5 Practical Strategies for Building Self-Discipline Back in January, I wrote an article about the importance of self-discipline, specifically, what self-discipline is and why you need it in the long-term. (You can read it here). I didn’t, however, explain how to build self-discipline, step-by-step. Before I discuss five practical strategies for building self-discipline, I want to clear up a common misconception: the difference between self-discipline and self-control. Self-Discipline Vs. Self-discipline is about leaning into resistance. But most importantly, it’s acting in accordance with your thoughts – not your feelings. You might not feel like writing a blog post, running eight miles or waking up before dawn, but you know doing them is conducive to your happiness, wealth, and success in the long-term. You never need to feel motivated when you know what must be done. That’s self-discipline. Self-control, on the other hand, is refraining from immediate gratification; it’s what Kelly McGonigal calls “won’t power”. Here’s how we build it. 1. 2.
You Need to Build Discipline. Here’s Why. Source: PicJumbo. Jim Rohn once said, “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going”. And while habit is what keeps you going, it isn’t always enough to keep you going indefinitely. Allow me explain. The Sequence of a New Behaviour You have a goal. But motivation is not reliable; it ebbs and flows depending on your emotional state and if you’re “not in the mood”, you can let yourself off the hook. So perhaps you incentivise yourself to do your new behaviour instead, which, in turn, motivates you again and again. This is understandable: in the beginning, it’s painful and not doing it is easier. If you’re really committed, you’ll study the science of behaviour change, particularly, habit formation, and identify a cue to trigger your new behaviour. You make it a habit. To achieve a goal, you need to build a system; one you constantly and never-endingly improve. But only for so long . . . The Power of Habit The problem, however, is we’ve become hooked on habits. Example 1. 1.
The Repeated Bout Effect: If Nothing Changes, Nothing Is Going to Change If you have ever taken a few weeks off from exercise and then completed a strenuous workout, you may know what I’m about to say. That first workout back from a long break can be tough, but it’s usually the soreness that follows a few days later that is really brutal. For example, if you do a squat workout after a few weeks off, it can hurt to simply sit in a chair or climb the stairs later that week. One of the quickest ways to resolve this soreness is very counterintuitive: Squat again. If I’m feeling sore a few days after a squat workout, then doing some light reps is often the quickest way to recover from the soreness. How could this be? On the surface, this makes little sense. The Repeated Bout Effect Here’s the Repeated Bout Effect in plain language: The more you repeat a behavior, the less it impacts you because you become accustomed to it. The Repeated Bout Effect comes from exercise science research, so let’s return to our previous squat example. The Repeated Bout Effect in Your Life
The No Exceptions Rule: How to Maximize Your Willpower and Stay on Track with Your Goals When Sid Simon turned 87 on May 29th, 2002, he showed no signs of slowing down. For Simon, health was his single most important value. And, despite his age, he was still active. He regularly biked, took supplements and perhaps, most importantly, ate healthily … except when there was a full moon. Only then was when he was “allowed” to eat a bowl of ice cream. In his book, The Success Principles, Jack Canfield recounts Simon’s 75th birthday: When I attended Sid’s seventy-fifth birthday celebration, over 100 of his family members, closet friends, and admiring former students came from all across the country to celebrate with him. Simon knew that a 100% commitment was actually easier to keep, and he was unwilling to undermine years of success for other people’s approval. The No Exceptions Rule Every day we wake up and wrestle with ourselves over whether or not to keep our commitments and stick to our disciplines. Should we politely accept the cookie we’re offered or stick to our diet? 1. 2. 3.
The Beginner's Guide to Deliberate Practice In some circles, Ben Hogan is credited with “inventing practice.” Hogan was one of the greatest golfers of the 20th century, an accomplishment he achieved through tireless repetition. He simply loved to practice. Hogan said, “I couldn't wait to get up in the morning so I could hit balls. I'd be at the practice tee at the crack of dawn, hit balls for a few hours, then take a break and get right back to it.” For Hogan, every practice session had a purpose. His precision made him more like a surgeon than a golfer. Hogan methodically broke the game of golf down into chunks and figured out how he could master each section. Hogan finished his career with nine major championships—ranking fourth all-time. Before we talk about how to get started, I wanted to let you know I researched and compiled science-backed ways to stick to good habits and stop procrastinating. What is Deliberate Practice? Deliberate practice refers to a special type of practice that is purposeful and systematic.
Discipline Your Mind By Will Smith Again, masterful speaker Will Smith delivered a DOOZY of a speech tonight (March 2nd 2018) about achieving your dreams by winning the war against your mind. He says success is about self-discipline. You have to discipline your mind and choose to do things that are in your best interest to get to success. “Dude, screamed to me the other night ‘Ay Will I want to be an actor! “The Marines have a saying: ‘Everyone wants to get to heaven. “At the center of bringing any dream into fruition is Self-Discipline.”– Will Smith “It’s about your mind. “Everyday, we are choosing sh*t that is not in our own best interest.So if the world is attacking you, the world wants to fight you, and the world’s trying to hold you down, you’re going to kick yourself in the balls?? “Self-Discipline is the center of all material success.” “You cannot win the war against the world, if you can’t win the war against your own mind.” I do not own the copyrights to the footage used video.
SelfDiscipline Is SelfLove by Will Smith Speech Another EPIC motivational speech from Will Smith on Instagram stories today (March 4th 2018). This is a follow up from his speech on March 2nd about winning the war against your mind through self-discipline. This is about loving yourself too much to let yourself do anything that isn’t really in your best interest. He says Self-Discipline ins’t a bad thing or a punishment as we often think it is. Self-Discipline in actuality is Self-Love. Make sure to give us a thumbs up, comment, join the conversation, share, and subscribe to our weekly mailing list for more videos like this! “I believe that Self-Discipline is the definition of Self-Love.” “When you say that you love yourself, that means that you have behavior towards yourself that is loving.” “I think the word discipline has kind of gotten a bad name. “Self-Discipline is Self-Love.” “If you want to be happy, you have to love yourself, which means you have to discipline your behavior.”