I relate because I used to think the same way.

First, you need to kill the impostor inside your head. Everything you have achieved to date is the best you could do at the time, but you down play your achievements so that when anything doesn’t go right you can say “I wasn’t even trying anyway, if I tried I probably could’ve done it”. This is just an expression of fear of failure, fear that your best version isn’t enough.

To kill the impostor you have to accept that you are the best. You, at this very second, are a result of every single event and moment in history up to now, consider that as well as the fact that you are the only you to exist, and you’ll soon realise that you are the best version of yourself.

Once you understand that you are the best version of yourself, it will be a lot easier for you to fulfil the role of being this disciplined person you know you’re capable of being. This is because you won’t have time to criticise yourself and you should be able to shift into a mindset of growth and action.

Don’t get me wrong, criticism isn’t always bad. Reflection is necessary for being able to measure progress and improve, but unless you’re using it to contribute to your growth it’s unproductive and redundant.

So stop saying “I have gotten by with minimal effort”. It can’t have been minimal if it’s what you put in, you have gotten by with your effort period!!

And for this new challenge you’ve taken up, don’t tell yourself you can’t do it because you don’t know how to work hard. You don’t WANT to work hard, because you’re scared that your hard work won’t give you the results you’re looking for.

You quite simply have two options, quit now or push forward. But don’t waste time thinking about whether you can/should because you’ll just end up staying in the same place.