How To Develop Self-Discipline

One important factor that will go a long way in determining whether or not you are going to achieve everything you desire for yourself and be as successful as you dream of is your level of self-discipline.

Self-discipline is simply you being able to bring yourself to do what is required when it is required, and how it is required. It is you setting out standards for yourself and being able to hold yourself accountable to such standards.

If you would be truthful to yourself, there are many golden opportunities in the past that you have allowed slip through your hands simply because you were not disciplined enough to take hold of them. Think of the ideas you caught that you let slip and the amount of money you would have been making right now if only you had disciplined yourself enough to acquire a piece of certain knowledge or skill.

Well, if it helps you in any way, I would like you to know that you are not alone there. Our life is so full of moments like that. I guess I should say it is a human thing.

But, it does not have to be, if you don’t want it to be. You can teach yourself to be disciplined. Self-discipline is developed through a combination of the right practices and in this post, I would like to share with you some practices that could help you develop self-discipline.

Take a Decision Against Indiscipline

Decision plays a huge role in whatever we want to change in our lives. To become self-disciplined, you must decide to do that. To decide against indiscipline simply means you making up your mind to work on becoming self-disciplined.

Identify The Easy Areas

What areas of your life do you mostly find yourself being indisciplined in? What areas of your life have you had people complaining to you that you are indisciplined? What are usually the things that lead to this? The way you view the tasks you need to do? Or is it something external to you such as your mobile phone or television?

You must be able to identify the easy areas of indiscipline in your life so you will be able to fix them. To help you do this, get a sheet of paper and try to reflect on instances in the past that you have caught yourself showing indiscipline or that someone had told you that you were showing indiscipline. Try to reflect on the situations, the surrounding you were in and the thoughts that were going through your mind at such time. Also, ask your close friends, family, coworkers or even your Boss for their views on the areas they think you are showing indiscipline in.

Put Systems In Place

When you have identified the easy areas, the next thing to do is to put systems in place to block those easy areas or to reduce the tendencies them affecting you again. This is important at the onset when you are just starting off working to become more self-disciplined.

Set Worthwhile Goals And Plan For Execution

Setting worthwhile goals can also help you in overcoming your indiscipline. Oftentimes, the reason you show indiscipline is simply because your mind is not set on achieving anything worthwhile. Give yourself something worthwhile to work towards. When you do that, set out a plan on how to achieve your goals.

In a previous post, I wrote about the importance of having a daily plan, you must have a plan for yourself daily.

Keep Yourself Accountable

You cannot be effective in your practice of self-discipline until you learn how to keep yourself accountable. As I have previously advised, you can get a friend with whom you could willingly make yourself accountable or better still, you can engage the services of a coach or mentor.

Concluding Thoughts

When you observe the lives of the most successful people you know in any endeavour of life, one thing you will be sure to find that helped them achieve the level of success they have is their ability to discipline themselves. You can also become one of them if you choose self-discipline today and continue with it tomorrow.

Featured Image Source: Inc. Magazine