GEN X RESET

7 moves to build a stronger second act.

Read in 20 minutes, use it for 14 days
One move at a time, one action a day
Built for busy men who are “fine”, but know they’re drifting

Start here (2 minutes)

If you do nothing else, do this:

Pick one move for the next 14 days
Set your bad day minimum
Start Day 1 today

What’s inside

Prologue: The Roadblock

I was 15, doing over 100mph on a stolen motorbike, and I crested a hill to see police barriers spread across the road.

That’s the moment you realise life can change in one decision.

Stay, get caught, face the music.

Or go.

I went.

I spotted a gap, pinned the throttle, and shot through the roadblock like I had nothing to lose. I didn’t care if I lived or died. That’s not bravado. That’s what it looks like when a kid feels trapped and thinks this is his last chance to escape.

Most men won’t have a moment like that.

But the pattern is the same.

You hit a point where you know something’s not right. Work, relationships, health, purpose, your own head. Then you do what a lot of Gen X men do.

You keep going anyway.

You stay “fine”.

You stay useful.

You stay quiet.

And years pass.

This isn’t a guide about dramatic escapes. It’s about making a clean decision, then building a better life from there, one move at a time.

Not hype.

Not therapy.

A practical reset you can actually use.

Introduction: What This Is, and Who It’s For

This is for Gen X men who look like they’ve got it together, but feel flat inside.

You’re functioning. You’re paying bills. You’re being dependable. You might even be doing well on paper.

But if you’re honest, something’s missing.

Not because you’re incapable, but because life is loud and most blokes are running on fumes. You’re busy being reliable, keeping everyone else steady, and you haven’t stopped long enough to ask what you actually want.

This playbook gives you a way to do that.

It’s not about becoming a millionaire.

It’s not about “finding yourself” in a mountaintop retreat.

It’s about clarity, direction, and action. The kind that works when you’ve got a job, a partner, kids, stress, and not much spare energy.

How to use this:

Read one move at a time.
Do the “Do this today” action, even if you don’t feel like it.
Keep it simple. Ten minutes beats zero minutes.

You don’t need a perfect plan. You need a direction, then a few decent moves in a row.

Move 1: Clarity

Where do you actually want to go?

If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will do.

That’s the problem.

A lot of men drift into a life they didn’t choose. Not because they’re lazy. Because they’re busy, tired, and stuck in routine.

So we start here.

The 60-second test

If I gave you 60 seconds and said:

“I can change five things in your life this year, but you have to tell me what they are right now.”

Could you answer?

Most men can’t. Not because they don’t want a better life, but because they’ve trained themselves to keep the lid on. Wanting things feels risky. It feels selfish. It feels unrealistic.

So you don’t.

You settle for coping.

Do this today (10 minutes)

Write five changes you want. Don’t filter it. Just write it.

Examples might be:

I want more energy.
I want to lose weight and feel strong again.
I want a job I don’t dread.
I want more respect, or peace, in my relationship.
I want to build a second income.
I want mates and a social life again.
I want to feel excited about life, not just responsible for it.

Now do this bit, it matters.

Circle the ones that are actually your wants, not someone else’s expectations.

Pain vs pull

Men usually change for one of two reasons:

They’re fed up with the pain.
They’re pulled by a vision.

If you’re stuck, start with the pain. It’s honest and it’s powerful.

Here are a few common Gen X pain points:

Sunday dread.
Low energy, low patience, short fuse.
Too much screen time, too little real life.
Feeling invisible at home, or at work.
Watching time go faster every year.

You don’t need to fix your whole life today.

You do need to name what’s wrong.

Your perfect day (no woo woo, just clarity)

Forget the fantasy life. We’re not doing yachts and private jets.

I want you to picture a normal day in a better life.

Answer these in plain English:

Where do you wake up?
What time do you get up?
What’s the first hour of your day like?
What work are you doing, and with who?
How do you move your body?
Who do you spend time with?
What does “a good day” feel like in your body?

