4 Things People with Self-Discipline Don’t Do

Self-disciplined people are something we admire. Self-discipline is essential for achieving any goal, whether it's writing a novel, starting a business or making the Olympics.

Self-discipline, which we tend to view as a fixed trait, is still a confusing concept. Here's the thing most people don’t get:

Self-discipline involves more than just genetics.

Psychologists often work with people who struggle to maintain a disciplined lifestyle. It's not because of lack of motivation or desire.

Bad habits can make it difficult to be more disciplined.

Learn to recognize your bad habits and get rid of them if you want to be more self-disciplined. You will soon be able to practice self-discipline.

1. Relying on your willpower

People who are disciplined and self-motivated know that willpower is not a good option.

You can think of willpower as an emergency brake for your car. It's nice to have but it would cause serious problems if it was used as your primary method to slow down your car.

Willpower shouldn't be the primary strategy to accomplish difficult tasks.

People who are self-disciplined know that there are better strategies to stay committed to difficult goals and tasks. Environmental design is a "secret weapon" that many people with high levels of discipline use.

It's important to remember that you don't have to push yourself to achieve a goal. Instead, create an environment that supports your goal and helps you get there.

Take, for example:

Let's suppose you have to study hard for an exam. Instead of trying "stay focused" at home studying when you are distracted by everything, from your TV to your roommate asking you to go out, grab your stuff and head to a library. Leave your phone at home, get your bag, and then find a quiet corner in the building.

It's better to avoid temptations than to try to resist them.

People who are self-disciplined know that they don’t have as much willpower or willpower as others think. They also understand that willpower can be fragile and often fail us. They don't rely on willpower and find creative ways to stay focused.

This question will help you become more disciplined.

If I had no willpower, how would I accomplish my goals?

2. Waiting to find motivation

Self-disciplined people see motivation as an extra credit. It's nice to have it when you need it, but not something to count on.

It's great to feel inspired and motivated to go to the gym, study for a test or work on a backyard project. It makes difficult tasks seem easy, which is something we all love.

Here's the deal:

It is not necessary to feel motivated to do difficult things.

People believe that if they don't feel it, it isn't possible for them to do it. Or it's too hard. As life passes us by, our hopes, dreams, and aspirations disappear as we go about our daily lives, waiting for inspiration.

Because they are aware of the true nature and relationship between action and feeling, self-disciplined people won't fall for this trap.

Feelings can lead to action just as easily as feelings can lead to action.

The relationship between action and feeling is two-way. Feeling good can help you do difficult things, but feeling good makes it easier to feel good. It also makes it more motivating to do harder things in the future.

People who are self-disciplined have an action-bias.

They know that to feel motivated consistently, you must have the ability to take small steps at first.

It is true that self-disciplined people tend to be more motivated than the rest. It's not luck or genetics. They know how to generate their own constant stream of motivation, despite what they feel.

Don't wait for inspiration, learn how to build your own.

3. Trust your gut

People who are self-disciplined know that emotions can be dangerous.

This doesn't mean that you should ignore your emotions and not be sensitive to them. High-skilled people tend to be more in touch with their emotions and moods than those who are less disciplined. They aren't ruled by them.

Self-discipline is based on a healthy awareness of your emotions.

This is the key insight: While emotions can communicate important information, they can also lead us astray.

If you are hiking in the mountains and suddenly hear a rattling sound while you hike, it's likely that your brain is preparing you to step on a rattlesnake.

However, if your boss sends you an email saying "we need talk", your anxiety may be screaming at you. But it is possible that your boss was busy with a meeting and didn’t have the time to write a complete message.

Another way to see it is:

Emotions can be described as behavioral heuristics. They are your mind's suggestions about how to act. It is worth paying attention, but you shouldn't ignore them.

For self-discipline, it is important to have a healthy relationship with emotions. Your values will often be in conflict with what you feel.

Although your value might be to be up early in the morning, your emotions will convince you to sleep an extra 30 minutes.

While your value might be to limit yourself to one meal per day, your emotions will convince you to consume more calories.

Although your value might be to ask your boss for a well-deserved raise, your emotions will convince you that it will not happen.

To be more self-disciplined, you need to have a healthy relationship with your emotions.

Be open to your feelings, but don't take orders from them.

4. Worrying about the outcome

Self-disciplined people are able to stay focused on their efforts and ignore the results.

Self-disciplined people are often very goal-oriented. This is one of the greatest ironies. They set many goals and work hard to achieve them.

Here's the trick.

People who are self-disciplined can make steady progress towards their goals because they don’t spend too much time thinking about them.

Self-disciplined people instead keep their eyes on the actions they can take and control. If you do these things consistently, you will be able to achieve the desired outcome.

Self-disciplined people are able to have healthy relationships with control. They realize that they cannot control outcomes and goals. They can only control their efforts.

It is impossible to control the outcome of a novel's writing. It is up to you whether or not you write 300 words per day during your lunch break.

It is impossible to control how much weight you lose. It is up to you whether or not you eat dessert.

The grade you receive on a test is not something you can control. However, you can control how frequently you study.

Trying to think too much about your goals can distract you from what you really have control over: your actions.

It is best to forget about goals and outcomes.

It is important to start by thinking about your goals. It's good to take a moment and enjoy them once you have achieved them. For the most part, however, you should keep your eyes away from the prize and concentrate on the small steps you can take now.

Don’t waste your time on things that you can’t control.

Everything You Need to Know

These four habits can be eliminated if you are looking to improve your self-discipline.

Relying on your willpower

Waiting to find motivation

Trust your gut

Worrying about the outcome