Self-Discipline 20 of the Best Habits
for Unstoppable Self-Discipline
Jason Wiliams
©2016 Jason Wiliams
I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book, “SelfDiscipline: 20 of the Best Habits for Unstoppable Self-Discipline”.
This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to form self-discipline
and become the best version of yourself. Self-discipline, after all, is vital in
every aspect of life.
This book tells you about the 20 things you need to do to be a disciplined
individual. The steps on this book are written especially for you. They are
detailed, concise and easy to follow.
Thanks again for downloading this book, I hope you enjoy it!
Table of Contents
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The Fundamentals of Self-Discipline
Know and Understand the Importance of
Self-Discipline in your Life
Be Aware of your Undisciplined
Behaviors
Acknowledge your Weak Points
Settle your Priorities
Establish a Plan and Make a Checklist
Eliminate Distractions
Learn How to Tolerate Discomfort
Think Long-Term Gains
Learn and Recover from your Mistakes
Be Inspired By Successful People
Get Sufficient Rest and Sleep
Practice Meditation
Practice Self-Discipline Exercises
Eat Healthy
Track your Progress
Recite Positive Affirmations
Express Gratitude
Make Things Fun and Exciting
Reward and Penalize Yourself
Just Continue Moving Forward No
Matter What Happens
Conclusion
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The Fundamentals of Self-Discipline
Self-discipline is evident in different forms, including perseverance,
endurance, restraint, following through, thinking before acting and carrying
out plans and decisions, despite obstacles, hardships and inconvenience.
It is also about having self-control or the ability to avoid unhealthy excess of
things that may result to negative consequences.
Self-discipline is characterized by the ability to forego immediate and instant
gratification in favor of a greater reward, even if it requires a considerable
amount of time and effort.
What are the Common Misconceptions on Self-Discipline?
Some people have this erroneous notion that self-discipline is unpleasant,
involves a lot of sacrifice, and is difficult to attain. This is not true because
self-discipline results in amazing benefits but does not require unreasonable
amounts of effort. It can also be fun and rewarding.
It is also not a restrictive or punitive lifestyle as other people think. It does not
have anything to do with living like a fakir or being narrow-minded either. It
is actually the expression of staying power and inner strength that are both
essential in dealing with daily affairs and achieving goals.
It is unfortunate that so many people do not know how they can increase their
self-discipline. According to the Stress in America Survey, which was
conducted in 2011, 27% of the respondents thought that lack of willpower
was the biggest hindrance to making good lifestyle choices.
Some of the respondents said that they can boost their willpower. The others,
however, felt that they need more time for themselves to boost theirs. What
they failed to realize was that increased leisure time does not really guarantee
an increase in self-discipline.
The only way they can improve their self-discipline is through dedicated and
intentional practice. Yes, change can be difficult and time-consuming, but it is
not impossible. It can be achieved.
Why Is Self-Discipline Important?
Self-discipline is largely important in all aspects of your life. In fact, its
development is vital for acquiring new information and learning new skills. It
is a mark of maturity and character. It can even improve your happiness level
and relationships.
With self-discipline, you can complete tasks that seemed too difficult or
impossible. For example, learning a foreign language may seem difficult
because it requires a lot of time and effort. However, if you commit to
learning this language and avoid distractions, you can successfully learn and
even master it.
Self-discipline is a vital ingredient for success. It requires persistence, hard
work, knowledge and skill, all of which require self-discipline as well. Just
observe the people who are now at the top of their career ladders. Not all of
them were the brightest in their class or the most talented. They all have one
thing in common, though: self-discipline.
They would not be where they are now without self-discipline. Even the most
intelligent students can be outranked by the less intelligent but highly diligent
ones. If you want to be successful, you have to exert time, energy and effort.
Nothing comes easy in this life. You need to be disciplined to achieve your
goals.
In fact, you need to exercise self-discipline as early as possible. If you have
children, you should teach them about self-discipline while they are still
young. This way, they will carry it onto adulthood.
Take a look at the famous “Marshmallow Study”, which was conducted at
Stanford University and completed in over forty years. The study involved
children and marshmallows. They were all given a piece of marshmallow and
told to wait fifteen minutes before eating it. If they wait, they would be given
another marshmallow.