This isn’t about being unrealistic. It’s about giving your brain a target.

Because if you can’t describe it, you can’t build it.

Do this today (10 minutes)

Write a “perfect normal day” from wake-up to bedtime.

Keep it realistic. If your brain starts arguing, write anyway.

Visualisation, the practical version

Some people call it manifestation. Some people roll their eyes.

Here’s the version that works for blokes.

It’s mental rehearsal.

Athletes do it. Pilots do it. Anyone who performs under pressure does it. You run the scenario in your head so your actions follow when it counts.

So once a day, take 60 seconds and see your “perfect normal day” like a short film. Nothing mystical. Just repetition.

Time is the real cost

The most expensive thing in the world isn’t gold, crypto, or a bigger house.

It’s time.

You can always earn more money. You can’t buy back a year you sleepwalked through.

So here’s the blunt question:

This time next year, do you want to be living the same year again, or a better one?

Who’s coming with you?

If you’ve got a partner, your life isn’t a solo project.

You don’t need full agreement on every detail, but you do need alignment on the direction.

If you’re pulling one way and they’re pulling the other, you’ll stall.

Do this today (10 minutes)

Have one straight chat:

“I’m not having a crisis. I’m doing a reset.”
“Here’s what I want more of in our life.”
“What do you want more of?”
“What’s one change we can make in the next 30 days?”

Keep it calm. Keep it real. No speeches.

Move 1 summary

Clarity comes before confidence.
Name what you want.
Build a picture of a better normal day.
Repeat it daily.
Make sure the people closest to you understand the direction.

Next: Move 2, Ownership. Where you are now doesn’t matter, but what you do next does.

Move 2: Ownership

Where you are now doesn’t matter, but what you do next does

Most Gen X men don’t need more information.

They need a moment of honesty, without turning it into a pity party or a self-beating.

Ownership is not self-blame.

Ownership is saying, “This is where I am. This is what I’m doing. This is what it’s costing me. This is what I’m changing.”

That’s it.

The problem with drifting

Drifting feels harmless because it’s quiet.

You don’t wake up one day and choose a boring life, a heavy body, a strained relationship, or a job that drains you. It happens one small compromise at a time.

I’ll start after Christmas
I’m too busy this month
It’s just a phase
Once work calms down
I’ll sort it when the kids are older

Then time does what time does. It moves on.

Ownership is deciding you’re not doing that anymore.

Two truths that can sit together

Some of what happened to you wasn’t your fault.
Your next move is your responsibility.

Both can be true.

This is important because a lot of men get stuck in one of two traps:

Trap 1: Blame. Everything is someone else’s fault, so nothing changes.
Trap 2: Shame. Everything is your fault, so you feel like crap and still nothing changes.

Ownership is the middle lane. It’s calm, direct, and useful.

Do this today (10 minutes): The “No Drama” audit

Get a pen. Answer these fast, no essays.

What’s working in my life right now? (list 3 things)
What’s not working? (list 3 things)
What’s the cost of keeping it the same for another year? (be blunt)
What’s one thing I’m doing that makes it worse?
What’s one thing I could do this week that would make it better?

That’s your starting point.

Not a grand plan. A baseline.

The responsibility switch

Here’s the line that changes everything:

“I’m not waiting to feel ready.”

Most men are waiting for motivation, confidence, permission, a sign. None of those are reliable.

You act first. The feeling follows.

Ownership is doing the next right thing, even when you’re not in the mood.

Circle of control

This is the simplest tool in the world, and it works because it stops you wasting energy.

Split a page into two columns:

I can control:

what I eat
when I sleep
what I watch and scroll
who I spend time with
how I speak to myself
how often I move my body
what I say yes to
what I say no to

I can’t control:

the past
other people’s moods
the economy
what my boss thinks today
how quickly life changes

Most stress comes from trying to control the right-hand column.

Most progress comes from owning the left.

