By making choices day by day. As the other commentor posting quoting Heraclitus, they are what make us: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22217440 https://ne

By making choices day by day. As the other commentor posting quoting Heraclitus, they are what make us: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22217440 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22217440 If a big choice is required, then first do a search of possible benefits, and vulnerabilities. Of what you would do if things went wrong, what the worst case scenarios are, and how to deal with them. I made such an analysis when considering leaving graduate school to start a business, and it helped immensely in clarifying things. You do ask a good question, as there are two separate questions in the quote from Epictetus: resolving upon a thing, and taking action to conform to it. It seems OP had already resolved, they just needed to make the jump. The resolution stage has somewhat different demands. For some, they may find that some factors preclude such a big jump. For instance, obligations to support a family, health issues, major consequences to failure and lack of a safety net, etc. If so, then the second part of the question doesn’t apply, as wishing for a different circumstance is merely a dream, not a resolution. But, if your trouble is merely comfort and inertia, then slap your face with cold water and wake up. You only have one life. It is seeping away even as you read this comment. If you want to do something else and you are not doing it, then comfort is your enemy. It lulls you into sticking with what is merely tolerable. But you are dying. Focus on this, focus on the pain of that realization. It is this pain, this discomfort, that can let you resolve upon a change, whatever that may be in your circumstances. Once you have resolved, then all becomes clearer. Save every penny you can. Discard comfort and focus on necessity, for the transition will be worse than both the comfortable present and the expected better future. Every bit of slack you can generate helps immeasurably. Ask if you truly, truly want the change. Soul searching on your own with pen and paper is the best method I know, along with long walks. If you do form this resolve, and truly decide you want it, hewing to this idea is what lets you break out of inertia.