On the 7th of September 2025, I made a decision that I now call “locking in.”

At first, it sounds dramatic, maybe even a bit extreme like I suddenly transformed overnight. But for me, “locking in” wasn’t about perfection or pretending I had it all figured out. It was about one thing: deciding I no longer wanted to drift through my days without direction.

The truth is, I had fallen into a pattern that felt comfortable but also deeply unfulfilling. Like so many of us, I was spending endless hours on my phone scrolling TikTok, watching other people live their lives, consuming content that never actually gave me anything back. It filled the time, but it didn’t fill me.

Some nights I’d put my phone down and feel like I’d wasted the whole day. I’d ask myself:

What did I actually do today that brought me closer to the person I want to be?

And too often, the answer was nothing.

That’s when I realised something had to change. I didn’t want to keep sleepwalking through my life. I wanted to wake up with purpose. I wanted to build myself into someone stronger, smarter, more grounded. Someone who wasn’t just alive, but actually living.

So, on September 7th, I decided to lock in.

What Locking In Means to Me

For me, “locking in” meant choosing discipline over distraction. It meant saying no to wasting time and yes to building myself.

Here’s what that looked like:

• I increased my working hours so I could strengthen my skills and discipline.
• I created a daily schedule for Makia, because I know my business won’t build itself it needs consistency.
• I signed up for a counselling course, because helping people has always been a passion of mine, and I want to deepen my understanding of psychology.
• I enrolled in an AI course, because the future is changing fast, and I want to keep up rather than fall behind.
• I locked in on my fitness again, because my body deserves as much attention as my mind.

The shift wasn’t about becoming someone else it was about becoming more me. I wanted to live in alignment with the person I knew I could be.

The Power of a Date

One thing I’ve learned is that change feels vague until you attach it to a specific moment. For me, September 7th became more than just another Sunday. It became the day I drew a line in the sand.

That date became a reminder: this is where it started. On days when I feel like giving up, I think back to that Sunday and remind myself of the promise I made.

Locking in is not a one-day act it’s a daily choice. But it starts with that one defining decision.

Why Most of Us Drift

We live in a world full of distractions. Our phones are designed to keep us hooked. Social media gives us quick hits of dopamine but leaves us empty afterwards. It’s easy to mistake being busy with making progress.

I was guilty of that too. I thought filling my time with scrolling or background noise was enough. But I wasn’t feeding my brain with anything real. I wasn’t challenging myself.

Locking in meant recognising that. It meant admitting to myself that I was capable of more and then actually doing something about it.

The 5 Steps to Locking In

If you’re ready to stop drifting and start building yourself, here are the steps that helped me lock in:

Step 1 – Make the date and write it down

Change becomes real the moment you attach it to a date. Don’t just say, I’ll start tomorrow. Choose the exact day, circle it in your calendar, and make it meaningful. That day will become your anchor. Mine was the 7th of September 2025, and I’ll never forget it.

Step 2 – Decide what matters most to you

You can’t lock in on everything at once. You need to decide what’s worth your focus. For me, it was learning signing up for courses, reading, creating instead of consuming and staying off TikTok. When you decide what matters most, it becomes easier to say no to the things that don’t.

Step 3 – Think of how this will make you a better person

Motivation isn’t enough. It comes and goes. What lasts is vision. You need to know why you’re locking in.

Who will you become if you stay consistent? What version of yourself is waiting on the other side of discipline?

For me, it was about becoming sharper, more knowledgeable, and more intentional with my time.

Step 4 – Take action

It’s easy to overthink change. But the truth is, the only thing that proves you’re serious is action. Start small if you have to, but start. Enrol in that course. Put your phone down for an hour. Go to the gym even if you don’t feel like it. Action builds momentum, and momentum builds transformation.

Step 5 – Romanticise it

If locking in feels like punishment, you won’t stick with it. That’s why I romanticise the process. I light a candle before studying. I make my workouts an aesthetic experience with music that makes me feel powerful. I journal with my favourite pen. I turn discipline into something beautiful. That’s what makes it sustainable.

Locking In Is a Choice

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that locking in isn’t about being perfect it’s about making the choice every day to become who you want to be. Some days will be easier than others. Some days, you’ll want to fall back into old habits. That’s normal.

But the difference between drifting and building yourself is that one choice: do I stay locked in, or do I let myself slide back?

When I think of my future self the version of me who has built Makia into something, who has grown stronger in body and mind, who has the discipline to stay focused, I know that every small action I take today is building that person.

That’s why I keep going. That’s why I stay locked in.

Your Turn

Maybe you’ve felt like I did lost in endless scrolling, filling your time with things that don’t truly make you better. If so, I want you to know: you don’t have to stay there. You can choose to lock in.

Pick your date. Decide what matters. Picture who you want to be. Take action. And make it something you love.

The day you decide to lock in might just be the day your life changes forever.

Remember, it all starts with self love

-M

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