Do this today (10 minutes)

Write your two columns.

Then pick one item from the “I can control” list and decide what you’ll do for the next 7 days.

Keep it small and specific.

Not “get healthy”.

Something like:

Walk 20 minutes a day after lunch
No phone in bed
Alcohol only Friday and Saturday
Gym twice, no negotiation
Protein at breakfast
Lights out by 11

Excuses vs reasons

Here’s a hard truth. If you’re honest, you’ll respect yourself for it.

A reason is real. An excuse is a reason with comfort wrapped around it.

Examples:

Reason: I’m caring for my mum and I’m stretched thin.
Excuse: I’m too busy to walk for 10 minutes.

Ownership doesn’t judge you. It just removes the smoke.

Prompt

What excuse do you keep using that you no longer believe?

Write it down. Then rewrite it as a truth.

Example:

Excuse: “I don’t have time.”
Truth: “It’s not a priority yet.”

That’s not to shame you. It’s to put you back in the driver’s seat.

The identity shift

Most men try to change their life by forcing big outcomes.

They’ll say:

“I need to lose 2 stone.”
“I need to quit my job.”
“I need to fix my marriage.”

Those are outcomes. They can come later.

Start with identity.

Ask: what does a man who’s building a better second act do today?

He does the basics, consistently:

he tells the truth
he keeps promises to himself
he chooses the next right move
he stops negotiating with the part of his brain that wants comfort

Do this today (10 minutes): Stop, Start, Continue

Write three headings:

Stop: one thing that’s clearly dragging you down
Start: one small thing that would clearly help
Continue: one thing you’re already doing right

Keep it simple. You’re building momentum, not a new personality.

Move 2 summary

Ownership is not blame. It’s power.
Tell the truth about what’s working and what’s not.
Focus on what you can control.
Pick one small action and do it for 7 days.
Stop negotiating with comfort.

Next: Move 3, Commitment. How to lock this in so it doesn’t fizzle out in a week.

Move 3: Commitment

How to lock this in so it doesn’t fizzle out in a week

Most men don’t fail because they’re lazy.

They fail because they start strong, then life hits, and the reset becomes “something I was doing”.

Commitment is what stops that.

Not motivation. Not a perfect plan. Commitment.

The real problem

Gen X men are good at coping.

You can run on stress, caffeine, duty and routine for years. You can look fine from the outside while your head is noisy and your energy is shot.

So when you finally decide to change, you tend to do one of two things:

You go all-in, make a massive plan, and burn out in 10 days.
You keep it vague, “I’ll try”, and it fades away quietly.

Commitment sits in the middle.

Clear, simple, non-negotiable.

Your “why” has to be honest

Forget the inspirational quotes.

Your why needs to be real enough to hold up on a bad day.

Here are a few that actually work:

I’m sick of feeling tired and snappy.
I don’t want to waste another year.
I want to be proud of myself again.
I want to feel strong, useful, and in control.
I don’t want my kids to remember me as stressed and distracted.
I want a second act I actually enjoy.

Do this today (10 minutes): Write your reason

Finish this sentence:

“I’m doing this because…”

Write 3 lines. No fluff. No guilt. Just truth.

Now add this:

“If I don’t change, the cost is…”

That second line is the one that sticks.

The 30-day rule

You don’t need to commit to your entire future.

Commit to 30 days.

Thirty days is long enough to create momentum, short enough to feel doable, and it gives you a clean review point.

This is a reset, not a life sentence.

Pick your “one move”

Here’s where most people mess up. They pick five changes.

You’re not doing five.

You’re doing one.

One move that pulls everything else in the right direction.

Examples:

Daily walk
Gym twice a week
No phone in bed
Early bedtime
Protein breakfast
Reduce booze
60 minutes a day on your second income plan
Two proper conversations a week with your partner
One social plan a week, no excuses

Pick the one that would create the biggest ripple effect.

