Life has a way of pulling us into ruts—those periods where nothing feels like it’s moving forward. But the idea of getting “on the up and up” isn’t about instant transformation or flashy success. It’s about building upward momentum with integrity, intention, and persistence.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Clean House—Internally and Externally

Start with where you are. Look around your physical space. Is it cluttered, chaotic, or full of reminders of the past? Now look inward. Are there unresolved emotions, toxic thought patterns, or old narratives you keep repeating?

Clean both. Tidy up your room, yes—but also tidy up your habits, your excuses, your inner monologue. Clean energy invites forward movement.

2. Stop Lying to Yourself

You can’t climb out of a hole if you keep pretending you’re not in one. Being on the up and up requires brutal honesty. Are you showing up the way you need to? Are you doing what you said you’d do?

There’s power in saying, “I’m not where I want to be, but I’m done pretending.” Truth is the foundation of real progress.

3. Simplify Your Commitments

Many people are buried under the weight of scattered intentions. Choose one to three things to get great at. Focus creates direction. Direction creates traction.

Simplicity isn’t laziness—it’s strategic effort. Getting on the up and up means picking your lane and committing to it.

4. Take Action Before You Feel Ready

Waiting to feel motivated is a trap. Confidence grows from action, not the other way around. Start small. Send the email. Go for the walk. Ask for the opportunity.

Momentum begins the moment you move—even if you don’t feel ready.

5. Surround Yourself With Accountability

You rise faster when you’re held to a higher standard. That doesn’t mean only surrounding yourself with cheerleaders—it means being around people who expect your best and call you out when you’re not giving it.

Seek mentors, honest friends, or even systems (like habit trackers or public declarations) that keep you moving forward.

6. Cut What Doesn’t Align

Some things aren’t bad—they’re just not right for this version of you. That includes relationships, routines, entertainment, and even goals that don’t reflect who you want to become.

The more aligned your life is with your values, the more naturally you’ll move upward.

7. Stop Overthinking and Start Executing

Thinking is important. Planning is useful. But too much of either without action becomes self-sabotage disguised as productivity. If you know what to do, do it. If you don’t, do the next right thing until clarity comes.

Forward motion trumps perfection every time.

8. Take Care of Your Energy First

Sleep. Food. Movement. Stillness. These aren’t luxuries—they’re the engine behind every ambition you have. You can’t move up if your body and brain are running on fumes.

Protect your energy like it’s the fuel of your future—because it is.

9. Be Willing to Be Seen Trying

So many stay stuck because they’re afraid to be seen in the awkward middle—the phase where they’re not yet successful, but no longer hiding. But vulnerability is part of the climb. People respect effort more than perfection.

Let them see you struggle. Let them see you rise.

10. Let Your Standards Rise With You

Each level you reach requires a new set of standards. You can’t live at a higher level while holding onto lower-level habits, mindsets, or boundaries. Getting on the up and up means continually recalibrating what you accept—from yourself and others.

The higher you go, the clearer your values must become.

Final Thought: You don’t get on the up and up by waiting. You do it by deciding. Decide you’re done standing still. Decide you’re ready to be proud of yourself. Decide that your next chapter begins now, not someday.

Then move—and keep moving.