Sometimes, the easiest way to discover how to improve self-discipline is to recognize what strong self-achievers don’t do. The behaviours and habits they avoid say a great deal about their success in getting more done and practising tenacity. Individuals with healthy self-discipline don’t engage in these behaviours.
Put off disliked tasks
People with super self-discipline know they’ll achieve their goals and have more energy if they manage tasks they dislike fast. As such, they tackle them first and reap the rewards from their endeavours.
Not procrastinating means they are free from unnecessary worry about unwanted chores looming over them all day. Moreover, ticking disliked tasks from their to-do lists helps them feel positive and puts a spring in their step. Wiping out what you least enjoy is well worth the effort.
Wait for motivation
Everyone enjoys tasks when fuelled by motivation. If you’re enthusiastic about doing something, you do it with good humour, and it’s a pleasant experience.
However, self-discipline gurus recognize they can’t wait for the right moment to strike when their motivation’s high. If they did so, they’d rarely accomplish their goals. To get ahead, ditch the notion that you must wait for (or even need) the motivation to tackle tasks.
Most jobs feel more manageable when you get on with them rather than strive to summon the enthusiasm to do them.
Focus on outcomes
Disciplined folks think more about the process required to reach goals than their ultimate target. Naturally, you need to know your aims, but don’t focus on the end result. Know what you hope to do, then concentrate on the steps to reach your objective.
Make the process more meaningful and absorbing than the outcomes you have in mind. That way, you can live in the moment, enjoy more flow states, and stop worrying about what you’ve not yet achieved.
Believe self-talk
Individuals who display good self-discipline understand that self-talk isn’t a reliable commentary on what’s really happening. If their inner voice says they are not good enough, they realize they need not take the message to heart. Everyone experiences self-doubt at times, but disciplined people rise about their qualms, and this helps them achieve their goals.