The children who were able to wait fifteen minutes distracted themselves and
diverted their attention away from the marshmallow. In the follow-up studies,
it was found that these children grew up to be more successful than their peers
who ate their marshmallow before the fifteen minutes were up. They were
found to be more competent and had higher scores in their SAT.
Self-discipline is also crucial in relationships. A relationship can succeed
better if the couples involved are disciplined. This is because it is important to
exercise self-restraint at the right time.
For example, a disagreement about something irrelevant or nominal can turn
out to be a big deal for a couple with no discipline. They may fight over it for
days, weeks or longer. This ruins their trust and respect for each other.
Eventually, the relationship will crumble.
On the other hand, a disciplined couple will not make a fuss out of this small
disagreement. They give and take equally, so they do not fight about chores,
money and parenting, among other issues. They also refrain from saying
things that may be hurtful or damaging to their relationship.
Furthermore, self-discipline is important in reliability, maturity and character.
A self-disciplined person is usually reliable, mature and trustworthy. They do
not forego their responsibilities. Just like everyone else, they also experience
problems, but they do not let that deter them from fulfilling their duties to
others. They do not play the blaming game and make excuses for their
mistakes.
What Benefits can you Get from Self-Discipline?
Self-discipline allows you to control yourself, so you can avoid unreasonable
fights and misunderstandings with other people. It helps you avoid acting on
impulse and making rash decisions.
It helps you overcome procrastination and laziness so that you can accomplish
whatever you set out to do. It helps you continue working on projects, even
when your initial enthusiasm has vanished. It also helps you fulfill the
promises you make to others and to yourself.
In addition, self-discipline lets you live your life the way you want to but does
not compromise your health and safety. For example, you are able to hit the
gym and workout, so you can achieve your weight loss goals. You are also
able to go on a particular diet without feeling deprived of delicious foods.
Moreover, self-discipline helps you become the best version of yourself. With
discipline, you can study and work better, allowing you to get high grades and
earn more money. You can always feel satisfaction at the end of the day
because you have done what you planned to do.
What Distinguishes a Disciplined Person from an Undisciplined One?
A person with self-discipline is punctual because he understands the value of
time, as well as respect other people’s time. Thus, you can always rely on him
to come on time or even earlier during meetings, social events, etc. He also
submits reports and completes work projects on or before their due dates.
On the contrary, a person without self-discipline is always late. Even if he
does not mean to be late, he will still be late because he is not prepared. For
example, he knows that there is a business meeting at 9 AM, so he got up at 7
AM to get ready. This may seem reasonable, considering the 2-hour
difference. However, he failed to consider the traffic and other unexpected
factors, so he still arrived late.
A person with self-discipline will never make excuses for such behavior. He
will own up to his tardiness and apologize. The next time around, he will
wake up and get ready much earlier to avoid committing the same mistake. A
person without self-discipline will give the people in the meeting all sorts of
excuses and blame the traffic for his tardiness.
A person with self-discipline has his life put together. He is responsible for his
actions, finances, and everything else in his life. Although not isolated, he can
stand on his own two feet and live alone. He can support himself and does not
need to depend on other people for food, housing, education, etc. He has goals
and plans for achieving them, including a timeframe. He has backup plans,
but still does his best to do things the right way the first time.
A person with no self-discipline has a messy life. He has no ambition and just
drifts by. He still depends on other people for the basic things in life, such as
food and housing. He cannot keep a job for more than a couple of months and
does not know what he wants. He does not have a concrete plan for his future,
so he just wastes his time being idle or doing unproductive things.
A person with self-discipline can go on despite adversities. He can do the
things he has to do even when he does not want to. For example, he wants to
build muscle so he goes to the gym. After lifting a few weights, his body
becomes sore. In spite of this, he still comes back the next day and continues
to work out until he reaches his fitness goals.
Similarly, a disciplined person gets the job done no matter how difficult or
strenuous it is. He knows that he has to complete the project and other people
are counting on him. So, even if he does not want to continue doing it
anymore, he still does so because it is his responsibility.
On the other hand, a person without self-discipline will quit the minute things
become uncomfortable. Still using the same example as above, an
undisciplined person will no longer go back to the gym to workout. Instead of
pursuing his fitness goals, he will just give up and most likely go back to his
old habits of eating junk food.
