore Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way here.