Ways to Develop Self-Discipline
- Take consistent little steps:
The steps to bringing discipline to one’s life are similar to growing up in life; both require consistent small steps. One cannot achieve success in being disciplined over night. A lot of people try this overnight method and fail miserably and out of frustration return back to their undisciplined life. It takes time to develop discipline and one needs to be determined. You could begin this with the smallest thing possible like exercising for 15 minutes everyday or getting up 10 minutes prior to the time you do now. It could be reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day, even if it is reducing the number by one every week. It would eventually mean having a single smoke a day and then no smoke at all. The basic rule is to take smaller steps and try reaching your goal.
- Try not to procrastinate:
It is a good idea to place things on a list and then decide on taking action on achieving these immediately. Try to set a deadline and promise yourself to stick to the plan of action till you achieve the goal. Try to avoid procrastination. Procrastination makes the path to discipline take longer. Once you are successful with little goals, it strengthens inner resolve; helps set more goals and helps in achieving them.
- Every day changes:
It is a good idea to start with smaller things to move towards discipline. It can be as small as waking up at 5am to do your study or waking up 15 minutes earlier than usual to perform some exercise. Every day must be taken into account; if a day is skipped the discipline level falls and it will weaken your determination to achieve the goals you have set.
- Visualize your final achievement:
Take time to sit and visualize how it would look the goals are achieved and remember it will only be possible if you take these smaller daily steps. If you know what it would take to achieve a particular thing make an outline and take actions to immediately set out to achieve these things. The visualization process helps you to focus and maintain the goal even if you get distracted with other things.
- Get someone to coach you:
If you could get someone to record your progress, it would definitely help. It could be a professional or a friend. Having a coach has a lot of positives; firstly, for example, you’d be less likely to procrastinate.