If You’re Not Doing More Than Yesterday or Last Week, You’re Wasting Your Life

Let’s get one thing straight—progress is not optional. If you’re the same person today as you were last week, you’re on the express train to mediocrity. And let’s be real, who wakes up in the morning thinking, “Man, I can’t wait to be average today!”? Exactly. Nobody.

Here’s the kicker: Life doesn’t pause while you’re sitting around binge-watching TV shows or endlessly scrolling through social media. While you’re out here “taking it easy,” someone else is out there leveling up, making moves, and chasing the life you say you want. So, let’s talk about how to make sure that someone isn’t leaving you in the dust.

Why Staying Stagnant Is a Dangerous Game

The thing about life is it’s always moving. The world evolves, industries change, technology advances—and if you’re not adapting, you’re being left behind. It’s harsh, but it’s true. Comfort zones? They’re just velvet cages keeping you from reaching your potential.

You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight, but every single day should have at least one win. Read a chapter of a book. Learn a new skill. Push yourself harder in the gym. Do something that future-you will look back on and say, “Yep, that was a step in the right direction.”

The One-Up Rule

Here’s a simple mantra to live by: Be 1% better than yesterday. That’s it. Small, consistent improvements add up faster than you think. You don’t need to wake up tomorrow with the discipline of a Navy SEAL or the genius of Elon Musk. You just need to wake up with a plan and the willingness to follow through.

Missed a workout last week? Hit the gym today. Procrastinated on that side hustle? Spend an hour working on it tonight. Small wins lead to big momentum.

Stop Lying to Yourself

“Oh, I’ll start next week.”

“I’m too tired today.”

“It’s not the right time.”

Sound familiar? Those excuses are the bricks you’re laying to build your own prison of mediocrity. You have to call yourself out. Nobody’s coming to rescue you. No magic moment is going to happen where the stars align, and you suddenly feel motivated. Newsflash: Motivation is fleeting. Discipline is what gets things done.

Audit Your Time

Want to know why you’re not where you want to be? Check where your time’s going. Is it being invested or wasted? Those three hours scrolling through TikTok? Gone. That Netflix marathon? Sure, it’s entertaining, but what did you get out of it?

If you’re serious about change, start tracking your time. Replace the useless hours with productive activities that bring you closer to your goals. Time is your most valuable asset—treat it like it.

Set Micro-Goals

Big goals can feel overwhelming. “I want to be a millionaire” or “I want to write a book” are great dreams, but they’re also so massive that they can paralyze you. Break them down. Want to write a book? Start with one paragraph a day. Want to be financially free? Save $10 this week. Small, consistent actions compound over time.

Learn to Love the Grind

The grind isn’t glamorous. It’s repetitive, tiring, and, let’s face it, often boring. But it’s also the only thing that separates dreamers from doers. If you’re not willing to embrace the process, you’ll never get to the payoff. So, stop complaining about how hard it is and start putting in the work.

And let’s not forget: The grind doesn’t mean sacrificing your mental health. Balance is key, but balance doesn’t mean complacency. It means knowing when to push and when to rest.

Surround Yourself With Winners

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. If your circle isn’t inspiring you, it’s holding you back. Find people who push you, challenge you, and don’t let you settle for less than you’re capable of. It might mean cutting ties with some people, but if they’re dragging you down, are they really worth keeping around?

Visualize the Nightmare

If nothing else motivates you, imagine the alternative. Picture your future self, 10 or 20 years down the road, sitting in a job you hate, living a life you despise, all because you didn’t take action when you had the chance. Scary, right? Use that fear. Let it fuel you.

More on this topic here.

Start Now

There’s no “perfect time” to start. Waiting for Monday? For New Year’s? For some magical day when you feel ready? Forget it. The best time to start was yesterday. The next best time is right now.

Take a deep breath, write down one thing you can do today to make tomorrow better, and do it. Then do it again tomorrow. And the day after.

The Bottom Line

Your life isn’t going to magically improve by itself. You have to show up every day and make it happen. No one’s going to do it for you, and no one’s going to care more about your future than you do. So, stop wasting time, stop making excuses, and start doing more than you did yesterday.

Because let’s face it, the only thing worse than trying and failing is never trying at all.