What is self discipline? In essence, it is putting our willpower over basic desires. Being a disciplined person means doing the right things when we are supposed to do them. It means keeping the promises we make, as well as committing to be true to yourself. In other words, it is synonymous with the word self-control.
In this article, you will learn how you can build unbreakable self-discipline with 5 practical rules, which you can immediately apply to your life right after you finish reading this text. The tips that you will read below will change your life if you apply them correctly.
However, before knowing these tips, it is important that you learn:
Why is self-discipline important?
No matter what your goals are, the reality is that you have to work very hard to achieve them. However, if you don’t have the necessary discipline, chances are you won’t work hard enough to achieve them. As a result, you will procrastinate.
You could also read: How to stop procrastinating to achieve all your goals.
Be able to delay gratificationAvoiding temptations and eliminating distractions is crucial if you want to be a successful person. However, it is important to clarify that there is a big difference between discipline and self-discipline, and this difference is based on the willpower
For example, why do you think having a personal trainer is much more effective for losing weight than training on your own?
The trainer gives you two very important features. Motivation and responsibility. A coach will tell you what to do, what you do wrong, how to correct it and will give you motivation. Additionally, it will make you feel responsible for showing results, since you have a commitment to him/her. In this case your discipline depends on the coach.
On the other hand, a self-disciplined person does everything on his own, he has no one to tell him what to do or how to do it. The only person who makes him responsible is himself. While a disciplined person has a coach who guides him step by step, the self-disciplined person will work hard and do it because he has promised himself.
Self-discipline means that you have good habits, which are very important in mastering sudden behavior changes. Habits are automatic behaviors that will easily be maintained over time, which will help you to be constant in the fight to pursue your goals.
You could also read: 3 habits that our brain loves.
If you consider that you are not a self-disciplined person, do not worry. Self-discipline is a skill and as such it can be learned. If you want to learn to be self-disciplined, pay close attention to the following paragraphs.
Strategies for building self-discipline.
1. Eliminate temptations.
The first step is to remove everything that is preventing you from doing what you are supposed to do. We will explain why.
Our brain is designed to avoid all kinds of difficulty, pain, or effort. For this reason, between work and Netflix, our brain will choose Netflix as it is an easier activity that offers immediate pleasure. However, if all you have to do is work, your brain will have no other choice. Canceling your Netflix subscription may be an extreme measure, but you could limit your access to this service to only certain hours of the day.
Netflix, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube…. the distractions that surround us today are innumerable. For this reason, it is important that you seek to work in spaces where accessing these distractions is more difficult or perhaps inconvenient.
Working in a cafe or in a library is a good option. If you work from home and you can’t do it elsewhere, find a place away from the TV, away from noise and block those pages in your browser that you know will waste your time.
2. Don’t wait for the right frame of mind.
Have you ever put off your responsibilities because you don’t feel like it? We are going to tell you a secret. You will probably never feel completely well or in the mood to study or work. This is how our brain is, it is not designed to be productive, but to seek immediate gratification.
You should not wait for the right moment, if there is something you must do, do it without thinking twice. Yes yes, it is easier said than done, but you need to start working on your willpower. We have a suggestion for you. It might sound a bit silly but if you give it a chance it could work.
It’s called the 3 second rule. Whenever you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do, count to 3 and do it immediately. Do not think just do it.
If you need to get up from the sofa and start studying, count to 3…. 1, 2, 3 boom, immediately to do it.
If you need to get out of bed, count to 3…..1, 2, 3 boom, get up immediately and go take a shower.
The key is not to think, count to three and execute the action instantly.
3. Set achievable goals.
To establish objectives it’s also a skill that will help you do things faster. However, it is essential that you be realistic when establishing them. It is necessary to clarify that by using the word “realistic” we are not proposing that you set easy goals.
According to experts, studies on goal setting and task performance establish that specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance than easy goals. Goal setting is most likely to improve task performance, when these goals are specific and challenging enough. If the goal you set is too easy, you will feel like you are wasting your potential.
A good goal is an achievable goal that is not too small.
Finally, it is very important that you determine a deadline. This will help you to be more effective and efficient. You will have a date to aim for, you will be able to organize yourself and distribute the time.
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4. Think long term.
The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is that the former take action. If they don’t like something they don’t complain, they just work to change it. To understand this strategy you must ask yourself the following questions.
What are you doing to improve your life?
Based on your daily habits, how do you see your future in 3, 5 and 10 years?
These questions are important because they help us understand the importance of your actions in the future. This is the best way to push yourself to do what you should do.
Think long term, think about how your present affects your future.
5. Progressively build a productive routine.
Start with small goals and always keep in mind that you will not see results overnight. Think for example, if you want to start going to the gym. At first it will be difficult, since neither your body nor your mind are used to it. It can be an exhausting and in some cases painful experience. That’s why most people give up and quit.
Persevere, create the habit, the routine. The first few weeks you will most likely hate what you do. Remember that your brain will always look for the easiest. However, you will notice that as the days go by, going to the gym becomes easier and easier. You will be surprised to realize that one day you will want to go and if you cannot do it you will need it.
You could also read: What is perseverance and what is the secret to achieving it.
Over time you will like to exercise and will seek to do so. You will notice that every day you have more strength, resistance and energy, that your body begins to look better.
Big results take time, but with small and constant actions you can achieve everything. Try for example getting up every day at the same time. Plan your day the night before. As soon as you get up, make the bed. These are small actions that can help you start each day on the right foot.
Make a list of your daily activities and determine which ones are negative for your life (Those that keep you from achieving your goals) and start changing them. As soon as you have this list, you can decide how you are going to change your routine.
Self-discipline will lead you to create good habits, and good habits will inevitably lead you to achieve your goals. So if you want to achieve becoming a self-disciplined person, why not start with these strategies?
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can read our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
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