Mastering self-discipline is important for a happier and more productive life.
But why is it so difficult for many to remain disciplined?
Here’s the best answer that sums it up quite nicely: It’s because we allow our minds to intervene in our path of being disciplined.
The problem with self-discipline is that it requires, by its very definition, that we make decisions that depend on an end long term objective rather than having a self instant gratifying reward.
And although some life choices are not that difficult to make, most of them all still require a little bit of self-discipline.
So if you struggle with self-discipline, then the challenge commences!
Take the plunge with at least two of the tips below and see if you can do them to enhance your own self-discipline in your own life.
They are very easy and straightforward and should help you master your self-discipline when you need it the most.
Here are 10 powerful insights that will help you master your self-discipline on a daily basis.
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How to Master Your Self Discipline – 10 easy ways!
Here’s what you need to know about self-discipline first…
We touched a little bit on the roots of self-discipline above but going further self-discipline can also be viewed as this…
Self-discipline = Discipline of Self.
Self-discipline is the ability to control yourself in whatever situation you find yourself in and to make yourself work hard or behave in a particular way without needing anyone else to tell you to do so or what to do.
So why do we need to strengthen our self-discipline to be content in life?
If self-discipline means self-control (which really is a sign of inner strength and control of yourself), then your very actions and reactions (that you do on a daily and consistent basis) will either take away from your self-discipline or enhance it.
You and only you have the power to make decisions in the present moment and self-discipline really is the key to master your life.
By using your own self-discipline and following through with it by not wavering and changing your mind often, you will have one of the most fundamental and important requirements to achieve every goal you desire for yourself and your life.
Although it may seem like it’s impossible to harness this divine skill and that it’s easy to think that some people were just born with this incredible willpower (since it comes very easy for them), you must know that the superpowers of self-discipline that they have are a learned characteristic/skill.
That means that you too can also use it to help enhance your own life to reach your fullest potential.
Let’s start making you the best that you can be in everything that you do with these 10 unique ways to harness your self-discipline!
How to Master Your Self Discipline
1. First, you have to know your weaknesses, in order to change them.
If you don’t know your vulnerabilities, now is the time to ask your closest allies what they are. So whatever you are vulnerable about is usually something that is highlighting a weak point of yours.
Researchers say that discipline and determination are like muscles. They can be hard to flex in the short term BUT if you exercise them, however, and the more they are used daily, the better and stronger they become in the long term.
Knowing your weaknesses is a good thing for building this self-discipline muscle. It will encourage you to be more positive in developing and understanding what you need to change.
So the next time you want to be a self-discipline pro, the best way, and only way is by finding out what your weaknesses are and building upon them daily.
2. Self-monitor & be a witness to how you do things.
Self-monitoring is another great way of building a healthy and strong self-discipline muscle.
When we do this, it lets us become self experts in our own behaviors so that we can make our unhealthy habits way less of a hassle to change out.
Plus, researchers suggest that if you constantly reflect on your daily habits and remember what motivates you to recharge your willpower, you will then have better results with your self-discipline for the times when you feel that they are low.
To carry this out, get as much feedback as you can by having a self-monitoring plan. Try to keep a calendar and mark down all that you do — the good, the bad, the horrific.
Once you see the things you want to change out, you’ll be better equipped to change them because you will start seeing a pattern that you dislike.
And if you are aware of them, you won’t be aimlessly walking through life with no clue on what to change.
3. After you take notes on the good and bad, reward your good behaviors.
Whether your lack of self-discipline is bad for you or not, our mind always keeps a record of things through which we feel the happiest!
It can be social media, peer pressure, smoking, drinking, your ego, or good things like family and friends…
The subconscious mind will still indirectly give our bodies a signal to repeatedly perform those tasks (whether they are good or bad) because it wants its dopamine rush.
The subconscious mind will still indirectly give our bodies a signal to repeatedly perform certain tasks (whether they are good for us or bad) because it wants its dopamine rush.
This is why self-discipline plays a major role in this and why you must take notes on the good and bad and reward yourself for doing good and healthy behaviors.
Since we usually want to discipline ourselves to avoid certain bad habits?
The only way to get around this is to start releasing dopamine from your healthier habits (and more often).
If you do this, you will start to see your self-discipline rise because you will be retraining your mind to enjoy correctness. And you’ll start enjoying the good behaviors over the bad.
4. Remove all of your temptations.
Science has backed this up countless times and it’s worth mentioning here as well. That’s separating your temptations from your environment to help you stay on track to mastering your self-discipline.
Research demonstrates that the best way of avoiding temptation altogether is “out of sight, out of mind”.
If you eat too much sugar? Don’t bring it home. If you stay up too late? Remove the TV from your bedroom. Things like that will help you master your self-discipline.
Of course, it’s easier said than done, but if you try not to satisfy yourself with temporary pleasures (especially when you are alone), and if you remove the temptations that you are trying really hard to gain control over, you’ll start feeling more confident in yourself (which is a reward also).
