Overwhelmed? You’re Probably Stuck in the Rat Race—Here’s How to Break Free

You’re drowning in information.

One minute, you’re excited to start your health journey. You read about the best diet for fat loss, the top exercises for toning, the science of hormones, stress, gut health, and before you know it… you’ve consumed so much information that you don’t know where to start.

So, you don’t.

💭 “I need to get everything perfect before I begin.”
💭 “I’ll start on Monday… no, actually, next month.”
💭 “There’s too much to think about—I’ll figure it out later.”

And just like that, you’re stuck in a cycle of overthinking and never taking action.

Sound familiar?

It’s not that you’re lazy. It’s not that you don’t want this badly enough. It’s that you’re overloaded with information and no clear action plan.

This is the Rat Race of Overwhelm.

The Rat Race vs. The Inner Track: How Overwhelm Keeps You Stuck

When I was a kid, I used to play a board game called Rat Race. It had two tracks:

1️⃣ The outer track—where you’re just running in circles, trying to “keep up” but never really making progress.
2️⃣ The inner track—where you actually win the game.

Getting stuck in the outer track is like being overwhelmed with information. You’re collecting knowledge, trying to do everything at once, feeling frustrated… but not moving forward.

But to get on the inner track—where real results happen—you need a strategy.

And that strategy is starting small.

Overwhelm = Too Much Information, No Implementation

The reason you feel stuck is simple:

➡️ You’re consuming too much without actually doing anything.
➡️ You’re trying to make too many changes at once.
➡️ You’re setting goals that feel too big to even start.

And when you set a goal that’s so big it feels impossible, what happens?

❌ You procrastinate.
❌ You self-sabotage.
❌ You convince yourself it’s too hard—so you do nothing at all.

This is why the most successful people in fitness, business, and life focus on small, consistent steps.

The Psychology of “Starting Small”

Research in behavioral psychology shows that the key to sticking to a new habit isn’t willpower—it’s reducing friction.

📌 The Two-Minute Rule (James Clear, Atomic Habits): Start so small that you can’t fail. Instead of aiming to “go to the gym five days a week,” commit to putting your gym shoes on each morning. The goal is momentum.

📌 The Progress Principle (Harvard Business Review): Studies show that making tiny progress every day increases motivation far more than setting huge, overwhelming goals. Small wins fuel long-term success.

📌 The Brain’s Reward System (Neuroscience of Habit Formation): Dopamine (the motivation chemical) is released when you complete small, achievable tasks. This creates a positive feedback loop—the more you succeed, the more you want to keep going.

How to Get Out of Overwhelm and Onto the Inner Track

The trick isn’t to do more. It’s to do LESS—but consistently.

Here’s how:

Step 1: Set a Target, Then Work Backwards

Instead of getting stuck in “I don’t know where to start”, decide where you want to go first.

💡 Want to lose 10kg? Feel more confident in your body? Have more energy? Great.

Now, work backwards.

Step 2: Find Your Personal Starting Point

Not everyone starts at the same level—and that’s okay. The key is to find what’s manageable for YOU right now.

🔹 If you’re an all-in person? Maybe you can jump straight into a structured plan with workouts and a meal guide.
🔹 If you’re struggling with consistency? Start with a food diary—just writing down what you eat daily.
🔹 If you’re completely overwhelmed? Your goal might be as simple as eating one healthy meal a day or adding one vegetable to dinner.

🚨 There is no “too small” when it comes to taking action. The only mistake is not starting at all.

Step 3: Reduce the Friction

The easier something is, the more likely you’ll do it. So make it ridiculously easy to win.

✔ Want to drink more water? Keep a bottle by your desk.
✔ Want to go to the gym? Lay out your clothes the night before.
✔ Want to eat better? Prep one healthy meal for the next day, not an entire week’s worth.

The less effort it takes to start, the more likely you are to follow through.

Step 4: Commit to “Just Showing Up”

You don’t need to do a perfect workout.
You don’t need to eat perfectly clean.
You just need to show up—consistently.

🎯 Focus on action, not perfection. Even a messy workout is better than skipping entirely. Even a partially healthy meal is better than giving up.

Step 5: Stack Small Wins

Every time you complete a small step, your brain rewards you with dopamine. This is how habits stick.

🏆 Write down your wins daily—even the tiny ones. (Science proves this boosts motivation!)
🏆 Celebrate progress over perfection—because small steps lead to BIG change.
🏆 Keep the focus on consistency, not intensity.

What’s Your Next Move?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, STOP trying to do everything at once.

Instead, pick ONE thing you can do today.

👉 Can you drink one extra glass of water?
👉 Can you write down what you eat?
👉 Can you go for a 10-minute walk?

🚀 Do it now. Get out of the outer track and onto the inner one—because once you’re moving, momentum takes over.

🔥 The key to long-term success isn’t motivation—it’s getting started. 🔥