5 things stopping you from changing

The Top 5 Things Stopping You From Changing (And How to Finally Get Over Yourself)

Change. The magical unicorn everyone chases but somehow manages to avoid when it shows up at their front door with a suitcase. We all have things we want to change: our health, our mindset, our questionable life choices (looking at you, midnight pizza binges). And yet, most people stay stuck in the same cycles, year after year, making grand New Year’s resolutions only to find themselves back on their BS by February 1st.

So, what’s stopping you? Let’s break down the top five culprits, and don’t worry—I’ll make sure to do it with just enough tough love and sarcasm to keep things interesting.

1. The Comfort Zone

Ah yes, the infamous comfort zone. It’s warm, it’s familiar, and best of all, it requires zero effort. Why would you leave it? I mean, sure, your comfort zone is also where dreams go to die, but hey—at least you don’t have to deal with the discomfort of, you know, actually doing something different.

The problem with the comfort zone is that it tricks you into thinking you’re safe. But you’re not safe—you’re stuck. And if you stay stuck long enough, life will start throwing metaphorical bricks at your head to get you moving. Ever notice how things get worse when you ignore your need for change? That’s the universe saying, “Move it or lose it.”

Solution: Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Small steps. Tiny changes. Start by doing something mildly inconvenient, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Once you realize discomfort won’t kill you, you might actually enjoy making progress.

2. Fear of Failure (Because Looking Stupid Is Everyone’s Worst Nightmare)

Ah, good old fear of failure—the sneaky little voice in your head that whispers, “But what if you suck at it?” Newsflash: you will suck at it. At least at first. But so did everyone else who ever tried anything worth doing.

The fear of failure keeps people from even trying. It convinces you that if you don’t start, you can’t fail. And technically, that’s true. But you also can’t succeed. Or grow. Or evolve. So, congratulations, you’ve successfully avoided embarrassment and simultaneously achieved absolutely nothing.

Solution: Reframe failure. Instead of seeing it as proof that you’re doomed, see it as data. You’re just collecting information on what works and what doesn’t. Thomas Edison didn’t “fail” 10,000 times while inventing the lightbulb—he just found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.

3. Waiting for Motivation

Motivation is about as reliable as a free WiFi signal in a basement. It’s cool when it’s there, but you should never count on it to get things done. And yet, so many people sit around waiting to “feel” motivated before they take action.

Guess what? Motivation is usually the result of action, not the cause of it. You don’t magically wake up one day wanting to run five miles and eat kale—you start with a ten-minute walk and a slightly healthier lunch, and suddenly, you feel motivated to keep going.

Solution: Stop waiting and start doing. Commit to five minutes of whatever it is you’ve been avoiding. Just five minutes. Nine times out of ten, you’ll keep going because the hardest part is just getting started. And if you stop after five minutes? Hey, at least you did something, which is more than you were doing before.

4. Caring Too Much About What Other People Think

Listen, I get it. No one wants to be judged. The idea of people rolling their eyes at your attempts to improve yourself is enough to make anyone want to stay in their cozy little bubble of sameness.

But here’s the thing: Most people are too busy worrying about their own insecurities to actually care about yours. And if someone is judging you? That says more about them than it does about you. Happy, successful people don’t waste their time criticizing others for trying to improve.

Solution: Stop making imaginary critics the boss of your life. Do the thing, and let people think whatever they want. In six months, you’ll either have progress or excuses, and the people who doubted you will still be sitting in the same spot doing nothing.

5. Not Having a Plan (Because Winging It Rarely Works)

Saying, “I want to change” without having a plan is like saying, “I want to road trip across the country” without a map, gas, or a car. You can have all the enthusiasm in the world, but if you don’t have an actual strategy, you’re just going to end up frustrated and lost.

A goal without a plan is just a wish. And while wishing is nice, it’s not going to magically make you wake up with a six-pack or a thriving career.

Solution: Break it down. Take whatever big change you want to make and reverse-engineer it into bite-sized, idiot-proof steps. Want to get fit? Schedule workouts, plan meals, and track progress. Want to start a business? Research, set deadlines, and take consistent action. Planning isn’t glamorous, but it’s what separates the dreamers from the doers.

Final Thoughts

Change is hard. But staying the same is also hard. You just have to pick your hard. You can either struggle through the discomfort of growth or struggle with the regret of never trying.

The good news? You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to get it right on the first try. You just have to start.

So, what’s stopping you now?