Do you have trouble getting yourself to do things?

You're not alone! There are simple steps you can do that help, which you can try today.

You know what you intend to do.You already have everything you need to do it.Yet, somehow, months or even years pass, and you still haven't done it.Why does that happen? More importantly, how do we fix this?Why don't we simply do what we mean to do?It happens because we're trying to do too much at once. Too many things at the same time, and too much to fit in one sitting.The result is, counterintuitively, not just doing less, or a little less effectively, but often not doing anything at all.We grind ourselves down and wear ourselves out this way. We beat ourselves up over not having progress to show after putting in significant effort and time, causing to more stress for how we still don't have anything to show for all that work. Pats a point, we give up on even trying.We first solved this for people making their own games, before recognizing that it's a more general issueAfter well over a decade training people in game development, I found that whatever part of game making they were trying to do - code, art, audio, writing, marketing - the same issues seemed to be tying them up, and usually it wasn't really anything to do with code, art, etc.:• They felt discouraged from failed past attempts.
• They got overwhelmed during the unrewarding early stages.
• They gave up in frustration before achieving the reason why they started.
• They couldn't overcome perfectionism or feel pressure to make up for lost time.
• They were over preparing, endless studying and planning instead of really digging in.
This pain built up due to struggling with that first issue I mentioned: trying to do too much at the same time. Through helping through this, I got experience at not just how to unblocked them from doing things, but also in how to undo damage built-up over years of frustration.After thousands of hours since 2013 helping clients one-on-one with this to make games, I realized it wasn't unique to game developers.

If someone wants to write a book, but has barely started, that isn't a writing problem.That's a problem of getting ourselves to do the thing that we intend to do.The same applies for programming a game, making a podcast, learning an instrument, starting a side business, practicing art, or any other skill we want to use, but just aren't getting around to.It's not a problem of doing that skill better. There's a different skill to do what we mean to.


This is not (mostly) about productivity or work.

Although people are using these same methods to get some of that finished, too.

When I've done talks, podcast visits, courses and books on this it often gets categorized as "Productivity." This turns some people off instantly, because they assume it's about self-destructive, hustle culture, workaholic grind.It really isn't, and I don't want you to miss out on the real difference it can make due to that same misunderstanding.What I'm going to cover has been used to get business admin work done, but the value of that is because knocking it out leaves you with time to spend with family or friends.It can be used to finish something by a deadline, but the reason for that is so you can stop thinking about it.People use this technique to pick up and hone employable skills, and to send out more resumes through waves of rejections, but the point of that is get the stress of unemployment behind us, so we can focus on other things that matter to us.Work is not the ultimate goal.This method was mostly made and tested to help people pursue, with greater confidence and results, their passion projects, side interests, and hobbies for enjoyment, richment, and personal growth. It's about setting up, then acting on, the things that we want to be doing.Beyond hobby projects, people have even been using this approach to read more, exercise, or to intentionally set aside time to rest.It's simply a way to do what you've been meaning to do, whether that has anything to do business or not.The same knots interfere with us taking action, whether that's to finish a project, advance our careers, or even to get around to watching, reading, and listening to a backlog of learning resources or entertainment we've stockpiled over the years.What will your new priority be when you're better able to stay on task, follow through, and start the things you weren't getting around to?
• Pick up new career skills?
• Start a new creative hobby?
• Release a digital product?
• Improve your self-care habits?
• Finally get back into gardening?
"Productivity," in the broadest sense, matters for hobby or learning projects because even if you don't have a burn rate as savings or funding, you still have a finite resource: your interest and enthusiasm. If you don't get this plane off the runway before that runs out it winds up a wreck, on top of a pile of unfinished things we're not proud to share. Then we twist that into evidence that next time we shouldn't even try.The real aim of this method and material is to help you do the things you mean to do, so you can be the kind of person you intend to be.

I'll explain how to do it and why it works, in actionable detail, right after the jump.

"Veteran shoutout for Chris's book Self-Command. Talks about solving a meaningful problem many of us have. If you find yourself struggling to start, I can not recommend it higher. We all know service jacks you up, especially with setting independent, meaningful goals. Check it out."-@RethinkJeff

"Great book (Self-Doubt), even better than Self-Command - A++. Excellent format. Loved the often snappy-answers/reality checks for the quick answer, followed by the longer explanations. Truly great compilation of questions."-Joe Cassavaugh
Puzzles By Joe

