Self discipline is a tough skill to master. Usually, it involves discovering many things about yourself that can either help or hurt your ability to be responsible and consistent. Continue reading to learn some easy methods for how to develop self discipline!
With good self discipline you will find that your life feels relatively easy. You will be on top of what needs to get done and will be able to prioritize effectively. There is no better skill that can make a bigger impact on your day-to-day life!
Great self discipline will bring increased health, happiness, and success to your life. Continue reading to learn more.
This post is all about 5 methods that will help you learn how to develop self discipline!
How to Develop Self Discipline
What is Self Discipline? Why is it Important?
Learning what self discipline is and why it matters is the first step to developing great self discipline. There are a couple of ways to understand it, both by definition and in the practical sense.
By definition, self discipline refers to the ability to regulate your own thoughts and desires in the face of temptation. Another term is emotional self-regulation. The definition is self-explanatory, but self discipline is basically about mental toughness. Do you have the ability to keep yourself in check, or do you give in at the first chance?
Most people understand self discipline as the ability to get tough stuff done even if you don’t want to. It is typically talked about in the context of getting up early to work out on a Saturday or staying home to study or sleep when you could be going out to party. Again, self discipline is about having the mental toughness to do what needs to be done instead of other, less productive opportunities.
Just to make sure we are both on the same page about this, let’s take a look at examples of two people with and without self discipline:
Person #1: This person has great self discipline. They are reliable and always follow through, but when it is time to relax, they know how to take it easy. Person #1 is in control of their daily life and understands how to get through it in an effective, optimized way.
Person #2: This person has poor self discipline. They struggle through their days and seem to be moving aimlessly. They often fall behind and need to be pulled along. This person only gets things done when pushed to do so. Person #2 has a life full of uncertainty, missed deadlines, and disappointment.
For me, Person #1 seems to have a much better method for getting through their life. They are firmly in the driver’s seat and are in control. Person #2 is struggling through life, whether or not they know it. They are in the backseat and letting life take them wherever it goes. Unless you like the sound of Person #2’s life, then self discipline should be important to you!
{ Related Post: 7 Major Benefits of Self Discipline: How to Take Advantage of Them Today }
Examples of Self Discipline
Now that we all know what self discipline is and why it is important, let’s dive into some examples. A few examples are below:
Cooking instead of going out: This first one is simple but meaningful! Going out to eat all the time is super easy. Going to a restaurant, picking what I want, and having it come to me with no need to even do the dishes is the best. Eating out is convenient and easy, but it is also expensive. Eating out can quickly burn a hole in your pocket. Instead, a person with self discipline will try to cook at home a little more often. This will save money and is also healthier!
Getting up early to work out: This one is a challenge. Getting up extra early to work out (either on the weekend or during the week) can be very difficult, but it is something that people with great self discipline definitely do! There are circumstances that allow this to happen, but generally, getting a workout in even when you don’t want to is a sign of great self discipline.
{ Related Post: Self Discipline vs Motivation: Answers to the 5 Most Common Questions }
5 Strategies for Self Discipline
Some of these 5 strategies may seem basic, but I guarantee that they will make a difference in your life if you give them a try!
1. Write down your goals and what it takes to achieve them
This is one of the first steps you should take when setting out to develop or improve your self discipline. By writing down your goals, you can help yourself understand what is really important to you. As you are writing, you will find that you naturally keep or eliminate certain things. This helps you decide on your priorities. You can also write down what it takes to complete each goal, and further prioritize from there.
Just simply writing your goals down can give you the motivation you need to push towards accomplishing them! That motivation will help you generate the self discipline that you need to stick with the task at hand. This article gives more information on how beneficial it is to actually write out your goals.
{ Related Post: How to Stay Consistent to Reach Your Goals Fast: Step-by-Step Guide }
2. Learn your weaknesses
The next strategy is to learn your weaknesses. Basically, this one is about being honest with who you are when you start developing self discipline. You are who you are and that is okay! All it really means is that you need to understand what you need help with.
For example, if you struggle to stay off your phone when you need to focus, don’t cut it out, instead give yourself breaks every 30 minutes. This break will give you time to indulge in that weakness, while also setting aside plenty of time to get your work done. Over time, you can start extending the time between breaks more and more until you do not feel the need to check your phone as often.
With a small change like this, you will notice that your self discipline becomes much better since you can now focus more on the task at hand without as much distraction.
3. Find someone to help you be accountable
This next tip can be more of a challenge, but is very valuable! It can be tough at first to admit to somebody that you need help to stay focused, but it is worthwhile. Social pressure is a powerful motivator that can help you achieve the great self discipline that you desire.
All you need to do is ask someone to check in with you to keep you focused. It does not have to be that often, just often enough that you know that your chosen person will be keeping tabs on you. That thought alone will keep you disciplined.
A further step would be to even include them in your goal. Two-way accountability is a great way to keep pushing each other and keep your discipline levels high!
4. Don’t be afraid to fail, and know how to forgive yourself
Next up is failure. Failure is a necessary part of any change you try to make. Some days you will not succeed, and that is okay. The important part is how you recover from that failure.
Instead of letting failure consume you, you need to be able to forgive your failures and continue to move forward. Failure is only a setback, but it can be a memorable one. Using that memory of failure is a great way to motivate yourself to be more self disciplined and not let it happen again!
The only way to get to that point is to go all in and open yourself up to failure. If you can do that, you will see positive changes quickly.
5. Have a backup plan
Lastly, you need to have a backup to help you correct if things aren’t going well. For example, if you plan to workout in the morning and can’t bring yourself to do it, have a backup to get that workout done at least in the evening in some capacity. You should always have a way to recover even when things are not looking good. By having a backup plan, you will not only give yourself an out, but you also will be leaving yourself some wiggle room should you just not be feeling up to the task at hand at a certain time.
As you make your plans for the day ahead, consider your contingencies and make sure they are realistic! You will be more self dsiciplined with a backup plan since you are making sure you can get your tasks done no matter what!
Self discipline should be an important part of your life since it can make such a massive difference in your day-to-day. I hope that this post helps you discover strategies for developing self discipline! Leave a comment below or send an email to us at ourteam@wellroundedyou.com if you have any questions or suggestions. Thanks for reading!
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