There are many important qualities that can contribute to a person’s achievements and happiness, but there is only one that begets sustainable, long-term success in all aspects of life: self discipline. Whether in terms of your diet, fitness, work ethic or relationships, self discipline is the number one trait needed to accomplish goals, lead a healthy lifestyle, and ultimately, be happy.

Self-discipline involves acting according to what you think instead of how you feel in the moment. Often it involves sacrificing the pleasure and thrill of the moment for what matters most in life. Therefore it is self-discipline that drives us..

“Self Discipline is about controlling your desires and impulses while staying focused on what needs to get done to achieve your goal”

This quality isn’t something that we are born with. It is rather something that we can develop over time. In fact, it’s very much like a muscle that strengthens the more we use it. Here are 5 strategies that you can use to develop the habit of self discipline:

 1. Get Clear – What do you want?

What do you really want? This is a question we don’t ask ourselves very often, instead we know what we don’t want – Clarity is Power.

Consistent tuning of where you are going and how you are going to get there is very important. Repetition and authority are needed to anchor your bigger picture within you. Writing things down helps you anchor that vision very deeply. Know what gives you meaning and how to get it.

Keep in mind the big picture, allowing it to connect to an even larger picture. Keep asking questions about your purpose and answer these 3 questions first;

       What do I want?

       Why do I want it?

       What am I going to do to achieve my desired result?

2. Identify Challenges and Obstacles

With clarity of course comes more certainty, and with more certainty it becomes easier to muster up the self-discipline needed to stick with the actions you set yourself to get the job done. However, as with all journeys you will inevitably confront obstacles that will test your discipline.

As a Leadership coach, I often work with clients who are struggling to overcome personal setbacks. They don’t know what to do, where to begin or how to move forward when adversity strikes. Moreover, they struggle to start-over again when everything seems to have fallen apart.

In such instances I will ask them a series of questions that help them gain new perspectives and understandings about their circumstances. As a result they begin to unlock hidden resources they never realized they had.Ask yourself;

      What are the obstacles/challenges standing in my way?

      What specific things could side-track me along my journey?

      How am I going to respond to my challenges?

3. Find a Role Model

Role models are important in all areas of life because they provide inspiration, experience and motivation, and if there is a personal connection, a role model can even offer guidance, support and mentoring.

Is there someone among your friends and family that you truly admire?Could it perhaps be a work colleague? If they are getting the results that you desire, now might be a great time to reach out for assistance. Be tactful in your approach though and ask intelligent questions, find out how they discipline themselves and write it down or keep a mental note and use the information to assist you along your journey.

My suggestion would be finding 2 or 3 role models and keeping them close by as you never know what other obstacles you could be facing. Some questions to ask yourself;

         Who has successfully mastered this habit?

         Who is doing this right now?

         What can I learn from this person that can help me along my journey?

4.  Develop a Plan of Action

Developing an action plan can help change-makers turn their visions into reality, and increase efficiency and accountability . An action plan describes the way you will meet your objectives through detailed action steps that describe how and when these steps will be taken.

Keep in mind that an action plan is always a work in progress. It is not something you can write, lock in your file drawers, and forget about. Keep it visible. Display it prominently. As you change and grow, you will want to continually (usually monthly) revise your action plan to fit the changing needs.The plan should be complete, clear, and current.

Additionally, the action plan should include information and ideas on how to achieve your goals while maintaining self discipline;

       What actions or changes will occur?

       Who will carry out these changes?

       By when they will take place, and for how long?

       What resources (i.e., money, time) are needed to aid me being more self disciplined?

  “Discipline is doing what you know needs to be done, even if you don’t want to do it”

5. Hold Yourself Accountable

You must hold yourself accountable and likewise you must have someone else holding you accountable for the choices and decisions you make along your journey.

Some of the most successful people I know review their to-do lists each night and every Friday. They study what they accomplished—and what they did not. Even outside of work, you can do the same. Schedule a time each week to reflect. How were your eating habits this week? Did you exercise this month? What about your spending? Did you stick to your budget or did you splurge? What can you do better next week?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you struggle with this, get a coach that holds you accountable. Having another voice encouraging and motivating you will help you to stick-at-it for longer through till the very end. And that’s essentially what self-discipline is all about.

 

              

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