An undisciplined person also does not care about the people counting on him.
He is most likely to pass on his responsibilities to other people. He will make
excuses as to why he could not continue anymore. Worse, he may start the
project and abandon it midway or right before the deadline, causing those
who were relying on him to suffer.
In the succeeding chapters of this book, you will learn about the ways on how
to improve your self-discipline. Remember that it is crucial for you to follow
the following advice so you can change your life and feel more fulfilled.
Know and Understand the
Importance of Self-Discipline in
your Life
You have learned the fundamentals of self-discipline from the previous
chapter. So by this time, you should already have an understanding of what
self-discipline does to your life.
Self-discipline is actually important in the different areas of your life, such as
your personal relationships, professional goals, academics, and health and
fitness. Without self-discipline, you can’t build the life that you want.
Your needs may be different from that of others, which is why you have to
focus on how you can improve your life by becoming a more disciplined
individual. By understanding how self-discipline can serve you best, you can
plan how to live your life.
For example, if you want to focus on climbing the career ladder, instill
discipline in yourself regarding how you do your work, deal with the
professionals in your industry, and manage your schedule.
If your goal is to focus on your family, be disciplined when it comes to
budgeting, saving money for your children’s education, and maintaining your
home. You also need to teach your children about self-discipline so that they
will grow up to be responsible citizens.
If your goal is to have a lean body, be disciplined when it comes to dieting
and exercising. Research about the right diet and workout programs for you,
so you can make plans accordingly. You should also have the strength and
courage to avoid anything that may distract you from achieving your health
and fitness goals, such as drinking at parties, eating at fast food chains, etc.
If you really value self-discipline, you will do your best to develop it and
apply it into your everyday living.
Be Aware of your Undisciplined
Behaviors
The moment you become aware of your undisciplined behaviors, you become
more convinced that you have to make necessary changes in your life. It is
never too late to change. You can always make room for improvements.
For example, if you used to be tardy for your classes, then make a promise to
yourself that this time will be different. Get to bed earlier than you used to, so
you can wake up earlier the next day. Eat your breakfast, take a shower and
get dressed, but do it faster.
Do not waste time contemplating on what to eat or what to wear. Prepare your
meals and outfits early. You can actually prepare your meals on the weekend
and store them in the fridge. Likewise, pick out your outfits and hang them in
your closet. This way, you no longer have to ponder what to wear. You can
just grab the hanger, which contains your clothes and get dressed.
If you are fat and sickly, make an effort to lose weight. Go to your doctor to
find out which diet and exercise programs are appropriate for you, then start
them immediately. Do not make any excuses. Do not say that you will start
next week. Why not start now?
You already know which diet and exercise programs you would be doing. So,
you should do your grocery shopping and sign up at a gym today. Get rid of
all the junk food, processed goods and unhealthy foods in your kitchen.
Prepare the things you need for working out, such as a water bottle and towel.
It can be tough to break your unhealthy habits. You have been undisciplined
for so long that you find it difficult to adjust to what you need to become.
However, it is not impossible. You just have to be determined in making a
change.
Acknowledge your Weak Points
Everyone has a weakness. Just like everyone else, you also have some weak
points. However, do not let your weakness define you and prevent you from
achieving your goals.
Instead of focusing on your weakness, you should focus on your strengths.
Determine the skills or qualities that put you ahead of other people. What are
the things about you that make you proud of yourself?
Then again, this does not mean that you have to deny your weaknesses. Being
aware of your weaknesses allows you to find out how you can turn them into
strengths or how you can avoid letting them bring you down.
For example, your weakness is that you work too hard. You take on so much
work that you tend to become overwhelmed, causing you to procrastinate.
How can you turn this weakness into strength?
For starters, you can lessen your workload at a time. You will still complete
the same amount or number of projects, but you will do them one at a time,
preventing you from being overwhelmed and procrastinating. In the end, you
will be more productive.
Keep in mind that being a disciplined person does not mean that you have to
be perfect. You just have to know and accept that you have weakness points,
just like everyone else. Regardless of such weaknesses, however, you do not
give up and you find ways on how to turn those weaknesses to your
advantage.
