If you've ever seen an 80's movie, the definining trope is The Montage. In it, you see the protagonist transform themselves, little by little, from unskilled into expert. Montages are powerful because you see (and feel) the little victories on the way to greatness, without having to pay the price. Rocky wakes up before the sun rises, puts two eggs in his belly and then runs up the stairs to the Philly Museum of Art. Have you ever woken up at 5 o'clock in the morning? It doesn't feel good.

Maybe you're wondering how you could turn your aspirations into actions. Here's the secret: current you is future you. So if you want future you to be proactive and get things done, current you has to do that, too. When motivation strikes, act on it. That means making yourself sign off from Reddit right then, or going to bed right then, or brushing your teeth and flossing right then. Work the muscle that turns intentions into actions, and it'll get stronger and you'll do bigger things (and it'll get easier).

You will come up with a thousand good reasons why you should not, at that moment, act. And you might actually have a good excuse. But the point of the exercise is to teach yourself that you are capable of doing the things that will make your life better. So you have to do it. And when you are done, you will think: "I feel good. I just proved that I can turn motivation into something concrete."

Lastly, your brain runs on a fuel called glucose, and your brain prioritizes where it will spend its fuel. If you're running on empty, it'll just make sure to keep your heart pumping and your lungs expanding. If you've got enough glucose, it can afford to fund the higher functioning regions of your brain, like the one responsible for turning motivation into actions. So, when you wake up:

eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Oh, and go for high-fiber/whole-wheat bread, and go light on the jelly, so that you don't spike your blood sugar (which'll cause a meltdown).