After a couple of months of trying virtually every technique to gain lucidity I finally made my breakthrough and got a DILD at 5am this morning even though it only lasted a few seconds once I became lucid

I think I've identified why I finally became lucid though. I've always had the ability to tell myself to wake up at a certain time when I have to, i.e. to get up at 4am to go catch a flight. The notion stays in my mind until the time comes and I nearly always wake up at the right time.

Now, I've been going to sleep repeating mantras like "The next time I'm I'm dreaming I will realise when I'm dreaming" or similar. But I guess I never really meant it.
What I realised in bed last night was that when I tell myself to get up at a certain hour I actually activate my brain in a certain and identifiable way.
I replicated this feeling when telling myself to realise when I'm dreaming - and I only told myself once.

Well, it worked.

I was dreaming and came across a collapsed bridge with a car trapped underneath. I lept out of the taxi I was in to go and help but felt a lot of fear of what I might find. The fear seamed to prompt me to do a reality check so I pinched my nose and was still able to breathe. The dream only lasted a few more seconds - I didn't even get a chance to try and stabilise it or anything. I didn't notice any increase in dream clarity when I became lucid though.

I think I've made the breakthrough I needed though