Settle your Priorities
You may have a hard time forming self-discipline because there is just too
much on your plate. Your mind may be filled with too many thoughts that you
cannot fully concentrate. If this is the case, then you have to settle your
priorities. Identify the things that are most important in your life.
How do you know which ones are your priorities? Everything seems to be
important? Well, priorities are usually the ones that you cannot live without.
For many people, their family is their priority.
If you come to a point when you have to choose between attending your
child’s graduation and attending a business meeting, you should go for the
previous. You can always find a way to fix things at work, anyway. However,
if work is your priority, then you will always have an excuse to put it on top
of everything else, including family events.
Every person is different. Your priorities may be different from that of others,
which is why you should not listen to those who try to shove their beliefs
down your throat. You know who you are and it is your life, after all.
Whatever priorities you choose, you have to stick by them.
After identifying your priorities, do your best to attend to them as soon as
possible. Do not delay them. If your priority, such as your job, involves other
tasks, then organize them according to urgency. If possible, delegate tasks.
Knowing how to delegate is proof that you are disciplined and responsible.
Establish a Plan and Make a
Checklist
No person wakes up suddenly gifted with self-discipline. Self-discipline is
formed and maintained. You cannot even be born with it.
If you want to form better habits, such as eating healthy and exercising, then
you need to devise a strategy. Develop a clear and concrete plan, which
includes ways on how to eliminate your bad habits and focus on forming good
ones.
Your plan has to be detailed and should include backup strategies in case the
original steps failed to work.
Having a checklist is also helpful as it allows you to see which tasks have
been completed already. A daily checklist is actually recommended to people
who have a hard time making up their mind and completing their tasks.
If you want to be more productive, you need to stick with your plan and
checklist. For example, you have a free day and you want to make the most
out of it. Write down the things, time and duration of the activities that you
plan to accomplish that day.
Wake up at 6 AM, go out for a jog for 45 minutes and cook breakfast and eat
for a total of 1 hour. Take a shower for 20 minutes, get dressed and proceed to
doing the rest of the tasks on your checklist. As you complete each task, put a
checkmark beside them.
If you follow your schedule, you can do everything you set out to do that day.
You can pay your bills, go to the bank, shop for groceries, do the laundry,
wash your car, clean your apartment, etc. Doing all these may not be possible
if you do not have a plan and a checklist because you may procrastinate and
waste time.
Eliminate Distractions
You may have wanted to believe that your willpower is strong enough to
resist temptations, but it is not. When you see a distraction, your weakness is
triggered and you give in to it. This is why you should make an effort to get
rid of anything that may distract you from doing what you have to do.
Being away and not seeing these distractions make it easier for you to
improve your self-discipline. It is a smart move on your part, actually. While
it is good to force yourself to resist temptation, it would be easier to just not
have any temptation around you at all. This way, you can devote all your
energy and attention to achieving your goal.
For example, if your weakness is social media and you cannot help but check
your Facebook account every couple of minutes, deactivate your account or
disconnect your Internet for a while. If your weakness is shopping then leave
your money and credit cards at home and only bring a small amount of cash
with you.
If your weakness is junk food, then get rid of all the junk food in your
kitchen. Replace them with healthier snacks, such as fruits and nuts.
Similarly, if your weakness is the television and you are trying to meditate,
get out of the living room and meditate elsewhere, preferably somewhere you
cannot watch TV.
Learn How to Tolerate Discomfort
Everybody experiences discomfort and pain. You, too, can experience these
and be tempted to give up. This is why you should try to learn how to tolerate
them. You can try to eliminate discomfort, but that will only reinforce the idea
that you cannot deal with stress.
Do not worry because you are actually much stronger than you think. In fact,
you can withstand a higher level of discomfort than you think you can. You
just have to practice and get used to experiencing uncomfortable emotions,
such as sadness, loneliness, frustration and boredom.
Your self-discipline improves as your tolerance for these negative emotions
increases. If, in the past, you tend to give up the moment things become too
tough or difficult for you to handle, you can now push through despite
adversities, thanks to your newfound self-discipline.
