8 Ways to Master Self-Discipline – FutureGrowAcademy

Dr. Ankit Sharma, PhD

2 years ago

Learning to efficiently lead yourself & others can be achieved by discipline. Happiness, success, & satisfaction come from focus & self-control. Studies show that people with stronger self-discipline are happier. Reason? Because with regulation & self-control, we can accomplish more of the goals we set for ourselves. That’s why exploring Ways to Master Self-Discipline is so vital.

Ways to Master Self-Discipline

1. Re-Discover Your Strengths & Weaknesses

We all have some weaknesses. The desire for alcohol, tobacco, junk food, addiction to social media, or laziness could similarly affect us. Weaknesses don’t just appear in the aspects where we lack self-control. We all have our strengths & the stuff we are bad at.

Self-awareness is a powerful tool for expanding your comfort zone, but it needs steady focus & acknowledging your deficiencies, whatever they may be. People often try to pretend their weaknesses don’t exist or submit to them with a rigid mindset, waving a white flag and accepting their defeat.

Hence, it is vital to discover your strengths & weaknesses & admit them without judgment. We all have our faults & weaknesses. There is nothing to be ashamed of.

2. Identify Where You Struggle

Start by noting down your activities for the day. Then, think about what you value & ask yourself whether your behaviors support those values. There are probably some things you do daily that don’t support those values.

During this identification process, asking for feedback from people around you who know us best is useful. See if there’s a difference between how others see your actions & how you prefer to describe yourself. Figuring out areas of your struggle is a vital step of Ways to Master Self-Discipline.

3. Know When You Are Most Productive

Greeting your colleagues & asking about their day. A trip to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Having a team lunch. An afternoon walk to the local cafe. All of these short trips total to a lot of time away from our work. It’s vital to develop relationships with colleagues & offer yourself mental & physical breaks during the day.

But it’s also vital to be honest about your work styles. If your mornings are engaged by non-work-related jobs & when you are most productive – that’s not a good thing. Know the pinnacle of your efficiency & energy & plan your day accordingly.

4. Get Rid Of Temptations

If you constantly wonder How to Discipline Yourself, you must eliminate the temptations holding you back. Bunking office, spending a lazy afternoon on the couch with a bottle of chilled beer & pizza & streaming your favorite show on Netflix can sound appealing, but consider how much you may lose by doing that.

You may lose vital information about a project or an opportunity to prove yourself a valuable worker. That temporary call of laziness is not worth it. After all, you can’t spend all afternoons of your life that way, so why bother? You can enjoy the beer, pizza & show better after a productive day at the office, with the satisfaction you gave your best shot in your heart.

That shiny sneaker in the showroom draws you like a magnet. Before spending your hard-earned money on it, ask yourself if you need it. You can’t wear that neon green sneaker in the office & you already have a pair of jogging shoes. Don’t you think spending $400 on a pair of jogging shoes is a bit overkill? Think about which productive way you can spend or invest that $400.

5. Identify & Note Down Your Goals

Did you know you are 44% more likely to attain your goals if you note them down & place them somewhere you can see easily? The act of noting down goals inspires you to visualize the goal itself, how to attain it, & what steps you must take to achieve your dream outcomes.

So, before you become the best possible version of yourself – whether in your professional or personal life – recognize your goals & note them down. Write them on a whiteboard or sticky notes & place them where you often see them on your wardrobe, mirror, fridge, or bedroom wall. Make wallpapers for your mobile or computer with those notes & set them to stay inspired.

6. Visualize Your Results

Your brain can’t differentiate between real & made-up memories. So, when you imagine something clearly, your brain chemistry thinks you have actually experienced it.

Visualizing positive results like, “When I finally achieve the promotion, I’m going to treat myself to an excellent dinner in a fancy restaurant,” gives you the positive feelings connected with climbing to the peak while reducing feelings of insecurity. This inspires you to conquer fears & take actionable steps toward your goals.

7. Know How To Measure Progress

If you don’t know how to monitor your progress, it will be hard to know whether you are succeeding. If your goal is to be fitter by half of the year, start by tracking how many days you have worked out. Then, work backward to understand how many seasons of workout you need each week & how long it will take to achieve your desired result.

Once you have determined the details of your objective, determine what success looks like. Are you aiming for quality or quantity? Think about what success looks like so you know how to assess it.

8. Treat Yourself With A Cheat-Day

Being all disciplined is excellent, and so is being a little undisciplined sometimes. Pick a day (preferably a weekend or holiday) when you can do whatever you want. If you want to spend a lazy day, go ahead; if you want to fill yourself with junk foods & beers for a day, do it. Relax & enjoy the things you are trying to avoid. But don’t get hooked on it.

Consider this cheat day as a reward for a job well done. The enticement of breaking the rules will provide you with the motivation to stick to the rules. Taking a day off won’t hurt anyone. It will only fortify your Self-Discipline.

Some Quotes About Self-Discipline

We know many prominent personalities have mastered self-discipline by following Ways to Master Self-Discipline. Here are some quotes from them:

“One painful duty fulfilled makes the next plainer & easier.” – Helen Keller (American author, disability rights advocate, political activist & lecturer)

“I used to walk down the street like I was a superstar… I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be – and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.” – Lady Gaga (American singer, songwriter, & actress)

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey (American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, & philanthropist)

“It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – J.K. Rowling (British author & philanthropist)

“We don’t have to be smarter than the rest; we have to be more disciplined than the rest.” – Warren Buffett (American business magnate, investor, & philanthropist)