Do this today (10 minutes): Choose your one move

Write this at the top of a page:

For the next 30 days, I am the kind of man who…

Finish it with your one move.

Example:

“…walks 20 minutes a day, even when I can’t be bothered.”
“…goes to the gym twice a week, no negotiation.”
“…gets off his phone at 9:30 and sleeps properly.”

This is identity, not a goal.

Make it stupidly easy to succeed

If your plan relies on willpower, it will fail.

Set your environment up so the right choice is the easy choice.

Examples:

Put your trainers by the front door.
Book the gym sessions in advance.
Remove junk food from the house.
Put a charger outside the bedroom.
Set a daily calendar reminder for your one move.
Tell one person what you’re doing.

This is what grown-up commitment looks like. Less talking, more setup.

Do this today (10 minutes): Remove one blocker

Ask: what is the one thing that keeps tripping me up?

Then remove it.

Not forever. Just for 30 days.

Accountability, the version that works

Most men hate accountability because it feels like being told off.

This isn’t that.

It’s a simple check-in that keeps you honest.

Choose one of these:

A mate who’ll call you on your nonsense
Your partner, if the relationship is strong enough
A note in your phone you tick off daily
A calendar streak you don’t want to break

The goal is not pressure. The goal is consistency.

Prompt

Who in your life will support the better version of you, and who benefits when you stay the same?

Be honest. You don’t need to cut people off. You do need to stop taking advice from people who are stuck.

The “when life hits” plan

Life will hit. Work will kick off. Someone will get ill. The weather will be rubbish. You’ll have a low week.

So you need a rule for those days.

Here’s mine:

On bad days, I do the minimum. I don’t do nothing.

If your one move is walking 20 minutes, your bad day rule might be:

walk 5 minutes
do 10 press-ups
stretch for 3 minutes
take one lap around the block

Minimum keeps the identity alive.

Do this today (10 minutes): Define your minimum

Write:

On a bad day, my minimum is…

Make it so small you can’t argue with it.

Move 3 summary

Commitment beats motivation.
Commit for 30 days, not forever.
Choose one move that creates a ripple effect.
Set up your environment.
Build a simple check-in.
On bad days, do the minimum. Don’t do nothing.

Next: Move 4, Fear and Stories. The stuff that keeps you stuck isn’t the job, the money, or your age. It’s the story you keep telling yourself.

Move 4: Fear and Stories

The thing that keeps you stuck isn’t your age, your job, or your past. It’s the story you keep telling yourself

Most men don’t admit they’re scared.

They’ll say they’re tired, busy, realistic, sensible, too old, too late, too committed, too responsible.

But underneath, it’s fear.

Fear isn’t always panic. For Gen X men, it’s often quieter than that. It shows up as procrastination, sarcasm, overthinking, scrolling, or staying “fine”.

The worst part is, fear sounds like a reasonable voice in your head.

It’s not.

It’s just a voice that wants you safe, small, and predictable.

The three fears that run the show

Most of the time, it’s one of these:

Fear of failure
“What if I try and mess it up?”
Fear of judgement
“What will people think if I change?”
Fear of success
“What if it works, and then I have to keep it up?”

All three are normal. None of them are a reason to stay stuck.

The story loop

A story is a sentence you repeat until it feels true.

Here are some classic Gen X stories:

“I’ve left it too late.”
“This is just how life is.”
“I’ve got too much responsibility.”
“I’m not the sort of person who does that.”
“I’ll start when things calm down.”
“I’m too old to change.”
“I don’t have the energy.”

The story becomes your identity. Then you act in line with it.

That’s why changing your life can feel impossible, even when the steps are simple.

Do this today (10 minutes): Catch the story

Write down the main story that keeps you stuck.

Just one sentence. The one you say in your head.

Example:

“I’m too old to start again.”

Now write the cost of that story:

“If I keep believing this, I’ll spend the next ten years shrinking.”

That’s the truth most men avoid.

