I burned out trying to stay consistent - then I found this dead-simple system
I told myself it was still baby weight, even though my son had started school years ago. That extra weight had nothing to do with him - it was from years of ignoring what I knew I had to do.
I hated working out. Always had. Back in college, I walked everywhere, so I never had to think about it. But now, I had a car, a career, a family… and no movement in my life.
I kept trying every shortcut I could find. Weight Watchers. Fasting. Weird diets where you eat nothing but grapefruit or drink cayenne pepper and maple syrup. Nothing worked.
Every time I thought about working out, the excuses poured in. ‘I don’t have time. I don’t know where to start. What if people stare at me?’ But the worst voice in my head was the quiet one, the one I tried to ignore: ‘What if this is just who I am now?’
I didn’t want to admit how much that voice scared me. I was only in my 30s, but I felt trapped in a body I didn’t recognize. Every failed attempt whispered, ‘This is permanent.’
I started avoiding mirrors, avoiding cameras. Even walking past my reflection in a storefront window made me flinch.
But it wasn’t just about how I looked - it was about feeling stuck. I felt like every failed diet, every missed attempt to get active, was proof that I couldn’t change.
One day, after months of letting this loop play in my head, I made a decision. Not a big one - a tiny one.
I didn’t join a program or buy equipment. I didn’t even make a plan. I just walked into the gym near my house, sat on the stationary bike, and pedaled for 20 minutes. That’s it.
The next day, I told myself, ‘You can do this again - just 20 minutes.’ And I did.
I didn’t track calories. I didn’t weigh myself. I didn’t set goals. I just got on that bike every morning and pedaled for 20 minutes. It felt so small it couldn’t possibly matter. But it did.
And it wasn’t just the weight loss. It was the feeling of movement, the proof that I could keep a promise to myself.
Now, every time I face something that feels impossible - whether it’s a new habit, a daunting project, or a massive goal - I hear that voice again. But this time, it says something different: ‘You can do anything for 20 minutes.’
Did you know that 45% of people give up on goals because they feel overwhelmed by the size of the challenge?
Storytelling, like fitness, often feels like an all-or-nothing game.
You tell yourself you need to write the perfect story, nail every emotional beat, and produce something groundbreaking every time. But here’s the truth: the stories that resonate and convert aren’t built in a single session - they’re built brick by brick, with small, steady actions.
The key is consistency, not perfection. Every day you write, observe, or reflect, you’re adding to a bank of ideas and experiences. You don’t have to tackle the entire story arc today. You just have to start.
When storytelling feels overwhelming, use my 20-Minute Momentum Framework to break it into manageable steps:
1. Pick One Focus
Identify a single piece of your storytelling to work on today. It could be brainstorming ideas, revisiting a past draft, or crafting a single paragraph.
2. Set a Timer
Commit to just 20 minutes of focused effort. No multitasking, no distractions - just you and the task at hand.
3. Forget Perfection
The goal isn’t to create something amazing. It’s to move forward. Write badly. Brainstorm wildly. Just keep going.
4. Repeat Tomorrow
Momentum compounds. The story you finish next week will be the result of showing up consistently, not perfectly.
5. Celebrate Small Wins
Each 20-minute session is proof that you’re moving forward. Take a moment to recognize the progress, even if it feels small.
Why This Works
This approach leverages the psychological principle of ‘activation energy’ - the idea that the hardest part of any task is simply starting. By lowering the barrier to entry (just 20 minutes), you eliminate the resistance that keeps most people stuck.
The consistency also rewires your brain for success. Each completed session releases dopamine, reinforcing the habit and building confidence in your ability to show up.
Over time, these small actions snowball into a bank of stories, ideas, and insights - ready to be built upon.
Here’s What You’ll Get Out of It
• Sustainable Creativity: You’ll produce consistent, high-quality stories without burning out.
• Predictable Results: Build a habit that guarantees steady progress, even on busy days.
• Confidence in Action: Eliminate the paralysis of perfection and make storytelling a manageable, daily practice.
You don’t need more time - you need less resistance.
Your Turn
Try this simple exercise to kickstart your 20-minute storytelling habit:
1. Pick a Story Starter
Choose a moment from the past 24 hours that caught your attention - a conversation, an observation, or even a fleeting thought.
2. Set Your Timer
Open a blank document or grab a notebook. Set a timer for 20 minutes and write. Don’t overthink it—just get the moment down on paper.
3. Refine Tomorrow
When the timer stops, stop. Save your work and revisit it tomorrow for refinement.
4. Repeat Daily
Aim for one small moment each day. Over a week, you’ll have the building blocks for a story - and a habit that feels effortless.
5. Reflect Weekly
At the end of the week, review your moments. What themes emerge? Which stories stand out? Use these as inspiration for future projects.
My weight didn’t disappear overnight, and your storytelling skills won’t appear overnight either. But with small, consistent steps, you’ll become a master storyteller.
Prefer listening to reading sometimes? Want an extra layer?
Press play for the ‘Narrated Insights’:
Today’s Mega-Prompt: "Discover Content Gold in Everyday Moments with the '24-Hour Lens Exercise'"
Paid members get to use today’s mega-prompt to: uncover powerful, audience-focused stories hidden in the past 24 hours. You’ll transform small moments - like a lesson learned or a challenge faced - into meaningful content that connects deeply with your audience’s needs and aspirations.
Here’s a sneak peek:
"Explore conversations, wins, and setbacks from your day, and turn them into hooks, insights, and takeaways your audience will relate to and remember."
As a Paid 8am in Atlanta Member, you will also unlock exclusive tools designed to turn storytelling into a revenue-driving machine:
Prompt Archive: Gain access to an extensive archive of prompts, each designed to help you create stories that connect emotionally and convert effectively. The archive offers actionable techniques to create targeted brand narratives for top, middle, and bottom funnel stages, ensuring you always have proven strategies at your fingertips.
Daily Mega-Prompts (M-F): A fresh, actionable mega-prompt every weekday - backed by advanced strategies like behavioral triggers, neuroscience, and sales funnel alignment - to help you create stories that engage, convert, and grow your brand.
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