3 Rules to Achieve Your Goals

Three Rules to Achieve Your Goals

We all have dreams. Whether it’s writing a novel, landing a starring role, building a business, or simply becoming a healthier version of ourselves, the gap between wanting something and achieving it can feel impossibly wide.

We often look at successful people, the actors on the red carpet, the athletes on the podium, the authors on the bestseller list—and assume they possess some superhuman level of willpower that the rest of us lack. But the truth is, success isn’t usually about talent alone. It’s about systems.

After years of studying high performers across different industries, I’ve found that almost all of them follow the same three principles, whether they realize it or not. If you want to achieve your goals, stop searching for motivation and start implementing these three rules.

Rule 1: Set Positive Affirmations That You Say Daily

It sounds "woo-woo," but science backs it up. What you tell yourself matters. Your brain has a built-in filter called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). It shows you what you tell it to look for. If you constantly say, “I’m bad with money,” your brain will ignore opportunities to save. If you tell yourself, “I am a disciplined creator,” your brain starts looking for ways to prove that statement true.

But there is a catch: your affirmations need to be in the present tense and positive.

Take Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Before he was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, he was a struggling football player with $7 in his pocket. Johnson is famous for his "three Ps": Purpose, Passion, and Persistence. But his daily practice is one of affirmation. He often shares that his mantra is about being the "hardest worker in the room." He doesn’t say, “I hope I work hard.” He affirms his identity daily. By stating who he is repeatedly, he programs his mind to reject laziness.

Similarly, Simone Biles, the most decorated gymnast in history, uses affirmations to combat the "twisties" and anxiety. She has spoken about using mantras like "I am capable" and "I am in control" before routines. When your body is doing a double-twisting double-backflip, your mind must be on autopilot. If the autopilot is set to fear, you crash. If it’s set to confidence, you land.

While I was in prison I started saying this affirmation every morning, “I will not allow anyone to tell me what I can and can’t do, I will succeed.”

Your Action Step: Write down three "I am" statements related to your goal. I am a focused writer. I am a resilient entrepreneur. I am in control of my health. Say them out loud to yourself in the mirror every morning. It feels silly until it starts working.

Rule 2: Create a Routine That Reflects Your Goals

Affirmations without action are just delusion. Your routine is the bridge between your current reality and your goal. The key here is that the routine must be non-negotiable, but the format can vary—whether it’s small chunks daily or big blocks weekly.

The "Small Chunks" Approach

Jerry Seinfeld, one of the most successful comedians of all time, famously uses the "Don’t Break the Chain" method. When he was starting out, he set a goal to write new material every single day. He hung a large calendar on his wall and put a big red "X" over every day he wrote. His routine wasn’t to write an hour-long special in a month; it was to write for 15 to 30 minutes daily. His goal was the process, not the outcome. The result? A massive body of work and a legendary career.

The "Big Blocks" Approach

Not everyone can do small chunks daily. Sometimes, life gets in the way. If you are juggling a day job, kids, or other responsibilities, you might need the "Big Blocks" method.

Ridley Scott, the director of Gladiator and Alien, is one of the most prolific filmmakers alive, currently in his 80s. He doesn’t write or prep for an hour a day, he blocks out entire phases. He often pre-visualizes his movies for weeks at a time in massive, intensive blocks. He treats his creative work like a military operation: when he is in "pre-production block," nothing else exists.

Similarly, Stephen King uses a hybrid. He has a daily word count goal (2,000 words), but he treats it as a sacred block. He does it first thing in the morning, every single day, including holidays and his birthday. Routine removes the question of if you will work on your goal; it simply dictates when.

I have changed my routine over time, but it aligns with the goals I am trying to reach. I personally use a hybrid model in the sense that I block time for things based on life items like family and work. The trick with any routine is to be willing to sacrifice some of the rewards you may give yourself in the interest of not deviating from the routine you have set.

Your Action Step: Decide if you are a "daily sprinter" or a "weekly marathoner." If you want to run a marathon, you either run 3 miles a day, or you do one long 15-mile run on Saturday. Both work. Pick the structure that fits your life, then put it on your calendar. Don’t wait for inspiration; follow the schedule. You will grow it into a habit.

Rule 3: Limit Your Distractions (But Don’t Become a Monk)

This is where most people fail. We live in a world engineered to steal our attention. Video games, Netflix, TikTok, and Twitter. All are designed to be addictive. If you try to achieve a difficult goal while keeping these distractions in your pocket with unlimited access, you are setting yourself up for failure.

However, the third rule is about balance. Cutting out every joy in your life is unsustainable. The goal isn’t to become a monk; it’s to use distractions as rewards, not defaults.

Look at Tom Holland. While filming The Crowded Room, Holland played a character with severe mental illness. The role was so psychologically taxing that he eventually quit drinking and drastically limited his social life to stay focused. He recognized that the "distraction" of partying or gaming was incompatible with the intensity of his goal. He created a temporary barrier.

In the world of sports entertainment, Dwayne Johnson (again) is a great example of structured reward. He wakes up at 3:30 or 4:00 AM to work out before filming. But he is also a huge fan of cheat meals. His famous "cheat days" are legendary—devouring stacks of pancakes, pizza, and sushi. He uses the reward as a light at the end of the tunnel. During the week, distractions are limited; on his cheat day, he indulges fully.

Even in the literary world, Neil Gaiman (author of American Gods and Coraline) talks about this. He admits to having a "terrible internet addiction." When he is on a deadline, he uses software that blocks his access to the internet for set periods. He doesn’t delete his accounts; he just creates friction. He allows himself to check emails after he hits his word count.

I have used the routine rule in conjunction with this rule of limiting distractions. While working full time, maintaining a household, and working on my MBA, I would often take micro-breaks while working on things. This often came in the way of watching a show or playing video games. It would allow me to reset, while disconnecting from the activity, and then come back fresh.

Your Action Step: Identify your "kryptonite." Is it Netflix? Video games? Social media? You don’t have to give it up forever. You just have to earn it. Make a rule: No gaming until I finish my 3-mile run; No Netflix until I write 500 words. By doing this, you stop using distractions to avoid work and start using them to reward work.

Putting It All Together

Achieving your goals isn't about waiting for a lightning bolt of motivation to strike. It’s a formula.

1. Program your mind with positive affirmations (like The Rock).

2. Build the structure with a non-negotiable routine (like Seinfeld or Stephen King).

3. Protect your focus by using distractions as a reward, not a time-suck (like Tom Holland and Neil Gaiman).

You don’t have to be a celebrity to use these tools. You just have to be consistent. Start today. Pick one rule, implement it for a week, and watch how much closer you get to the finish line.

What goal are you working on right now? Which of these three rules is the hardest for you? Let me know in the comments below.