"I do a lot of things. It’s a natural part of being a musician. I teach around 30 students a week, compose for games, implement audio, gig on the weekends, play video games, play Magic, visit family, have fun with friends. All of this is kept together by an eternally under-construction schedule. However, putting events on calendars and writing to-do lists for the day or the week, always made it seem like I was living on the next item.If I made a list of things and then assigned an order, it always felt like I was second-guessing my priority assessment every time I glanced at the list. “What if this takes too much time?“, “should I have done the other thing first?” And so on. This inevitably lead to multi-tasking unrelated tasks, getting things halfway done or, even worse, getting a burst of focus and inspiration at inconvenient times where I had to stop. It seemed like total focus was a happy accident.When I saw the summary for ‘Get Yourself To Do Things’ [bundle combining Self-Command and Self-Doubt] I thought it could offer a solution to the multi-tasking problem I had. As of page 46 of 206, it has helped far more than I imagined."-Dannyellis Meléndez

Many people have asked:

"Does your course work for people with ADHD?"

The methods covered in the audiobook/ebook and follow up video course were not specifically created for ADHD. I do not have any qualifications related to mental health. Independent reviews and responses from people have mentioned they have ADHD or related experiences and found these techniques were helpful for them.This material is not intended to be treated as a substitution for therapy or alternative to medication.

"One of the most adhd friendly 'productivity' courses I've ever found. I loooove how this course is focused on creative projects. Most of the courses out there are for traditional project management or software. I usually take courses 2x playback, otherwise I get distracted, but this one? There wasn't any need. This teaching style really fits my learning process. It felt more like talking casually while drinking coffee, like we were having an actual conversation. 'Planning to Learn' was among my fav lessons, because when trying new things, we don't know what we don't know. Now when I'm building some things on the side I'm like... wait... this 'task' actually involves X,Y, and Z, too, let's go step by step. It helps fighting adhd paralysis when a task seems daunting."-Diana @Korpii

"I have diagnosed ADHD, so it's always hard to make decisions about how I should be spending my time. Self-Command gave me new tools to help cut through the noise and spend more of my time on things that matter... [Complete Every Project, the video course] was a helpful tool to... turn half-baked ideas I had about how to organize, plan, and schedule into something actionable, meaningful, and useful both to myself and other people. There are no miracle solutions to getting things done, especially when you have brain cooties like mine, but I finished this class feeling motivated and focused."-Jacob Vander Ende (Spriteborne)

"chris, I took your project mgmt. course on udemy 2 mo. ago and it spoke to me very well. I even used the lesson 1 book plan to finish the dune series. with my ADHD, finding a model for productivity means sifting to find what works for me. and sometimes I discover the gold like your content 🙏"-@dougchu.bsky.social

"A tough period for me interacted with my (undiagnosed, but in-the-family) ADHD/ASD like personality to really undermine my productivity. I was simultaneously both ferociously busy (but working on the wrong things, leaving central but intimidating tasks untouched) and responding to the mounting anxiety of that situation by dropping out, binging hobbies and unproductively clicking around in an effort to escape the stress. I had an ever-growing personal TODO list, and was failing to fulfill my potential at work.These books give tools to rectify situations like this. Their advice is straightforward, demystifying, and immediately actionable. Indeed, possibly the biggest weakness of 'Self-Command' is that its central advice is so simple that it's easy to think it couldn't actually work. But it works for me, I just had to actually do what it says.The mini whiteboard that Self-Command is based around (pictured) forms part of my workflow every hour of every day, and has for a couple of years now, ever since I read this. I'm not going to say I'm now a perfectly efficient machine in all regards, but I can say that I'm now satisfied with my focus and the usefulness of my efforts, whereas before I was a long way from that.To my mind, the fact you're here, reading this page, suggests that maybe you're ready for a change like that too. So, fellow traveler, I'm leaving this wholehearted recommendation here in the hope it helps you out, as others helped me. :-)I read the textual ebook versions, which read like the transcript of the audiobook that they are. This leads to text which is quite informal and more verbose than tightly edited prose would be, but this makes it a quick and easy read, which is exactly what is needed.Five stars. Literally life changing."-Jonathan Hartley
(excerpt from Amazon review)

I consulted with a mental health professional (Dr. Amelia Herbst, named with permission) to go over these methods and related reviews that mention ADHD to ensure they're presented an ethical and non-stigmatizing way. This page is was informed by her input. She did not closely examine the material, and this is not meant to imply endorsement.

Overview of the Method and Material

These sample sections, 100% free to listen to here, will fully explain the core method.