So the next time you fail an exam, get your heart broken, suffer an illness, or
mourn the death of a loved one, your life will no longer stop. Your work and
studies will not suffer because you have trained yourself to move on despite
hardships and sadness. Your mind is now stronger than your emotions. This is
a true mark of self-discipline.
Think of yourself as a mountain climber. Your goal is to reach the peak.
Along the way, however, you come across treacherous paths, wild animals
and poison ivy. Then, the weather goes bad and starts to rain. If you lack selfdiscipline, you will give up halfway on your journey and go back to your
comfort zone. If you have self-discipline, you will not mind these discomforts
and still continue climbing towards the top.
Whenever you feel like giving up, just remember how far you have come.
Instead of thinking how much further you have to go, think of how far you
have traversed. If you do this, you will be inspired and motivated to go on and
improve your self-discipline.
Think Long-Term Gains
Many people tend to think of the short-term rewards of their efforts, instead
of the possible long-term gains they can get. This desire for immediate
gratification is what causes them to give in to temptations. Thinking that they
can settle for the short-term reward discourages them from forming selfdiscipline.
If you focus on long-term rewards, you will develop and improve your selfdiscipline. This is because you will remain motivated to go on much longer.
You will not stop because you know that your efforts can give you some
benefits already. You will desire for more, rather than settle.
Disciplined individuals are aware that they can experience happiness when
they reap the short-term rewards of their efforts. However, they also know
that they will enjoy more benefits if they do not stop short and wait until their
efforts yield longer lasting rewards.
Consider the simple example of dieting and working out. If you cut down
your calorie consumption, eat healthier food choices, and work out on a
regular basis, you will see good results after a couple of months. You will lose
a considerable amount of weight and your appearance will change in a
positive way.
You can either choose to stop now or continue your diet and workout
regimen. If you decide to stop, you can wear the clothes you want and enjoy
your new appearance. However, in due time, you will gain back the weight
you have lost if you go back to your unhealthy habits.
On the other hand, if you continue to diet and exercise, you will eventually
form a habit and this will be your new lifestyle. You will be much healthier
and fitter for much longer.
Learn and Recover from your
Mistakes
One of the reasons why some people are not able to form self-discipline is
because they are too afraid to move on from the past. They made a mistake,
got traumatized by its consequences, and were not able to fully move on, no
matter how much time has already passed.
Keep in mind that mistakes are a natural part of life. Everybody commits a
mistake at some point in their lives. Nobody is perfect. However, what
distinguishes disciplined individuals from undisciplined ones is their ability to
learn from their mistakes and use such learning to their advantage.
Instead of dwelling on the past, they move forward, armed with new
knowledge from previous experiences. The key to having self-discipline is to
acknowledge mistakes and move on from them with much more resolve to do
better the next time around.
For example, look at a person who did drugs in the past, causing him to lose
his job, home and family. His addiction has made him unproductive and not
able to pay for anything, including mortgage. His wife has also left him
because of this.
This situation may seem hopeless for some people. How else can this person
get out of the rut and get back on track? The truth is, it is never too late for
change. If this person has self-discipline, he would sum up all the strength and
courage left in him to overcome his addiction.
He will reach out to people who can help him out. He will go to therapy and
take medications. He will find a new job and build a new home. He will learn
from his past mistakes and use his knowledge to have a good future.
Be Inspired By Successful People
Self-discipline does not come easy. You need to work hard for it. However,
there will be days when you just do not feel like continuing. You may be
tempted to quit, especially when things do not go your way or when other
people start to bring you down. On these days, you need to find motivation in
other people.
Search for a role model. Read success stories of people who have gone
through the same hardships. Find out how they managed to overcome
adversities and reach their goals. Interestingly, no matter how different each
person’s story is, they still all have a common denominator – self-discipline.
With self-discipline, you can do things you have never imagined you can do.
Morbidly obese people, for instance, can still lose weight and be healthy.
Students who have been labeled ‘stupid’ or ‘dumb’ by their peers and teachers
can still graduate with honors and have great careers.
Nobody is hopeless. You just have to be disciplined to do the things you have
always wanted to do. Finding a role model in the field of your choice is one of
the first steps you can take towards success. If you are studying to be a doctor,
read about successful doctors. Read their biographies and gain inspiration
from their lives.
