Motivation logo

6 Ways to Direct your Life by Developing more Discipline

Discipline equals freedom

By The Breatharian BloggerPublished about a year ago Updated about a year ago 8 min read
5
6 Ways to Direct your Life by Developing more Discipline
Photo by Dave Lowe on Unsplash

“Discipline equals freedom.” ~Jocko Willink

What exactly is Discipline?

Some say it is the difference between success and failure.

Some say it is the #1 ingredient of the rich and wealthy.

Others say it is the difference between the masterful and the mediocre. Between having an amazing or an average life.

Having discipline makes you much more determined.

It can help build habits, routines, and reflexive responses.

Giving you the ability to do what is required, when it is required. To do things without complaint or compromise.

This is the mark of a disciplined individual. One who is able to tame their mind.

But is this a trait we take on from birth? Or is discipline by its own design?

By Karthik Thoguluva on Unsplash

To be able to control oneself, and to behave in an acceptable way, takes great training and practice.

It is an art to be able to act in accordance with a desired code of conduct.

There is no doubt that discipline is essential to achieving success in any area of life.

It is the ability to adhere to a set of rules or standards, and to always do what is necessary to reach a goal.

Discipline is necessary to accomplish anything of great significance.

It is the cornerstone of success in any endeavor.

If you want to change your life, and achieve success in any area, you must develop discipline.

It is the key to reaching any goal you set for yourself.

Why is that you ask?

Because discipline gives you direction.

Simply put: a lack of discipline is a lack of direction.

By Tamas Tuzes-Katai on Unsplash

“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” ~Lao Tzu

Have you ever noticed someone who lacked direction? Who had no idea where they were going?

A person is able to misuse much of their time/energy in this manner.

It could also be seen as a mismanagement of your precious mental faculties.

Often, if we have no sense of direction, life will be directed for us.

This is why direction and discipline are indispensable.

But how can we get more discipline?

And why would we lack discipline in the first place?

There could be any number of reasons why someone lacks discipline.

It could be that they experienced an upbringing where discipline was not emphasized.

It could be that they have never had to face real consequences for their actions.

It could also be that they simply have never learned how to be disciplined.

Whatever the reason, lack of discipline can lead to a number of problems in life.

It can make it difficult to succeed in school or at work. It can also lead to problems with relationships, as well as with addiction.

Perhaps, you too, have been afflicted with an addiction.

One might see this as a tendency towards tempting distractions. While another would see this as simply a sign of an undisciplined mind.

This is a good thing because it means you are not fated to become a failure.

If you are dealing with an undisciplined mind, than it can surely be trained with time.

Let’s learn what we can do about this.

Below are some of the reasons why you might be facing lack of Discipline in your life:

1. Stress

By Elisa Ventur on Unsplash

Your emotional state can either prime you for discipline or lack thereof.

If you're feeling stressed or sad, you're significantly less likely to be disciplined.

This is because of the way our feelings influence our actions.

When we're under stress, we activate our fight or flight mode.

Our brain's natural inclination is towards self-preservation, rather than long-term planning.

In other words, our minds are set-up for survival.

If we are under immense stress, we are instinctively wired to do what we feel is best for us in the moment.

This is kind of like playing checkers with your life instead of playing Chess.

Left up to emotions, we may forgo will be best for us in the long run.

Solution: Reduce stress for long term planning. Assessing your emotions is arming yourself with all the ammunition you need to succeed.

2. Inability to see the future clearly

By Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Think about your future self; studies have shown that persistent procrastinators have a difficult time envisioning their future.

How do I know this to be true?

Because I have firsthand experience.

For most of my life, I was a utterly unexceptional. Even more than that, I was a chronic procrastinator!

Growing up in school, you could not get me to research a paper if you paid me.

I had no sense of the word “priority” and so I plodded along in life.

Complacent and completely okay with being average.

This was until I saw the effects of my average results. They started to dwindle as well as my relationships and overall returns.

Had I known then what I know now, I would have been much more diligent in developing discipline.

Because people can't see their future, they are more likely to only indulge in the present.

Of course it is good to be mindful of the present. To be able to appreciate the NOW moment.

But it is also good to cultivate a sense of security that comes from knowing what lies ahead.

To sow seeds that will eventually reap a harvest. To be the caretaker of your own Karma.

People who can see and fully envision their future are more likely to forgo short-term benefits for long-term gain.

This is what we call “delayed gratification”.

Solution: Think about how your life will improve if you start being more disciplined.

Reverse engineer where you could be in just a few years.

In just ten minutes, you'll feel more in control and motivated.

In ten days, you'll see a significant difference in your productivity.

In ten years, you'll be amazed at how much you've accomplished!

Picture yourself in the best possible light and feeling great about yourself.

What would it be like to actually live in this new reality?

If you make the decision to be disciplined and really experience all the details of what your life could be, it will be amazing!

3. Lack of purpose

By Anthony Tran on Unsplash

“Discovering your purpose is the most significant thing you will do in your life, and you, your loved ones, and the world will be better off because you went on this journey.” ~Mastin Kipp

They say, once you discover your WHY, you can accomplish any HOW.

However, if you don't have a sense of purpose or what brings you fulfillment, you'll likely choose short-term gratification over long-term benefits.

Solution: What is most meaningful to you?

Write it down.

Keep writing it down until you know it like you know your first name.

Once you are convinced of your meaning in life, it will be much easier to implement discipline to fulfill that purpose.

Your subconscious mind will literally set you on a course to seeing it through.

Always remember, what gets written gets done!

4. Health

“Some people don’t DO well because they don’t FEEL well.” ~Jim Rohn

Stress can really interfere with your long-term planning and foresight, but so can your health.

When you're always tired, angry and feeling less than great, you're less likely to plan for an amazing future.

Solution: Prioritizing your health is key. When we're well rested, well nourished, and energized in mind and body, we're more likely to set and stick to long term goals.

5. You Don’t Enjoy the process

By Kaylee Garrett on Unsplash

If you want to be successful, you need to learn to enjoy the process, not just focus on the end goal.

Enjoying the process and becoming the best version of yourself in the process is what true high performers do.

We already talked about the importance of having direction in life.

But if you're not a fan of the journey, you're probably not gonna be too stoked about the destination.

Solution: Think of work and discipline as something you enjoy, not something you have to slog through.

6. All or nothing Mindset

Sometimes we become motivated to change everything.

Our diets, lifestyles, and environments can all use some improvement, but unfortunately, changing everything all at once rarely works.

People go on crash diets and lose twenty pounds, but then they gain it all back.

Change needs to happen gradually, in small steps.

Just take a look at nature. Have you ever seen a tree in a rush to grow? Have you ever seen a flower in a rush to blossom?

Just like nature, we need to create new habits and then allow time and consistency.

This will better enable those habits to take hold, or at least make them less difficult.

Solution: Start by planning for a manageable change.

Try something small that you know you can stick to, like taking a thirty-second cold shower, going to bed twenty minutes early, or swapping one processed meal for a healthier option.

Then, make this part of your daily routine and gradually increase the amount of time you spend on it.

Thanks for reading! I trust that this encouraged you to develop daily disciplines in your life.

As a BONUS, here’s one of my favorite videos that illustrates the importance of discipline.

advicesuccessself help
5

About the Creator

The Breatharian Blogger

Here to inspire you on your journey. ✊🏾

Connect with me on IG @jromeshaw

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments (1)

Sign in to comment
  • