True action requires effort. It demands discomfort and inconvenience. Whether we’re lying in bed endlessly scrolling, watching mind-numbing reality TV on the couch, or avoiding the world with a cover over our heads even though we know we won’t fall asleep anytime soon, putting our feet on the floor and standing up from that spot can feel incredibly hard.

What does it take to truly make changes in our lives? To go from autopilot to being the pilot flying this plane called life? The motivation to act is different for everyone. I challenge you to ask yourself what keeps you waking up each morning and continuing on despite the pain that life inevitably brings. Think about what you truly value deep down at the core of your being. Maybe it’s stability and family or adventure and spontaneity. Pinpoint that one thing that gives you a jolt of inner electricity and brings about an alertness to the present moment that you don’t get otherwise. That thing is what we call your core value.

If we can focus on completing even one small action step towards our core value each day, life feels a little less meaningless. We begin to feel closer to that internal version of ourselves that we yearn for from childhood when imagination and possibility existed effortlessly. We haven’t lost that part of ourselves; it just takes more effort to connect with it in adulthood due to the pressure we feel to “adult” in daily life.

So, put your feet to the floor. That’s the first step to flying your plane.