I began formally testing this material in 2017 based on years of notes with my training clients, and self-published it in 2019 as Self-Command. It covers a new, easy way to do the things that we intend to do, which for various reasons, we have not been getting around to.We found this worked well for tasks people would assign themselves. That led to a next problem: understanding and solving why many people don't feel comfortable even giving themselves certain tasks, especially ones they don't already have experience or background in.That problem comes up often in my work as a game development trainer, since I'm constantly helping adults start learning new skills.To address that, in 2022 I released Self-Doubt as an expansion. It explains how to untangle common knots that bind people up from attempting things that they've never done before and don't have confidence doing. Self-Doubt is now always bundled with Self-Command.Self-Doubt helps us undo some of the damaging thoughts and pressures we put on ourselves from years of past attempts not working out.

Here are a few free sample sections from Self-Command (full length 5 hours) and Self-Doubt (bundled, 2.5 extra hours), including parts introducing the central method so you can get started on trying it, even if you don't decide to ever pick up the full material:

Once you can do what you intend to do, and no longer feel limited by what you've done before, the next problem is to be more intentional about which tasks we do. Why pick one over another?A useful, nearly universal answer for this, is to pick tasks that add up to a desired bigger result.Without a way to do that, effort and hard work gets scattered with nothing to show. A few years of that will discourage anyone from taking action again in the future, because why bother?This is a crucial distinction many people overlook: the difference in finishing big projects and larger goals isn't needing more time or harder work. It's about using the same time and work, just lined up better.

When you're driving, which direction should you turn next? That depends on where you're going, and where you are along the way there.We work backwards from the end goal to figure out turn-by-turn navigation, so we can do one thing at a time each step of the way.So in 2023, I made a follow up video course on how to break long-term projects into one-sitting tasks that fit for Self-Command. It's to help you go from choosing a long-term project or bigger goal into knowing what to do next, one task at a time. It's based on easy techniques and practical ways of thinking that I've trained hundreds of people in to help them finish their long-term side projects, and use for my business.(If choosing a long-term project seems like the hard part, in Section 7 from the full course you'll learn in 15 minutes a general way to make big decisions involving several factors, so you can pick an answer to move forward on that you'll feel confident makes the most sense.)Here's the first 30 minutes of that follow up video course, Complete Every Project (full length is 4 hours 15 minutes):

A long-term plan, done right, isn't overwhelming or stressful. It's the opposite - you can pace yourself, build in time to learn, and enjoy a clear separation between what to do now versus the greater number of things you do not need to do or worry about yet.These techniques are simple. There's nothing detailed to remember or hard to do. But the devil is in the details, recovering from mistakes.I've worked with many people on these methods over the years to identify patterns in how to apply these practices effectively, how to spot and fix ways people often mix it up, and how to establish a firm habit so the benefit sticks and becomes a natural part of how we think.Based on people's stories and drawing from what worked best for them I developed these audio programs and video course to teach this method in well-structured detail, so that it can be available to far more people at a much lower price than working with me directly.

The major reason this third part matters is so you can tap into motivation of an end result, even if it's months away. Writing one chapter is easier if you see the path to a released book.This can make a real difference, so it's worth taking time to be sure you're doing it properly.

"I am a freelancer and the processes taught in Complete Every Project helped me present myself in a way that's convincing for my clients. I use a Trello board to create a schedule, share it with my client and leave it to his discretion as to whether he would like to proceed forward. This not only allows me to get clients but also filters out the kind of clients that I don't like to work with. The weekly process not only helps me stay motivated to do the tasks on time but also, allows me to get client feedback and improve the direction of the project. In any business deals, presenting your work is actually as important as the work itself."-Bilal Cheema

"Chris DeLeon's 'Self-Command' is both necessary and sobering for any frustrated and creative person in the post-internet era, where resources are infinitely growing yet attention spans shrink to near-zero. DeLeon's book is unique in the world of self-help, showing a rare empathy as he acknowledges the very real pitfalls people face and offers pragmatic guidance despite our seasonal slumps. My first listen with 'Self-Command' marked a significant turning point, helping me become more robust and achieve my academic and professional goals. Routine re-listenings of the book keep me steadfast."-Hamza "Hums" Sehavdic

"One of the things I loved in Self-Doubt is the importance of getting your work out there. If you don't publish your work, you will not benefit from it, and the public who you can help will also not be benefitting from it. It helped me finish a book that I've been working on since 2019."-Rodrigo Bonzerr Lopez

Meet the Author

Hi! I'm Chris DeLeon. I'm a community builder, independent educator, and game developer. I created courses used by 350,000 students, including multiple top-rated and bestsellers in their categories, and run a training program has released around 200 games made by remote teams. Early in my career I developed games played by millions of people on console, web, and mobile. Since 2013 my business has been about creating affordable solutions to reasons people give up on doing the things they're passionate about.