You will be surprised to find out that so many successful people have started
from humble beginnings. They were not financially rich or privileged
growing up, but they still managed to come out ahead. They had selfdiscipline, which made them among the best in their field.
Get Sufficient Rest and Sleep
According to Dr. Kelly McGonigal, author of The Willpower Instinct,
willpower is a response, which originates from the mind and body. She also
says that sleep can make a significant difference on the efficiency level of
your prefrontal cortex.
If you are deprived of sleep, you suffer from chronic stress. Both your mind
and body can’t function at their best. This is why you need to get at least six
and a half hours of sleep every night. Research Daniel Kripke has found that
those who sleep between 6.5 hours and 7.5 hours each night are the happiest,
most productive and live the longest.
Your prefrontal cortex may lose control over the parts of your brain that deal
with stress response and cravings if you do not get sufficient amounts of rest
and sleep. Do not worry, though. Your prefrontal cortex can always recover
when you catch on your sleep.
In other words, if you want to improve your willpower and self-discipline,
you need to make sure that you get enough rest and sleep. It is not a bad thing
to work hard and spend extra hours on projects, studies and other important
things. Training yourself to continue in spite of discomfort is also helpful in
forming self-discipline.
However, this does not mean that you have to spend all of your time working
or studying. You need to give your mind and body a break. Even machines
need to be turned off once in a while. You can get back to your work and
studies once you have rested. Your focus will actually improve after a good
night’s sleep.
Practice Meditation
Scientists agree that success is determined by inner drive, but what if your
inner drive is not enough?
Do not despair for your self-discipline is not permanently set. Hence, you can
still improve it dramatically and change the course of your life.
How can you do this? Through meditation. Meditation has been practiced by
people worldwide for thousands of years. It is known to benefit both the mind
and body. Through meditation, you can maximize your determination,
willpower, self-control, resolve, drive, and of course, self-discipline.
Meditation helps you stay clear headed in the heat of the moment. It prevents
you from giving in to instant gratification or feeling better instantaneously
despite of the ramifications. When you are in the heat of the moment, your
long-term goals become blurry. All you think about is the satisfaction you will
have once you get your ‘fix’.
Say, you are a recovering nicotine addict and you really want to smoke a
cigarette. You eye a packet on the table. The urge is so strong that you can’t
help yourself. So, you reach for the packet and light a cigarette. You feel
satisfied. Hey, you got your fix. After a few minutes, however, you start to
feel guilty. You regret your relapse.
So, did you exercise self-discipline in that scenario? No, you did not. With
regular practice of meditation, however, you can train your mind to resist
temptations. As you go deeper into the practice, your self-discipline will
improve.
The next time you see temptations or distractions, you will no longer give in
easily because you are now more disciplined.
In fact, this can be backed up by a study conducted in 2009 at Duke
University-Caltech. Scientists studied the brains of thirty-seven individuals on
a diet as they looked at fifty photos of different foods. As they looked at these
photos, they rated the foods according to taste and nutrition value.
The scientists have found that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of the brain of
those who have high levels of willpower is activated. This is the same area
that becomes active during meditation.
Practice Self-Discipline Exercises
The following exercises are perfect for you if you want to improve your selfdiscipline:
#1: An exercise that helps you to overcome the resistance of your mind, body,
and emotions.
Ride a train or bus, as usual. When you see a pregnant woman or an elderly
person, give her/him your seat. Do this, no matter how tired you are or how
much you prefer to sit down. It is not just the polite thing to do, but it also
trains you to do something that you feel reluctant to do.
#2: An exercise that strengthens you so that you can take action immediately,
in spite of laziness and a desire for procrastination.
Go to the kitchen and wash the dirty dishes in the sink. Do this right now. Do
not delay this task. Do not waste any more minutes. Do not allow laziness to
take over.
#3: An exercise that prompts you to do what you have to do without delay.
When you come home from work, go straight to the bathroom and take a
shower. It has been a long day, and you are sweaty and grimy from the dirt
and pollution outdoors. Resist the urge to sit down and watch TV for a while.
Silence that voice in your head telling you that you need to rest for a few
minutes before taking a shower. Unless you are absolutely tired, do not sit
down. Go take a shower as soon as you get home.