Another established technique of self-control is to keep track of what you say and do when you experience temptation.
This is regarded as self-regulation and it really helps you become more aware (in the moment temptation strikes) when you feel your self-discipline starting to slip!
5. Take 20 seconds.
Science tells us that you have to have the motivation to start for the first 20 seconds of any task in which you would like to complete.
This can be in the form of waking up early, all the way to developing your fitness goals.
Motivation is the little engine that could.
It’s the driving force in which self-discipline is able to move forward and studies say that the first 20 seconds of ANY task is your moment to strike while the iron is hot.
Once you have gathered enough energy to start, it will be easy to sustain and maintain to carry out the task.
It’s also good to know that studies have also shown that people who achieve the most out of life? Often motivate themselves with positive self-talk when they have no one else telling them to get moving.
6. Work on a passion project.
We all know that our own unique passion projects usually bring out a sense of fun and creativity that we humans need.
Having a passion for something will not only inspire oneself to be more self-disciplined but it will also allow us to easily carry through with it because we are simply enjoying what we are doing.
Studies also say that you should never be doing something more than 20% of the time that you don’t like.
And as much as that is a hard pill to swallow? Most highly self-disciplined people have a goal, usually like what they are doing, and know that it takes a lot of self-discipline to get there.
7. Have grace for yourself as you inch closer.
To put it straight forward, you can’t just go straight to the top. I get so many DMs on Instagram asking me if it’s possible to make 6k in less than three months with blogging.
The answer is this… You have to be aware that with anything that you undertake, that it’s going to be hard, and realistically, that it’s going to take time. Everything great consists of small parts and with a little grace with yourself you can go so much further. Roam wasn’t built in a day. You have to show up, lay each brick one by one, brick by brick in whatever you want to accomplish in life. In short, it takes WORK!
Everything great consists of small parts and a little grace with yourself can go so far!
So what you can do and have the power to do right now though is to slowly reach your goals little by little with grace and gratitude.
Take it slow, be kind to yourself along the way and you’ll have a much easier ride in conquering your highest potential than if you chose to not be kind to yourself or the process.
Plus, if you have grace and are grateful for your journey in life your self-discipline will really come to meet you halfway then if you were miserable and had high expectations.
8. Use the power of three to lower your high expectations.
Here’s a simple trick to obtain stellar self-control and self-discipline or achieve any objective.
Look at what you really want to achieve, big or small, and implement small tiny action steps to make it more attainable.
Simply put, make a list of three small little action steps that you can do TODAY or on a daily basis so that you can get closer to your desired outcome instead of being stuck in paralysis.
Here’s a perfect example of this:
So, maybe you’d like to drop 5 pounds? Then three action steps would look like…
- Walk for 4000 steps outdoors
- Throw out all sugary foods in the house
- Clear space in your closet for new smaller fitting clothes
You can clearly see that these three action steps, makes it way easier to actually DO them.
Plus, once you start checking off one through three, you’ll find that your self-discipline will be easier and easier to create more action steps for each passing day.
9. Avoid the comparison trap, it’s the worst thing for your self-discipline.
Does your inner dialogue or inner narrative compare your every move to others?
If so, your self-discipline will have a dramatic influence from that, making you paralyzed by self-confusion, if your answer was yes.
You see, sometimes seeing others have it all now, can really unmotivate us to stay on our own unique paths.
And the one thing that you have to realize is that no one is perfect no matter how they look or what they have.
The only thing that matters is your mindset and whether it’s a positive one or a negative one.
Studies show that low self-discipline usually involves having a negative self-dialogue and that negative self-talk usually talks us out of doing great things.
But it’s time to change how often you compare your life with the way others live.
You can easily do this by becoming aware of your own daily thoughts, following them up with a positive inner self-discussion like; “I can do this.”, or “I will start this task for 5 mins right now”, and making sure your goals are achievable and not out of reach.
All things take time, and the greatest struggle will always come from within, so it might as well be a positive one!
10. Remember that self-discipline is a daily skill.
Please know that only with repeated practice of self-discipline, will you eventually make a habit out of it.
Repeated practice will not only help you make better decisions along the way but if you tell yourself daily that you refuse to give up, you’ll start narrowing the gap with your chances of relapsing back to your old way of doing things.
So just make sure that you get back on that horse again, try until you master your self-control, and repeat, repeat, repeat.
Like any skill, repeated practice with your self-discipline is how you will thrive. It will never go away and it’s going to be a lifelong commitment.
Self-discipline really does create a more joyful and balanced life. So naturally, adding one of these habits will make all the difference to conquering your goals — big or small!
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Author: Rebecca
Hi, my name is Rebecca and I am the face behind Everything Abode! I am a lifestyle and wellness writer based out of Vancouver Island. When I’m not writing or exploring mountains and beaches with my furry rescue, I love spending time learning creative ways to manifest a healthy home. Thanks for stopping by!
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