Quick Questions

What's the best order for this material?

I recommend Self-Command, then Self-Doubt, followed by the Complete Every Project video course after. This starts by equipping you to better do what you intend to do, then expands the things you'll feel open to do, and lastly builds up a chain of what to do so they'll add up. If you get the Udemy course, I suggest downloading the audiobooks (or ebooks) from the end to start with those. They're last on there since Udemy is a video-first site.

Why are the packages from different sites?

I originally sold products only on Gumroad, but I found that many people who have accounts for Amazon or Udemy may prefer to keep their purchases together.No platform is an afterthought of the others. Each site's version is adapted to that site's strengths: proper table of contents in Kindle or Audible and whispersync for Amazon, DRM-free files on Gumroad, and chapter segmented videos with review questions on Udemy.

What else has the author done?

My main work is training game developers, but I also volunteer with schools and non-profits, organize events, speak at industry conferences, and made a lot of games over the years. In relation to getting myself to do things: I've kept an interviews podcast going since 2015 with hundreds of episodes, made daily YouTube videos (got a Silver Play Button), released prototypes nightly for 200+ days, developed over 100 games, and blogged weekly for 5 years. I teach methods that first worked for me, but only after refining and testing that they work for other people, too.

What's the refund policy?

It varies based on which site you buy from. Each one works a bit differently so I don't have full control of that. I summarized and linked to each site's policy below.If you hate it or it simply doesn't fix the problem for you then I want you to get your money back, no questions asked. Gumroad has more timing flexibility than Amazon or Udemy, although Amazon or Udemy support refunds using their interface that don't involve sending email.

"I love it! Honestly. Listening to it I think gives you a good kick! I like to listen to it while I walk or during my workout."-Martina Natale

"Chris' book Self-Command changed the way I do tasks (work related or otherwise). It's a simple and powerful tool that anyone can make use of. It's been the only system I've stuck to for several years without deviation... this changed my level of productivity so profoundly that I feel it would be selfish not to share."-Brian Nielsen (LinkedIn post)

"I was a person who would sit and internally debate about what I need to do next. Then it would turn into hours of me thinking about working/completing task and not actually doing them... by applying Chris' method I have been dramatically more productive. But most importantly I now enjoy my downtime without the stress/anxiety of something needing to be done."-BaronJ67

Which version is right for you?

Both Audiobooks for $18 or the Ebooks for $15

Newly Adapted for Amazon

This includes Self-Command (for staying on task) and Self-Doubt (for starting new skills). Pick up only the audiobook or only the ebook, or get both for Whispersync.

  • Self-Command and Self-Doubt as a combined audiobook or ebook (bundle title: "Get Yourself to Do Things")

  • 7 hours 30 minutes run-time

  • Sold through Amazon, for compatibility with the Audible app, any standard Amazon Kindle e-reader device

  • Also supports Kindle app for phones

  • Can be purchased by Audible credit (audio only, can't use for the ebook, sold separately)


Amazon's return policy at the time of this writing is 7 days for Kindle books or a year for audiobooks bought using a credit.

Both Audiobooks + Ebooks DRM-Free for $41

Used by over 4,000 people

Get Self-Command (for staying on task) and Self-Doubt (for starting new skills), with no digital rights management (DRM) - i.e. not locked into the Amazon ecosystem.

  • Ebook epub, mobi, azw3, text, and PDF

  • Audiobook in m4b, one long mp3, and split into mp3s by chapter

  • 7 hours 30 minutes run-time, plus...

  • ...Bonus 7 hours: audio/ebook of my modernization of Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (also free on YouTube/ebook)

  • Friends-and-Family Sharing License: You can simply send these files to anyone you know. It's not piracy. (Just don't post them online for strangers.)


Gumroad's return policy at the time of this writing is 90 days or email me directly and I'll issue a full refund up to 120 days later: chris@HomeTeamGameDev.com

Both Audiobooks + Ebooks, plus Video Course for *$80

Udemy Bestseller in Productivity

Complete Every Project course on finishing long-term projects. Self-Command and Self-Doubt are included in full at the end.

  • Video course on (A) how to make and use a 2-5 month plan (B) making big decisions with many factors and choices (C) test strategy (D) business basics

  • Self-Command/Self-Doubt ebook in epub, mobi, azw3, plain text, and PDF

  • Audiobooks as one mp3 per book and DRM-free m4b for non-Audible players

  • 11 hours 45 minutes run-time, plus 7 hours bonus (modernized "Meditations")

  • Friends-and-Family Sharing for the audiobook+ebook (but not the video)


Udemy's return policy at the time of this writing is 30 days (full policy details).