Replace the story, don’t fight it

You can’t just delete a story. Your brain will fill the gap.

You replace it with something more useful.

Not a cheesy affirmation.

A true statement that moves you forward.

Examples:

Old story: “I’m too old.”
New story: “I’m older, which means I’m clearer. I’m not wasting time.”
Old story: “I don’t have time.”
New story: “I’m not prioritising it yet. I can change that.”
Old story: “I don’t know where to start.”
New story: “I’ll start with one move for 30 days.”

Do this today (10 minutes): Write your replacement line

Write your new line and make it simple enough to remember.

Then put it somewhere you’ll see it. Notes app, fridge, wallpaper, whatever.

You’re not trying to be inspirational.

You’re trying to interrupt the old pattern.

Fear is not a stop sign

Fear is a signal.

It usually means you’re close to something that matters.

Most blokes treat fear like danger. So they back off.

A better approach:

Notice fear. Thank it. Move anyway.

That is how confidence is built.

Confidence is not a feeling you wait for.

It’s a side effect of keeping promises to yourself.

The “two choices” moment

When you feel stuck, you always have two options.

Do what you always do. Stay comfortable. Stay familiar.
Do the uncomfortable thing. Create change.

Option 1 feels good today and costs you later.

Option 2 feels uncomfortable today and pays you later.

That’s the trade-off.

Prompt

Where in your life are you choosing comfort today, and paying for it tomorrow?

Be specific.

The fear of judgement

This one is massive for Gen X men.

You’ve been trained to be steady. Capable. Reliable. Not dramatic.

So when you try to change, you imagine people watching.

Here’s the truth:

Most people are too busy thinking about themselves.

And the few who do judge you, usually do it because your change makes them question their own choices.

That’s not your problem.

Do this today (10 minutes): Choose your crew

Write three names:

One person who wants you to win
One person who is neutral
One person who pulls you back into old habits

Now decide:
For 30 days, whose voice matters?

You don’t need to have a big falling out. You just need to stop letting the wrong people steer you.

The fear of success

This sounds odd, but it’s real.

If you’ve been stuck for years, change can feel unsafe.

Success means:

new expectations
new identity
losing the “I’m just busy” excuse
becoming visible

Some men would rather stay stuck than face that.

So they sabotage, quietly.

They miss a day, then miss a week, then call it “life”.

That’s why your bad day minimum matters.

That’s why your one move matters.

Do this today (10 minutes): Plan for the wobble

Write:

What usually derails me?
What will I do instead?

Example:

Derail: “I get stressed and snack at night.”
Instead: “I’ll have a protein snack and go to bed earlier.”

Again, simple beats perfect.

Move 4 summary

Fear runs the show when you don’t name it.
Your story becomes your identity.
Replace the story with a useful truth.
Fear is a signal, not a stop sign.
Choose whose voice matters for the next 30 days.
Plan for the wobble, so you don’t disappear when life gets noisy.

Next: Move 5, Control. How to take your life back from autopilot, noise, and other people’s expectations.

Move 5: Control

Take your life back from autopilot, noise, and other people’s expectations

Control is not about being rigid.

It’s about not being pulled around by everything and everyone.

Most Gen X men don’t feel out of control because they’re weak. They feel out of control because they’re overloaded.

Too many inputs. Too many demands. Too much noise.

So the reset here is simple.

Less noise. More control.

Autopilot is the enemy

Autopilot is when you live by default settings.

Same routines. Same coping habits. Same people. Same triggers.

You don’t choose it. You drift into it.

And it shows up like this:

You reach for your phone without thinking
You snack without thinking
You say yes without thinking
You get angry without thinking
You drink to switch off without thinking
You scroll to numb out without thinking

Control starts when you catch yourself doing that.

Not with judgement. With awareness.

Do this today (10 minutes): Spot your autopilot move

Answer this:

When I’m stressed, tired, or fed up, what do I do on autopilot?

Pick one.

