The Time-Warp Phenomenon: Why Life Speeds Up and How to Slow It Down

Why This Challenge Can Change Everything

We all admire people who seem to have endless willpower.

Or maybe that's just me.

I see guys my age like Jocko Willink and David Goggins, and am amazed at how hard they still get after it.

Those people who ake up early, work out, stay consistent, and never seem to give in to distractions.

Here’s the truth: They aren’t more motivated than you.

They’ve just built discipline through repetition.

Discipline is a skill. And like any skill, it can be trained.

Neuroscientists call this process "neuroplasticity." Your brain rewires itself based on repeated behaviors. The more you practice discipline, the easier it becomes.

The problem? Most people never get enough reps in to see a real change.

That’s where this challenge comes in.

How You Can Transform in 21 Days

I've felt completely stuck before. More than once. Okay, more times than I can count.

I had ambitious goals, but my follow-through was garbage. I’d start a new habit, stick with it for a week or two, then fall back into my old patterns.

One day, I decided to take a different approach.

Instead of focusing on motivation, I focused on identity change. I committed to 21 days of small, discipline-building actions and not massive changes.

Really, just the daily proof I needed to know that I could trust myself.

By the end of the challenge, everything shifted.

I wasn’t just "trying" to be disciplined anymore. I was disciplined.

Here’s the exact process I used.

The 21-Day Discipline Blueprint

For the next 7 days, commit to these five daily habits. Then, go deeper with them over the following week, and deeper still. They are simple but powerful. They will train your brain to expect discipline as the default.

Day 1-7: Foundation - Prove to Yourself You Can Stick to a Routine

1. Wake up at the same time every day (even on weekends).

2. Make your bed immediately after waking up.

3. Move your body for at least 20 minutes. Walk, stretch, lift weights—doesn’t matter. Just move.

4. No phone for the first 30 minutes of the day. Instead, use this time to think, read, or plan.

5. Pick one small daily challenge and stick to it. (E.g., drink a gallon of water, do 50 pushups, write for 10 minutes, read 10 pages, etc.)

Day 8-14: Growth - Push Your Limits

1. Wake up 30 minutes earlier than usual. Train yourself to dominate your mornings.

2. Cold shower challenge. (Start with 15 seconds, and build up to 1-2 minutes.) It sucks, but it builds resilience and has a lot of positive physiological things we won't go into here.

3. Eliminate a distraction. No Netflix before bed? No social media scrolling? Pick one and cut it for the next week.

4. Take control of your nutrition. No processed sugar or alcohol for these 7 days.

5. Do ONE hard every day. A tough workout, a difficult work task, or a challenging conversation. Just try and make the call on what it will be the night before, and write it down.

Day 15-21: Mastery - Solidify Your New Identity

1. Double down on consistency. Whatever habit has been the hardest for you, give it more effort.

2. Journal for 5 minutes each night. Reflect on what’s working and what needs adjusting.

3. Practice "no" power. Say no to at least one thing that doesn’t align with your goals each day.

4. Go all in on deep work. Block 90-120 minutes daily for focused, uninterrupted work.

5. Do something you’ve been avoiding. That thing you’ve been procrastinating? Do it now. You have a week. Maybe you can use that deep work block.

Your Discipline = Your Freedom

Discipline isn’t about punishment. It’s about freedom; the freedom to take control of your own life instead of being a slave to distractions and excuses.

Most people spend their whole lives waiting for motivation.

The disciplined? They just show up and get it done.

Don't get it twisted for beating yourself up. In fact, training yourself to be disciplined is one of the most self-compassionate things you can do.

As Jocko Willink says:

"Discipline equals freedom."

It sounds weird, but play it out:

If you’re disciplined about working out, you gain the freedom of a strong, healthy, disease-free body.

If you’re disciplined about waking up early, you gain the freedom of more productive time.

If you’re financially disciplined (saving, investing, avoiding debt), you gain the freedom of financial independence.

And the best part is it all takes place between your ears, and you can train it whenever you want 🧠

Find your next edge,

Eli