No personal success, achievement or goal can be realised without self discipline.  It is singularly the most important attribute needed to achieve any type of personal excellence, athletic excellence, virtuosity in the arts or otherwise outstanding performance.

 

What is self discipline?

It is the ability to control one's impulses, emotions, desires and behaviour.  It is being able to turn down immediate pleasure and instant gratifications in favour of gaining the long-term satisfaction and fulfillment from achieving higher and more meaningful goals.

 

Certainly being disciplined does not meaning living a limited or restricted lifestyle.  Nor, does not mean giving up everything you enjoy or to relinquish fun and relaxation.  It does mean learning how to focus your mind and energies on your goals and persevere until they are accomplished.  It also means cultivating a mindset whereby you are ruled by your deliberate choices rather than by your emotions, bad habits or the sway of others.  Self discipline allows you to reach your goals in a reasonable time frame and to live a more orderly and satisfying life.

 

How to Develop Self-Discipline?

 

1.  Start with Baby Steps

No process takes place overnight.  Just as it takes time to build muscle, so does it take time to develop self-discipline.  The more you train and build it, the stronger you become.  In exercise, if you try to do too much at once, you could injure yourself and have a setback.  Likewise, take it one step at a time in building self-discipline.  So, begin by making the decision to go forward and learning what it takes to get there.

 

2.  Learn What Motivates You and What your Bad Triggers Are

You can begin by learning about yourself!  Sometimes it is very difficult to fight off urges and cravings, so know the areas where your resistance is low and how to avoid those situations.  Remove the temptations and surround yourself with soothing and encouraging items such as motivating slogans and pictures of what you want to achieve.  

 

Learn also what energizes and motivates you.  Your willpower can go up and down with your energy levels so play energetic music to perk you up, move around, laugh.  Train yourself to enjoy what you are doing by being energized.  This will make it easier to implement desirable and appropriate behaviours into your routine - which is really what self-discipline is all about.

 

3.  Make Certain Behaviours a Routine

Once you have decided what's important to you and which goals to strive for, establish a daily routine that will help you achieve them.  For example, if you want to eat healthily or lose weight; resolve to eat several servings of fruits and vegetables each day and exercise for at least half an hour.  Make it part of your daily routine and part of your self-discipline-building.  

 

Likewise, get rid of some of your bad, self-defeating habits, whatever they may be.  They can put you in a negative frame of mind and hinder your self discipline.  A poor attitude can also be a bad habit.

 

4.  Practice Self-Denial

Learn to say  no to some of your feelings, impulses and urges.  Train yourself to do what you know to be right, even if you don't feel like doing it.  Skip dessert some evenings.  Limit your TV watching.  Resist the urge to yell at someone who has irritated you.  Stop and think before you act.  When you practice self-restraint it helps you develop the habit of keeping other things under control.

 

5.  Engage in Sports or Activities

Sports are an excellent way to enhance self-discipline.  They train you to set goals, focus your mental and emotional energies, become physically fit and to get along well with others.  Participating in sports provides a situation where you learn to work hard and strive to do your best, which in turn, teaches you to integrate the same thought processes and disciplines into your everyday life.  Achieving self-discipline in any one area of your life reprograms your mind to choose what is right rather than what is easy.

 

6.  Get Inspiration From Those You Admire

Michael Jordan has always maintained that his greatness as a basketball player came as much from his willingness to work hard at his craft, as it did his talent.  It was his desire through discipline and focus that made him one of the best basketball players ever.  If it worked for him, it could certainly work for the rest of us.

 

7.  Visualize The Rewards

There is nothing more gratifying than accomplishing your goals.  Practice the technique that high achievers and top athletes do.  Project yourself in the future.  Visualize your desired outcome.  Feel how rewarding it is and the countless benefits you will enjoy.  Remind yourself what it takes to get there.