Now write:
What does it cost me?

Be blunt. This is for you, not for Instagram.

F.O.C.U.S. (the simple version)

F - Filter the noise
Stop filling your head with rubbish.

O - Own your day
Decide what matters today.

C - Cut the distractions
Remove one thing that steals your time.

U - Use your energy well
Do the hard thing first, not last.

S - Stick to one move
Don’t add five new habits. One move.

This is not a productivity hack. It’s a sanity tool.

Do this today (10 minutes): Own your day

Every morning, write three things:

The one thing that matters today
The one thing I will do for my health
The one thing I will do for my future

That’s it.

If you do those three, you’ve won the day.

Protect your attention

Attention is your most valuable asset.

If you can’t control your attention, you can’t control your life.

Your phone is not neutral. Social media is not neutral. The news is not neutral.

They are designed to keep you scrolling, angry, anxious, and hooked.

So if you feel foggy, flat, or on edge, look at what you’re feeding your brain.

Do this today (10 minutes): The 24-hour reset

Pick one of these for the next 24 hours:

No news
No social media
No phone in bed
No scrolling before breakfast
No doom-scrolling at night

One day. That’s all.

Notice how you feel.

Your circle of control, again

This is worth repeating because it’s the difference between stress and progress.

If you want more control, you focus on:

what you do
what you say yes to
what you say no to
what you tolerate
what you repeat daily

A lot of men feel stuck because they’re tolerating things they don’t want to face.

A bad relationship pattern. A job situation. A mate who drains them. A lifestyle that’s slowly wrecking them.

Control starts when you stop tolerating the obvious.

Prompt

What are you tolerating right now that you know needs to change?

Write it down. One sentence.

Boundaries, the adult version

Boundaries are not about being harsh.

They’re about being clear.

Here are three boundaries that change everything for men:

“I don’t do last-minute chaos unless it’s urgent.”
“I’m not available after 9pm.”
“I’m training Tuesday and Thursday, no negotiation.”

If you don’t set boundaries, other people will set your life for you.

Do this today (10 minutes): Set one boundary

Pick one boundary and communicate it simply.

No long explanation. No apology.

Example:

“I’m not free tonight, I’m doing my reset. Catch you tomorrow.”

That’s it.

Choose your crew wisely

You become the average of the people you spend time with.

Not in a cheesy way. In a real way.

If your circle is full of:

complainers
drinkers
gossip
negativity
“that’s just life” talk

You will drift.

You don’t need to ditch your mates.

You do need to add better influences.

One new input can shift your whole direction.

A group, a coach, a new hobby, a new environment, even just one mate who wants more out of life.

Do this today (10 minutes): Upgrade one input

Choose one:

Watch one video that helps you take a step forward
Read 10 pages of something useful
Message a mate who is positive and active
Join a group or community that’s moving forward
Remove one negative input for a week

Control is built through inputs.

Move 5 summary

Autopilot steals years quietly.
Control starts with awareness, not willpower.
Protect your attention, it’s your life.
Set one boundary and stick to it.
Upgrade your inputs, upgrade your direction.

Next: Move 6, Habits that hold up. This is where your reset becomes your new normal.

Move 6: Habits That Hold Up

This is where your reset becomes your new normal

A lot of men can start.

Fewer men can keep going.

This move is about building habits that work in real life, not in fantasy life.

Because you’re not 22 with loads of free time and no responsibilities. You’re a Gen X man. Life is full. That’s the point.

So we build habits that hold up under pressure.

The truth about change

You don’t rise to your goals.

You fall to your habits.

If your habits are built on willpower, they break the moment you’re tired, stressed, or fed up.

So the aim is not “be more disciplined”.

The aim is to make the right thing easier than the wrong thing.

Start with the basics

This isn’t sexy. It works.

If these are off, everything feels harder:

sleep
movement
food
connection
time off screens
purpose

Most men try to fix their whole life while running on five hours sleep and a head full of noise. It doesn’t work.

