5 Habits I Changed in My Life (And Why It Changed Everything)
Most people aren’t stuck because they lack ambition.
They’re stuck because they keep repeating the same habits.
- They burn out chasing dopamine.
- They distract instead of reflect.
- They sacrifice their health for short-term highs.
And even though they say they want more – their habits quietly hold them back.
In this article, I’ll break down the 5 habits I changed in my life – and why each one helped me become sharper, calmer, and more powerful in who I am.
Let’s get into it.
Habit #1 – I Quit Caffeine
What I Used to Do
I relied on caffeine to function.
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Morning coffee to wake up
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Afternoon caffeine to push through
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Evening stress made worse by jitters
I thought it helped me perform. But it was draining me behind the scenes.
Why I Changed It
Caffeine wrecked:
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My sleep
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My digestion
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My ability to stay calm under pressure
It gave me quick highs. But always followed by crashes.
What I Do Instead
I quit completely.
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No more energy spikes and crashes
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Clearer sleep patterns
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Steadier mood throughout the day
It was uncomfortable at first – but now, I feel naturally alert.
I don’t rely on anything outside myself to feel focused. That’s real freedom.
Habit #2 – I Read (or Listen to Audiobooks) for 2–3 Hours a Day
What I Used to Do
Like most people, I:
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Scrolled social media
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Watched short clips
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Consumed surface-level content
It felt productive, but it was mental junk food.
Why I Changed It
I needed input that made me sharper – not scattered.
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Scrolling drained my focus
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Most content gave me noise, not clarity
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I wasn’t learning – I was distracting myself
What I Do Instead
Every day, I:
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Read or listen to deep, high-level content
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Feed my mind like I would feed my body
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Study mindset, philosophy, and human behaviour
I treat books and audiobooks as non-negotiable.
Ideas changed my identity. And identity changed my outcomes.
Habit #3 – I Keep a Live Goal List (and Adjust It Daily)
What I Used to Do
I used to write goals once… and forget them.
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They’d collect dust
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I’d get distracted
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I’d lose direction within days
Why I Changed It
Without daily direction:
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You drift
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You lose focus
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You confuse motion for progress
What I Do Instead
Now I:
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Review my core goals every morning
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Adjust them based on real progress
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Use the list as a compass – not just a wish
This keeps me aligned and intentional.
It’s not about motivation. It’s about clarity.
Habit #4 – I Go to Bed Early and Get Up Early
What I Used to Do
I used to stay up late, thinking I was getting more done.
But I wasn’t.
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I was exhausted by noon
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My sleep was inconsistent
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I had no real rhythm to my day
Why I Changed It
Late nights were stealing my mornings.
And when you lose your mornings – you lose control of your life.
What I Do Instead
Now, I:
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Wind down early
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Wake up before the world
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Use my mornings for thinking, planning, and training
My mind is clearer. My mood is better.
And I start each day on purpose, not in panic.
Habit #5 – I Prioritise My Health Over Everything Else
What I Used to Do
I used to push through pain. Delay rest. Ignore signals.
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Work came first
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Deadlines mattered more than recovery
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I treated my body like a machine
Why I Changed It
If your health breaks down – everything breaks down.
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Your energy
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Your mood
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Your presence in the room
What I Do Instead
Now, I:
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Ice bath, train, recover
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Eat with intention
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Protect my nervous system from burnout
My health is now the foundation, not the afterthought.
And every other part of my life runs smoother because of it.
Conclusion – Real Change Isn’t Loud. It’s Daily.
Most people look for a dramatic shift.
But the real shift happens in quiet, repeatable action.
The more you live aligned with your highest self, the less you need motivation.
Your habits become your identity.
And that identity creates your outcomes.
Written by Gary Gunn
Gary Gunn is an internationally accredited coach with 17 years of experience coaching single men.
He has spent years creating proven, real world systems that help men meet, attract and date the women they desire. He is also the best selling author of a book on confidence and dating.
Gary has taught in over 30 major cities worldwide and has coached more than 1,200 men globally through group courses, video coaching and one to one training.
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