Your Next 6 Months: How to Unstuck Your Life Before It's Too Late

You are reading an excerpt from The Challenge, a newsletter where I discuss self-improvement, goal-setting, habits, time management, and health tips and tricks.

Every week, you will get the following:

• a challenge to pursue to improve your life
• an infographic to track it.

Subscribe now to help me continue publishing this type of content.

It’s the 1st day of 2024. And I hope you are more motivated than ever because this is the day your life will change forever.

I know it’s always like this. I made many promises and resolutions myself last year. And I broke 80% of them. But as the Pareto Principle teaches us, 20% of the actions produce 80% of the results, right?

Wrong! Sometimes, only 80% of the actions produce 80% of the results. And we won’t set for less.

You may have felt stuck in your life in those last months of the year. You may have been stagnant for longer. But you don’t have to endure anymore.

You can get unstuck. And you can succeed in life again. I know because I was there four years ago. And I fought to find my way through millions of mistakes.

I lived them all. I woke up and cried in the middle of the night. And I felt like I was alone. But you are never alone in this world. And even if you think you are, I am here for you. And you can reach out whenever you want.

But enough with the premises, let’s make some promises.

Do you want to change? Here’s how you can unstuck your life in the next six months.

Changing your life in six months can bring incredible benefits. It can improve your personal, social, and financial life. It will put you back in shape. And it will change your future forever.

The changes you make over such a short period can make a difference.

• In this post, I will summarize what you should do over the next six months to unstuck your life.
• In the following issues, we will see each topic from different points of view.

(Also, I will link you to a few books on self-improvement. And since I am part of the Amazon Associate program, you will click some affiliate links.)

I throw myself to the wolves whenever I want to start something new. I never prepare first. And the trial-and-error paradigm can help build a solid base. But you don’t have time for this in six months.

You need a plan. And you need to try new things once or twice to get a glimpse of it. So, during your first month, I will give you three tasks.

• Write a self-improvement plan.
• Try out new activities.
• Find one activity for your spirit, one for your health, and one for your social life you want to improve later on.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Get Things Done by David Allen

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

You will never change your life if you feel broken. So, you should always have two top priorities :

• your mental health, which helps you control internal anxiety
• and your physical health that keeps your external stress under control.

And once you handle both of them, you can work on anything related.

Do you want to become more confident, for example? Body confidence is a good start. But mental stability and control are also fundamental.

Here are a few tasks you might want to complete in your second month:

• Work on a self-reflection routine like solitude walks, meditation, or yoga.
• Build a second brain. You can’t remember everything in your life. And a second brain can help you keep information in order and easily accessible.
• Eat healthy. Plan your weekly meals to equilibrate all foods and their properties.
• Buy a gym subscription (and one to The Challenge ) to get back in shape.

Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan

My social network was nonexistent when I started with personal growth. My longest relationship of five years just ended. And most of the people I thought my friends left me. So, I had to start from the ground.

I won’t lie to you – it’s hard.

Building a social network when you don’t have any connections is challenging. And it requires a lot of mental fortitude. But that’s why you needed month two. So, you shouldn’t have any problems dealing with failing attempts to build relationships (both with friends or romantic interests).

Usually, when people have nothing, they are happy with anything they can get. But you should be strong enough to understand toxic or useless relationships. So, don’t settle for anything that’s below your expectations. And be honest about your priorities and needs.

• Learn about charisma, social skills, and building trust.
• Build long-term relationships with people who support you.
• Leave people who don’t understand what you want.
• Attend places with people who share your interests. It will be easier to connect there.
• And learn to read body language.

How to Talk With Anyone by Leil Lowndes

What is Every Body Saying by Joe Navarro

The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane

There are a million reasons why you should build at least one hobby.

• It can help you grow your social network and influence.
• It gives you unique and exploitable skills you may even use elsewhere.
• You can transform it into a job you love or a side hustle .
• You will create a safe space to relax , enjoy life, and not feel out of place.

But the best reason why you need a hobby is to beat procrastination .

At its core, procrastination has nothing to do with pleasure. It is a limbo where you escape when you lack motivation or feel exhausted.

But you can’t always think about work and productivity. You need at least one way to relax. And your hobbies suit perfectly for that. So, find a hobby that gives you joy, a dose of dopamine, and healthy results.

The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest

Find Your Why by Simon Sinek

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Listen, going out with friends is terrific. And when you’re young, it feels like the only thing that matters. But that period only lasts for a small part of your life. And you will lose the best years of your life when you still have time to learn new skills.

As you get older, it will be more challenging. So, acquire skills that can make you thrive.

• Plan your study sessions.
• Study ways to advance in your career.
• Prioritize micro-skills you can then use to enhance other skills.
• Prioritize generic topics.
• Study skills that can multiply your returns.

Deep Work by Cal Newport

The Organized Mind by Daniel Levitin

Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Independence is a broad word, and it can include many things. But for me, it means career, personal finance, money, and stability.

What will happen if you lose your job tomorrow?

Do you have a plan? And for how many months could you live without an income?

Usually, experts suggest you build at least six months of income for those types of emergencies. But most people don’t know how to reach that threshold fast enough. Some don’t even know how much they would spend in six months. Or, sometimes, that threshold seems unreachable.

Yet, you can do many things to become more independent:

• Focus on what could make you grow in your career.
• Learn to budget and track your expenses.
• Control your spending hunger and avoid buying everything you think you need.
• Learn to invest your money and make them work for you.
• Avoid losing money (which means no trading).

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

Six months is only 1/200 of your life (assuming you will live 100 years). And they will go by fast. So, what will you do next?

Well, it’s simple – you start over.

Personal growth is a process that never ends. So keep building your second brain. Track your progress. Find new challenges. And become the best version of yourself. That’s how you can unstuck your life.

If you loved the newsletter and want to support my work, subscribe and share The Challenge with your friends and families!

Or, if you want to read more of my content, visit the Cosmopolitan Mindset.

Subscribe now to help me continue publishing this type of content.