So we simplify.

The “keystone habit” idea

One habit can pull the rest into line.

For a lot of men, it’s one of these:

consistent sleep routine
daily walk
gym twice a week
cutting booze down
protein breakfast
phone out of the bedroom

Pick the one that gives you the biggest return.

You don’t need more habits.

You need one habit that changes your energy.

Do this today (10 minutes): Choose your keystone habit

Write this:

If I only fixed one thing for the next 30 days, it would be…

Now make it specific:

what
when
where

Example:
“I walk for 20 minutes at 1pm, every day.”

“I’m in bed by 11, phone out of the room.”

Simple. Repeatable.

The rule of “never miss twice”

Everyone misses a day.

The danger is what happens next.

Most people miss once, feel guilty, then miss again, then quit.

So here’s your rule:

Never miss twice.

Miss one day, fine.

Next day, you do the minimum.

That’s how you stay on track without turning it into a big drama.

Do this today (10 minutes): Decide your minimum

You already did this in Move 3. Now we tie it to habits.

Write:

My main habit is…
On a bad day, my minimum is…

Example:
Main habit: Gym session
Minimum: 10-minute walk

Main habit: No phone in bed
Minimum: Phone on charge across the room

Main habit: Eat better
Minimum: Protein breakfast

This is how habits survive real life.

Habit stacking

You don’t need to “find time”. You attach the habit to something you already do.

Examples:

After coffee, I walk for 10 minutes
After lunch, I do my walk
When I get home, I change into trainers straight away
After brushing my teeth, I stretch for 2 minutes
Before I sit down at night, I prep tomorrow’s breakfast

This removes decision-making.

The more decisions you have to make, the less likely you are to do it.

Do this today (10 minutes): Stack it

Write:
After I do X, I will do Y.

Pick one stack and commit to it for 7 days.

The environment wins

If your environment is set up for comfort, you’ll choose comfort.

So we change the environment.

remove junk food
make the gym bag visible
keep the trainers by the door
set a bedtime alarm
put the phone in another room
unsubscribe from things that wind you up

You don’t need more willpower.

You need fewer triggers.

Do this today (10 minutes): Change one thing in your environment

Pick one change you can do today.

Then do it.

Small changes compound.

The habit that most men ignore

Connection.

A lot of Gen X men are lonely, even if they’re surrounded by people.

They’ve got colleagues, kids, partners, but no real outlet.

No one they can speak to straight.

No one who calls them out and backs them up.

So they bottle it up, then it leaks out as stress, anger, distance, or switching off.

You don’t need to turn into a talker.

You do need one decent connection.

Do this today (10 minutes): Message one person

Send a simple message:

“Fancy a coffee or a walk this week? I need to get my head straight.”

That’s it.

If they’re a good mate, they’ll respect it.

The “inputs” habit

What you put in your head becomes your mood.

If you start your day with the news and end it with scrolling, you’ll feel anxious, flat, or angry. Then you’ll reach for comfort.

So here’s a habit that changes your whole headspace:

No phone for the first 20 minutes of the day.

Let your brain wake up without being attacked by other people’s opinions and problems.

Do this today (10 minutes): Set your morning rule

Pick one:

no phone until after breakfast
no phone until you’ve had a walk
no news before lunch

Keep it simple. Make it doable.

Move 6 summary

Habits beat goals when life gets busy.
Pick one keystone habit that changes your energy.
Never miss twice.
Stack habits onto existing routines.
Change your environment so you win by default.
Build one real connection.
Protect your inputs, protect your head.

Next: Move 7, The Gen X Reset Checklist. A simple 14-day plan you can follow without overthinking it.

Move 7: The Gen X Reset Checklist

A simple 14-day plan you can follow without overthinking it

This is the part that turns ideas into action.

You don’t need a new personality. You need a short reset you can actually complete.

So here it is.

Fourteen days. Simple moves. Small wins. Less thinking, more doing.

