3 Basic Habits To Fix Your Directionless Life

Jonathan’s Newsletter - 5 Minute read
January 13, 2024

Your planning skills are non-developed; they are babylike.

Stop trying to run a planning marathon.

Babies learn to crawl before walking; toddlers learn to walk before running.

You don’t plan, organise or set realistic goals in your life. That’s for runners.

Dont run. Don't even walk. Crawl.

Nail the basics of planning (crawling), and you’ll build momentum in life (running).

Plan your life, put in the reps, and once you’re crawling, you’ll be running in no time.

Get. Fucking. Organised.

Anyway, enough of the pep talk; here are 3 key habits that will get your life on track and give you the direction you’re yearning for.

These helped me get my procrastinator ass in gear. I hope it helps you.

Consistent Sleep.

Sleep is a basic human need.

You know that sleep is essential, so don’t fuck around with this.

Stop over consuming late at night and exposing yourself to distractions, like your mobile.

Sleep.

Choose a time you want to wake up every day. Make sure your head hits the pillow 8 hours before that.

Set a goal to do this consistently for 3 days. It’s not a big commitment.

You’ll feel great about yourself, triggering a positive feedback loop.

After 3 days, your body will adjust to its new schedule, you’ll have energy, you’ll have momentum.

You’ll realise it was pretty simple and you’ll be a consistent sleep advocate because you’ll feel the benefits.

I realised that this consistent habit unlocks more positive habits, when I started waking up at 6 am daily, I realised I had consistent chunks of time available.

Now, I could add some exercise routine in there, or consistent reading.

Now, not only am I getting well-rested sleep I’m also able to improve my mind and body.

Write

If you’re like me, your brain is full of noise, lots of noise. 

This noise often takes control of your biological steering wheel, leading you in circles and leaving you with no direction.

Writing is like programming your biological GPS.

There are many different forms of writing.

Most help with focus, planning, calming the mind and narrowing your direction.

Let’s start simple. Grab a pen and paper.

Write down what it is you want to do today.

What is one thing on your mind that needs to get done, it’s a burning feeling in your gut, mind, and heart.

Write it down.

Is your bedroom a mess?

Then write that down and then write how you will start cleaning your room. (Thanks Jordan Peterson)

Whatever the next action is, start it.

“Pick up the piles of clothes on the floor and put them away”

Do it.

You’ve just accomplished a goal.

Good fucking job. If you have energy and excitement, keep going.

Otherwise, get outside and do something fun.

Repeat tomorrow.

Add 2 more items to the list that you want to get done.

Over the course of a week, you’ll have built up momentum and have a clean room (and a clean mind).

Writing things down gets them out of your mind; the problem with lack of direction is a cloudy mind because:

• There are too many open loops

• You’ve consumed too much shit

• Too many to-dos

• Too many distractions

• Your room is a mess, and you can’t think

These are all blurring your mind from being able to focus.

Writing allows your mind to clear out, like opening the windows in your house to allow the fresh air to roll in.

Steam of consciousness journaling is the best method; I won’t go into it now, but if you are curious, research.

Once I started a habit of writing down what I wanted to get done, I realised:

1. My house is clean = my mind is clean

2. Getting chores done is easy once you’ve externalised the actions

Start your morning with a journal, and spend 2–5 mins writing down what you want to accomplish today.

Be Present

You need to drop distractions in your life.

Stop picking up the phone you have every 3 minutes. Start being aware of how often your mind needs stimulation.

We have a limited amount of attention each day, so don’t waste it all on low-quality consume.

Scrolling Facebook or Instagram mindlessly is low-quality consume. Instead, focus that energy in the present moment.

When your mind has a moment to stop, you then have space to generate ideas and think.

It’s in these moments that you start to understand your passions, desires and goals for life.

When was the last time you sat in silence for 10 minutes?

I don’t mean meditation. However, that is a great habit to adopt.

When did you last sit in silence, thinking and reviewing the thoughts in your head?

Most ideas and conclusions can be found by being present.

When I started practising mindfulness for 10 minutes a day, I realised how much the noise in my head had started to quieten. 

I realised I could find joy in the present moment, being grateful for my surroundings. 

My thoughts started to turn positive, my energy levels were higher, and my mind was clear.

Not only was my mind clear, but my vision was clear, I had more focus and awareness of the goals I wanted to achieve.

It’s with mindfulness that the greatest ideas come to mind. The information in my head starts to connect because it’s less chaotic. 

I can make better decisions confidently.

Practice mindfulness; make it part of your daily routine. 

10 minutes a day sitting in silence is the easiest method. Or, find a guided mindfulness video on YouTube.

Summary

Sleep, write and be present — not only will these 3 keystone habits help you find your direction. 

Doing this will bring inner peace; inner peace brings focus, and focus brings direction.

Start today.

Organise your life.

• 8 Hours Sleep

• 10 Minutes writing

• 10 Minutes mindfulness

After a couple of days, you will know in which direction you want to head. It can change, but as long as you have momentum, it doesn’t matter.

What are you waiting for?