#4: An exercise, which proves that you have inner strength or the power to
change and control your habits.
When you drink coffee, do you like to put sugar in it? You have to realize that
coffee without sugar is better. So, for an entire week, drink your coffee in the
morning but do not add any sugar in it.
#5: An exercise that trains your mind.
When you browse magazines and newspapers, do you immediately look at the
pages about celebrities? When you go online, do you read articles about the
latest and hottest gossip? If you do, then refrain from doing this for an entire
week. Continue to read the newspaper, magazine and online articles, but skip
the gossip columns and focus on important news.
#6: An exercise that helps you develop inner strength.
When you go to class or work, take the stairs instead of the elevator.
However, only do this if you are in good shape and the floor you need to
reach is not too high.
Self-discipline and willpower can be strengthened with practice. At first, you
may have some difficulty, but if you do it over and over regularly, you will
eventually get the hang of it and self-discipline will come naturally. The
stronger your self-discipline is, the more control you have over your life.
Eat Healthy
Studies show that low blood sugar levels tend to weaken resolve. So when
you are hungry, you may find it more difficult to focus and concentrate. This
happens because your brain is not at its top condition.
What’s more, you can experience negative emotions, such as grumpiness and
pessimism. When this happens, you have a hard time controlling the various
aspects of your life. Your personal and professional relationships can get
affected, as well as your performance in your work, studies and athletics.
Experts recommend eating five small meals per day. Aside from the usual
breakfast, lunch and dinner, you should also have snacks in between. Eating
more frequently allows you to regulate your blood sugar levels better. It also
helps improve your ability to come up with reasonable decisions.
Track your Progress
Your self-discipline increases when you see how much progress you have
already made. This is why you should also track the progress you make
towards your goal. You can use a journal or a calendar to write down
important details and mark dates.
Your motivation and focus on tasks gets stronger when you keep track of your
results as well as measure your progress effectively. Even in situations when
you do not succeed in reaching your target milestones, you should still track
your progress. Doing so allows you to make adjustments and stay on the right
track.
When tracking your progress, see to it that you monitor both your results and
distractions. There are various kinds of distractions that you may face as you
go on your journey to self-discipline. Do not allow these distractions to deter
you from reaching your goal.
Write down every distraction you encountered and what you did to avoid it.
Do not forget to include the way you felt after you successfully avoided such
distraction. Whenever you feel like giving in to a temptation, just read your
past entries. You will realize that you are capable of resisting temptations. In
addition, you can come up with solutions on how to avoid encountering the
same temptations next time.
Recite Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations are the words you tell yourself repeatedly until they
become ingrained into your subconscious. Because you repeat them over and
over, it is crucial for you to be careful of your wordings and phrasings. After
all, you surely do not want to send out the wrong message.
Each morning upon waking up, go to the mirror and recite your positive
affirmations in front of your own reflection. Ideally, write down your positive
affirmations so you can re-check their grammar, phrasing and ensure that you
do not leave an affirmation out. Make sure that you do not use any negative
words. It is easy to forget an affirmation if you do not put it into writing.
Tell your reflection that you are capable of forming and strengthening selfdiscipline. State that you are capable of improving the different aspects of
your life, including your career, relationships, academics, community
interactions, etc. Look at your reflection straight in the eye when reciting your
positive affirmations. Speak out loud and clear.
Express Gratitude
Many successful people will tell you that they are where they are because
they are grateful. They are grateful for the people who have helped them, the
Universe, and God.
Gratitude can help improve your mental strength and enable you to sleep
better. You have learned from previous chapters how essential these two are
to developing self-discipline.
If your mind is strong, it will not give in to temptations easily. It will also help
you stay resilient in spite of adversities.
In a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in
2003, researchers have found that those who practiced gratitude in the midst
of the September 11 terrorist attack crisis were able to improve their
resilience.
In another study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Wellbeing in
2011, researchers have found that keeping a gratitude journal can improve rest
and sleep.
It is not that hard to express gratitude. Even in the worst days of your life, you
can still find something to be thankful for. These things do not have to be
grand or extravagant. You should be thankful for even the simplest things in
life, such as sunshine, water, and air.
