How to Commit to Something So It Actually Sticks (5 moves)
Ready to go full send and actually do the thing you want to do? Perfect. Welcome to my guide on how to commit to something — anything — and actually make it stick.
In 2021, I started blogging. In 2023, I wrote a song everyday for one year. And in 2025, I’m committed to going full-time with my art and creative projects.
Commitment isn’t something you just do once, it’s more like a character trait. As you move from one project to the next, commitment becomes a habit. And then, eventually, it’s a lifestyle — a new normal. And step one is awareness. So welcome to here (the new you, casually crushing it).
Now let’s do this!
Table of Contents Show
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Why We Struggle to Stay Committed
A lack of clarity — misaligned goals and values
Distractions and too many shiny objects
A fear of failure or embarrassment
A fixed mindset / low self-belief
Feeling overwhelmed
Rogue expectations
Fleeting motivation
Perfectionism
Impatience
Explore more:
➤ How to Keep Going (when you want to quit)
Full Send — How to Actually Commit to Something (5 moves)
1. Choose Something (aligned)
Step one to commit to something is to actually choose something — one specific thing you’re going to focus on. Then, the hard part is not quitting.
And the best way to avoid quitting (I’ve found) is to choose something that’s aligned.
Because if you don’t genuinely enjoy what you’re doing, it’s gonna be a lot harder (and boring) to fully commit. So alignment is key.
Alignment is when you do and pursue things that match your values, lifestyle, passions and goals. Pretty simple, in theory.
The trick is in fully believing that your passions can actually lead to success. For example, I suppressed the artist in me for years (nearly my whole life, actually). I never believed it was a realistic path. So I chased business goals like SEO work, freelancing, writing for clients and starting an agency.
I was miserable! Not because I didn’t enjoy the work, but because I wasn’t investing serious time in the other stuff that makes me feel most alive. And so, I never really succeeded with any of the business-y stuff. Because deep down, I didn’t want it to work or become a full-time gig. I wanted to create art and music and make content about my journey while traveling.
“I thought I needed to fund those passion projects first (through traditional routes), because I didn’t fully believe I could make such artsy things a real “career”.”
And so, my misaligned ventures fell apart and never fully panned out. But now I’m betting on myself and pursuing the things I truly want in life by choosing alignment. Even my business-y ventures are more aligned (with a creative audience, for example). I’m not sure how things will unfold, but I’m already happier and more excited.
So, step one to commit to something is to choose something specific that actually excites you.
Explore more:
➤ Is Destiny Real?
➤ Do More of What Makes You Happy
2. Aim for Small Consistency
We don’t become committed or skilled by doing things randomly or haphazardly. It’s way better to show up for 20 minutes a day for years, rather than having sporadic four-hour day marathons that never build consistency.
Commitment requires consistency. And the best (most effective) way to do that is by working small. Again, 20 minutes a day is better than 4 hours a week, crammed into a single day.
“It doesn’t matter what you know. It also doesn’t matter what you do with what you know. It matters how long you do what you think you know that matters.”
When you have a clear micro goal that’s not overwhelming (like 20 minutes a day), it’s much easier to not lose motivation, be distracted by shiny objects or find yourself in a comparison trap.
Small consistency fosters focus and sustainable growth — a key point in Peter Hollins’ The Science of Rapid Skill Acquisition.
Tip
Reframe your goals as projects. Goals can feel more like hopes and wishes, but projects are more tangible, actionable and current (“I have a goal…” vs. “I have a project…”).
3. Have a Strategy
Strategy is the method you use to reach the success you seek (whatever way you define success).
It’s the protocol you use to get from point A to point B. It’s the thing that gives you results and helps you actually follow through on something.
Whether you want money, social media followers and to just get better at a certain skill, every goal requires a strategy. Otherwise, we’re just doing things willy-nilly, and actually moving forward will be haphazard and drunken.
Of course, I’m all for having fun, forging your own path and exploring for the sake of exploring, but having a few guardrails is seriously helpful for committing to something.
A good strategy will be customized to you and your specific goals, preferences, lifestyle and context. But here are a few universal things that work well:
Define your why
Use a good workflow
Anticipate and plan for your bottlenecks
Test different strategies to find what works
Reverse engineering your big goals into smaller steps
Set micro milestones to work towards — focus on the nano
Explore more:
➤ The Secret to Success
4. Be Patient
Great things take time. Unrealistic expectations and impatience have created more commitment issues than laziness or a lack of focus ever have. At least, that’s my thesis.
So remember to stay humble and be patient. Here are some things that help me:
Set realistic timelines
Be reasonable with your expectations
Don’t think about metrics or look for rapid growth
Focus on the step in front of you (not on the top of the mountain)
5. Don’t Do it Alone
“I’m about as good as the company I keep and the content I consume.”
Nothing is done in isolation. Every artist has their influence, every brand has its team, collaborations or mentors and every teacher was once a student.
I was watching an interview with Matías De Stefano recently (via Know Thyself podcast), and he said something interesting: “In biology, a self-made person is called cancer.” It’s an interesting point and highlights the importance of support.
Your goal is like an ecosystem and going at it alone is going to be much harder. Trust me, I’ve tried. So instead, accept support and grow quicker while building a community. To do this, I like to stack the deck in four ways:
My inner circle
Connect with more like-minded people — build a network
My outer circle
Consume better content that’s more motivating
My environment
Go to more places that inspire you
Create a motivating atmosphere that spark your senses
My inner state
Have someone to talk things out with
Practice meditation
Later ✌️
Committing to something starts with getting aligned and then being intentional. From there, it’s all about having the right strategy and support.
Commitment is a long-term game and setting realistic expectations is also helpful. But just remember, as long as you stay the course and simply never quit, anything is possible (sort of cheesy, I know, but still true).
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.
