Self-discipline is about leaning into resistance. Taking action in spite of how you feel. Living a life by design, not by default. But most importantly, it’s acting in accordance with your thoughts—not your feelings. Here are five practical strategies that will help you build your discipline, step by step.
Set Big Hairy Audacious Goals
- Google co-founder Larry Page believes that the only true failure in life is not attempting the audacious
- Buy a pack of 4” x 6” index cards and write down ONE goal you’d like to achieve and on the back why you’re committed to achieving it
- Writing down our goals isn’t enough; we need a system to move us towards them. We need habits – and we need to make them tiny
Choose a Power Word
- A power word is any word that evokes a positive emotional response in you when you say or hear it
- Think of it as an affirmation only summarized in one word
- Some habits are easier to say no to than others, even when they’re simplified
- Take waking up as an example: it’s easy in principle, but hard in application
Remove Roadblocks
- If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail
- If you think you don’t need to plan, you’re mistaken
- To build self-discipline, identify what your potential roadblocks could be and plan how you’re going to deal with them
Build Tiny Habits
- Tiny Habits are behaviours that are easy to do
- Do one push-up. Drink one glass of water. Eat one portion of fruits and vegetables
- Changing things is hard, but it’s especially hard when you need motivation
- The problem is motivation ebbs and flows; it’s unreliable and when we need it, it’s seldom available
Celebrate Small-Wins
- Small wins come from committing to your Tiny Habits and stretching yourself, consistently—but you must recognize them
- Going for a run, resisting temptation, and saying no to a colleague when you’ve never done it before is big—if you permit yourself to believe so
- At the end of every day, write down three reasons why your day was awesome