If you have food on your table, a roof over your head, a job that pays your
bills, and family and friends who love and support you, you are already a very
fortunate person.
Make Things Fun and Exciting
Some people think that being a disciplined person means having a boring life.
They view disciplined individuals as stuck-up and not capable of having fun.
This is obviously a misconception, as you have read in the first chapter of this
book. Disciplined individuals do know how to have fun. They just do not
allow themselves to lose focus and forego responsibilities while they have
fun.
Take a student, for example. A disciplined student is studious and follows the
rules. He prepares for exams and recitations, so he will not have failing
grades. He also actively participates in his organization and does his best to
be a good student model.
However, this does not stop him from enjoying his youth. He still attends
parties and goes out on dates. He mingles and socializes with others. Then
again, he is aware of his boundaries and limitations. He does not party and get
drunk the night before a major exam. He also does not vandalize school
property or do something that would violate other students’ privacy.
You can both be a fun and disciplined person. You can even shake things up a
little bit to add excitement to otherwise boring routines. For example, if you
are trying to lose weight, you can play some music to fill the air and make
your workout more exciting. Choose songs that you like and makes your body
move to the beats. Do not forget to consider the emotions, associations, and
memories that the songs evoke.
Researchers agree that playing music during workout sessions can help you
exercise more effectively. Aside from encouraging you to exercise, it also
gives you a form of good distraction. You see, your body constantly monitors
itself. So after several minutes or hours of exercising, you start to experience
fatigue.
Your body recognizes the signs of extreme exertion, including the increased
lactate levels in your muscles, increases sweat production, and a thrumming
heart, and decides that it has to take a break.
This physiological feedback is contested by the music you play for your
brain’s attention. Likewise, your music changes your perception of your own
efforts throughout your workout. Have you ever realized that you barely
noticed the time when you played your favorite song during workout?
Reward and Penalize Yourself
Whenever you reached a particular goal or milestone, reward yourself to keep
you motivated. Rewarding yourself for partaking in positive behaviors or
making good choices can help you stay disciplined.
For example, when you successfully reached your target weight after two
months of dieting and working out, you can buy a new dress. Seeing yourself
fitter and more attractive can encourage you to continue following a healthy
diet and exercise regimen.
At the same time, you also need to know when to impose penalties on
yourself. Whenever you become too fragile or too weak to resist temptations,
penalize yourself.
For example, you can withdraw dessert or skip a cheat day when you were not
able to fulfill your objective of not eating at a fast food chain. Just make sure
that you do not beat yourself up. Penalizing yourself is not the same as
punishing yourself too hard.
Just Continue Moving Forward No
Matter What Happens
If you are truly committed to reaching your goal, you will push through
despite anything that tries to stop you. As you strive to stay disciplined, you
will encounter distractions and people who try to bring you down.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, some of your family members
and friends will tell you that you are not going to make it or that you will
surely quit after a week or so. They may even try to talk you out of it because
they think that it is a waste of time. They may also offer you food choices that
are not included in your diet or dissuade you from going to the gym.
Remember that you are responsible for your own life. If you are not happy
with the way you look or how you feel, you should make an effort to change
that. Do not mind what other people say. They might mock and make fun of
you, but you should still continue doing what you do.
Each time you feel like quitting, just recall how much you have been through.
Think of the sacrifices you have made and the hardships that you have
successfully overcome. You have come this far, so why would you quit now?
Tell yourself that you can do it. You have the power to change and improve
your life. When there is a will, there is a way. Your mind controls your body,
so do not allow it to falter. Stay disciplined and your efforts would surely be
fruitful.
Conclusion
Thank you again for downloading this book!
I hope this book was able to help you learn about self-discipline and how you
can form and strengthen it in 20 effective ways.
The next step is to begin heeding the tips and advice provided to you in this
book so that you can start having a better life.
Finally, if you enjoyed this book, then I’d like to ask you for a favor, would
you be kind enough to leave a review for this book on Amazon? It’d be
greatly appreciated!
Click here to leave a review for this book on Amazon!
https://www.amazon.com/Self-Discipline-Unstoppable-Motivation-SelfControl-Self-Esteem-ebook/dp/B01F0HTVU2
Thank you and good luck!