* Udemy runs sales events, so this package sometimes may even have the lowest price!

"I thought I’d give it a try, even implementing some of the suggestions same day. I got more done in an hour after picking up the white board than I had in the 8 hours I had worked prior to getting it. I’ve found it tremendously helpful in developing agency over my attention energy and motivation. I have been more effective at staying on task, which creates space for deliberate self care and helps me write an optimistic personal narrative about how I spent my time.I’m not one for "productivity" but I do often struggle to accomplish both the things I want and need to do, especially dedicating time to resting. Since adopting some strategies learned from the audiobooks I have consistently been able to set clear goals then accomplish them.I’m actually really excited about the future because... this strategy has felt like a breakthrough for me. [followup message months later, added with permission] I continue to find this strategy extremely helpful!"-Tyler Owens

"I've been using Chris's Self-Command method all year, it works... I'm a pretty organised person with todo lists and spreadsheets etc. I need to be in order to run my business effectively. But [the] Self-Command method helped me to take things to a new level in a difficult year (2020) and beyond. I recommend it... This is very easy to get started."-Jake Birkett"As a mid 30's career changer, these addressed deep seated fears I have but didn't really want to articulate. I thought this was great! A lot of value added for me, the answers had some great nuggets of wisdom. Especially because the ask is a little over 2 hours this is an easy recommendation I'd make to others as an addendum or expansion pack for Self Command."-Jeremiah Franczyk
MMO Associate Systems Game Designer
"I started using @ChrisDeLeon's 'Tiny Whiteboard' technique, and as a chronic scatterbrain I cannot TELL you how much it has improved my productivity... If you're very easily distracted like me and staying on task (especially during these hell times) has been a challenge, I super recommend it! ...absolutely check out his books at Self-Command.com. TONS of stuff on how to reprogram your mindset to be more productive and kinder to yourself. I don't think I know a creative professional who doesn't struggle with productivity issues and/or negative self talk, and Chris' work is a huge resource for doing better work and feeling better about it. Can't recommend it enough!"-@RyanIkeComposer"@ChrisDeLeon over-delivers in every possible way. Years of research and refinement, text, audio."-@KarlNieberding"I love creative work. I'll start making something, maybe divert briefly to an exciting adjacent opportunity, perhaps explore and research it a little, think about how to fold it into the rest of the work, and in a few hours I've redesigned my project. And that's great! This is how projects improve. But, it's not how they get finished. When I want to finish something I need it to keep moving forward, so I have to commit to completing the occasional task. I've found Chris' technique excellent for this. I don't use it for everything, but when I know I need to get something done, and that my brain will need its leash, I pop the task up on my little whiteboard and get it finished."-Farbs

"If you have any to-do list system, whether it be a bullet journal, a to-do list app, Trello, Asana, or anything else, you know how easy it is to get overwhelmed when looking at it. Heck, you may even have a large whiteboard right in front of you, chock full of tasks that are constantly staring at you, but never get done. The Tinyboard Method forces you to distill what you're working on down to one specific thing that you're currently doing. That's all you need to think about, which means your focus skyrockets and you get way more done in less time. And I'll let Chris' excellent book explain them in more detail. There's plenty more nuance to this system, and he explains it perfectly (and he's a great audio book narrator too!)... Get Chris' books."-Akash Thakkar
From, "How to Get an Insane Amount Done Every Day"
"Several years after listening to Self-Command, Chris’ whiteboard technique continues to be central to my daily productivity. Having already been a bit of a nerd for productivity hacks and techniques, I found the techniques and mindsets Chris discusses to be really fresh and incredibly practical."-Praneil Kamat"The last part - 'what if I don't see or feel myself making progress?' - was really good. The language is very understandable for me (English is not my first language). The pacing of the speech is spot-on."-Barış Köklü"Ever since I started Self-Command, I get so much more done in a day than ever before, with less unintended side tracking. I'm so very grateful for Chris' wonderful work. I highly recommend it."-Sang Nguyen"I was pleasantly surprised to find how well this fits in with all the GTD (Getting Things Done) stuff I've been looking into. In fact, it kind of seems like the missing element of GTD, or at least my implementation. At first, I thought I would be putting aside all of my current productivity systems I've been experimenting with, but it seems like this idea fits in with just about any type of organization system, planner, or productivity method I've ever heard of. Because, really, those tools help you focus on what you should be doing, while this system is a tool to actually do that thing. They should complement each other well."-Anthony Juarez

©2024 Chris DeLeon, Brave Lighthouse LLC. All rights reserved.