The rules

One move at a time. Don’t add extra goals.
Do the minimum on bad days. Don’t do nothing.
Never miss twice.
Keep it private if you want. Just keep it consistent.

Your one move

Before you start Day 1, write your one move:

For the next 14 days, I am the kind of man who…
(Example: walks daily, trains twice a week, no phone in bed, protein breakfast, no booze midweek.)

Now write your bad day minimum:

On a bad day, my minimum is…

That’s your foundation.

The 14-Day Reset Plan

Day 1: Clarity

Write 5 changes you want. Circle the ones that are yours.
Write your “perfect normal day” in plain English.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Write your top 3 priorities for the next 30 days.

Day 2: Ownership

Do the “No Drama” audit:

3 things working
3 things not working
the cost of staying the same
one thing you do that makes it worse
one thing you’ll do this week that makes it better

Do this today (10 minutes):
Write your circle of control list. Pick one item you control and act on it today.

Day 3: Commitment

Write your reason:

“I’m doing this because…”
“If I don’t change, the cost is…”

Do this today (10 minutes):
Choose your one move for 14 days. Put it in your calendar.

Day 4: Fear and Stories

Write the story that keeps you stuck.
Replace it with a useful truth.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Put your replacement line somewhere you’ll see it daily.

Day 5: Control

Spot your biggest autopilot move.
Choose one boundary you’ll set.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Set the boundary in one sentence. No long explanation.

Day 6: Habits

Pick your keystone habit (the one that changes your energy).
Attach it to an existing routine.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Write one habit stack: “After I do X, I do Y.”

Day 7: Review

Quick check-in:

What’s been easy?
What’s been hard?
What’s the one adjustment that makes next week easier?

Do this today (10 minutes):
Remove one blocker from your environment.

Day 8: Reset your inputs

Reduce noise for 24 hours: no news, or no scrolling, or no phone in bed.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Set a morning rule: no phone for the first 20 minutes.

Day 9: Move your body

Do your one move, plus 10 extra minutes of movement if you can.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Book your next two workouts or walks in your calendar.

Day 10: Sort your sleep

Pick one sleep upgrade:

phone out of room
bedtime alarm
earlier lights out

Do this today (10 minutes):
Decide your “lights out” time for the next 4 nights.

Day 11: Connection

Reach out to one decent person.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Message one mate: “Fancy a coffee or a walk this week?”

Day 12: Money and future

Spend 30 minutes on something that improves your future:

learning a skill
updating CV or LinkedIn
building a side income idea
sorting finances
planning a change

Do this today (10 minutes):
Write one future move you’ll take in the next 7 days.

Day 13: The hard conversation

If something needs saying, say it calmly.

Could be:

with your partner
with your boss
with a mate
with yourself

Do this today (10 minutes):
Write the first sentence of the conversation. Keep it clean and direct.

Day 14: Decide what happens next

This is where most people stop. Don’t.

You’re not finishing. You’re continuing.

Do this today (10 minutes):
Write:

What I’m keeping (one habit)
What I’m improving (one habit)
What I’m dropping (one habit)
My next 30-day focus

The one-page daily checklist (copy this into Notes)

Every day for 14 days:

Did I do my one move? Yes or No
If not, did I do my minimum? Yes or No
Did I protect my inputs today? Yes or No
Did I do one thing for my future? Yes or No
Did I keep one promise to myself today? Yes or No

That’s it.

Five ticks. Simple scoreboard. No drama.

Next steps

If this reset helped, do one of these:

Subscribe to the Gen X Coach YouTube channel
I post raw, straight-talking videos for men who want a stronger second act. No fluff.
Download the Gen X Pulse Check
It takes 7 minutes and shows you exactly where you’re solid and where you’re slipping.
Book a call
If you want help making your plan real, we’ll talk it through and map your next steps.

You don’t need a perfect life. You need a direction, then you need to keep moving.