How to develop self-discipline

Change your attitude towards self-discipline

For most people, self-discipline is hard labor. Something difficult, almost unbearable. Of course, it is impossible to develop it in oneself with such an approach. In fact, being disciplined is not that difficult, it is much more difficult to be not disciplined.

Take finance, for example. Many do not try to control them, do not regulate their spending, and save no more than 2-3% of their income per month. And then, when something unexpected happens, they lose all their savings at once.

If you also encounter this problem, try to introduce two rules: pay yourself first and fix your expenses. Pay your bills, debts and put some money aside in the reserve fund right after your paycheck. Record each purchase and its value in an app or notebook so you can see where your money is going. It seems too hassle, but the effort is bound to pay off.

Understand the difference between immediate and delayed gratification

When you live without self-discipline, negligence seeps into all areas of life: finances and health suffer, relationships with people deteriorate, and for all this you blame fate or someone else. That being said, you only know the immediate gratification. You want to get something right now, the anticipation of reward is so great that you cannot stop yourself.

But self-discipline can be a source of delayed reward. Understand what self-discipline can give you, then it will be easier to develop it.

If you hold out and don't buy something now, you will get something more later. If you don't eat something harmful now, you will feel better afterwards.

Imagine the worst and the best consequences

If you don't know how much self-discipline will reward you, try to imagine what would happen if you continued to behave exactly as you do now.

For example, if you are not saving money and are making rash purchases, imagine what your financial situation will be in 20, 30 or 40 years. Most likely, you will accumulate debts, you will never buy your own home, you will not be able to retire earlier. Isn't that a reason to practice self-discipline?

Now imagine what advantages it could lead to. What would you accomplish if you worked harder every day? If you did sports every day? If you studied more? What would your life be like? Is the picture motivating enough to pull yourself together?

Stop seeing self-discipline as optional

It is necessary if you want to change something in your life: have more money, be healthier and happier in your relationship.

For self-discipline to become a part of life, you need the right habits. After all, it is they who make us who we are. By changing them, you can change yourself and your life. But the habit won't develop if you don't do the action every day.

Forget about excuses and procrastination. Repeat the required actions day after day, and self-discipline will become your natural state.

Get ready to pay for your weakness

Self-discipline is always about price and reward. If you want to eat cake, you have to pay for it with extra pounds or a trip to the gym. If you want to study better, earn more money, or be happier in your marriage, you have to work on it.

Enter the rules for yourself. For example, if today you ate a lot of sweets, then you will have to starve all day (if your health allows you) or not eat sweets for a month.

We should all experience two kinds of pain: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. The difference is that the pain of discipline weighs in grams, while the pain of regret weighs in tons.

Jim Rohn speaker and business coach