All successful people have one thing in common: unwavering self-discipline that thrives regardless of the circumstances. It is almost impossible to achieve anything without self-discipline, and if you are lucky to become successful without it, give it time, you will soon lose it all.
What is self-discipline? What makes it so important in one's life? I will try to outline the simplest definition and examples to make you understand exactly what it is and why you need it. Self-discipline means controlling your feelings and resisting temptations. For instance, eating vegetables for dinner even though you feel like making fried chicken.
Many people will give in to desires anytime they are faced with temptations or juicy options, and that is why many people are not successful. Discipline entails sticking to one's principles and affirming self rules despite the circumstances. Thence, the discussion will conceptualize five main keys that can help normal people achieve self-discipline and thrive in their lives.
Write Goals Down
I learned this trick from one of my superiors when I worked at an accounting firm three years ago. This guy had stickers all over his office that entailed writings on what he needed to achieve that year. One day, I asked him why he had to write them down. He said without seeing the goals, he could not achieve them.
I thought that was weird back then, and the guy looked like one of those class nerds, so I never took him seriously. But, the guy in question was a general manager in one of the biggest accounting firms in town. Now when I look back, I effectively understand why he had to do that to thrive in his field. Writing goals down will persuade you to be disciplined even in the toughest situations.
Putting the goals where you can see them every morning will remind you what you are working for, thus motivating you to keep going. There are mornings when we feel like not waking up or going anywhere; thus, we make an excuse and call in sick at work. Writing goals down will persuade you to wake up and fight for what you want. Also, putting goals in the wallet will deter you from spending all your time at the bar drinking with friends on a weekday. Discipline starts with writing goals down and then drawing out a framework for achieving the goals.
2. Get People to Hold You Accountable
Have you ever taken a step back to analyze the kind of circles you keep and the type of friends you have? I realized all my friends were drunkards at some point in my life, mainly because I was a drunkard too. We graduated together, so most of them were college friends I had known for a long time. I could not resist alcohol while in the company of these friends, even if I tried.
They could not hold me accountable because we talked over liquor, and they also had the same problems I had. Thence, I decided to start keeping another circle of older guys with families. I realized that the new group was eager to ask about my occupation and my future plans. I had to be accountable because I never wanted to be the least successful person at the table.
I naturally pushed myself to be on their level by ascending my career and achieving meaningful goals. I found myself thinking about my career more, and I barely had time to hang out with my old friends. You need people who can hold you accountable, or you will not achieve anything constructive. Some talents are wasted because gifted people decide to surround themselves with 'yes men' who never hold them accountable. Sometimes we need people to tell us we were wrong and then advise on how we can improve.
3. Try Prioritizing
You have to know it is perilous to live life without prioritizing what is most important. I would advise writing these priorities down to remember them all the time. Priorities may include family, career and safety. These priorities should come first regardless of the circumstances and those involved.
One of the weird things I prioritize is saving because I have been in tough situations that I do not want to go back to no matter what. It was Christmas, and I was dead broke because of overspending all through December. We spent Christmas and the New Year inside the house, and we barely had good food to eat. My wife was so mad, but she could not do anything since she was part of the bad financial decisions.
Therefore, saving is significant to me, and I would opt out of good night outs to ensure that I am in line with the goal. Also, many people prioritize their families and kids above everything else in the world. Thus, they would leave their place of work immediately if anything happened to their family members. Without priorities, you cannot be disciplined because you will continue living without any sense of direction.
4. Analyze Your Weaknesses and Find Ways to Make Up
Everybody has weaknesses, which sometimes dictates how they interact with other people or their lives in general. Highly disciplined people take time to analyze their lives and affirm their weaknesses. That way, they can take over power, thus training themselves to be better in various ways.
Some people cannot resist alcohol or beautiful women, and that runs their lives. They will lose huge business deals because they have to go out on dates with random strangers. To be disciplined, identify your weaknesses and train yourself to be better no matter what. Sometimes I close myself inside a room and recite what I will not do over the weekends. For instance, "I will not drink today!" Times ten until I believe it, then I leave the room.
Moreover, some people are very reactive; hence, they fight anytime provoked. Discipline starts with training yourself by saying you will not fight no matter what happens. You can intentionally walk into harsh environments, having promised yourself you will not fight. That will help you develop self-restraint, and you will start reacting better to tough situations.
5. Be Comfortable in Uncomfortable Situations
One day, I watched a YouTube video on self-discipline, and the moderator ascertained that one of the keys to self-discipline was 'bathing with cold water.' I found that interesting hence I took my time to analyze what he meant by that. Over time, I started bathing with cold water to see if I could get any results in the long run.
After three weeks of research, I realized that the moderator was talking about the discomfort, and it had nothing to do with cold water. You must train yourself to effectively deal with discomfort if you want to achieve anything in life. Two weeks after I started bathing with cold water, I did not even realize I was using cold water anymore. It was so effortless, and my wife could not believe I had done that for so long.
Self-discipline is all about finding ways to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations. The cold water will not be cold anymore after some time, and you will be very comfortable with cold showers. In the same way, train yourself how to say 'no', and you will be very comfortable doing it in subsequent situations.
Bottom Line
Self-discipline entails putting goals down where you can see them every day and then working tirelessly to achieve them. Prioritize the most important things in your life, then protect them with everything you have.
Practice how to say no regardless of how uncomfortable it feels initially. You will feel better the next time you say it, and people will respect you more for protecting your values.
Great ideas here