Effort in Practice

I noticed recently that for some odd reason, none of my resolutions and efforts have come to fruition. My attempts to diminish junk food, social media, and other such negative behaviours have remained similar, and my attempts to meditate and exercise have lacked success. **Q1. What could be responsible for such a lethargic and demotivated approach to training oneself? Is there a mental factor simply lacking from my practice?** I suspect effort may be a mental concomitant necessary for improvement regardless of the insight I may have otherwise. **Q2. Is effort, as resulting from sitting formal and consistent practice, a prerequisite for growth? Is *truly* effortless practice a myth?** (I ask question two because I know that some Dzogchen and Mahamudra techniques are described as effortless.)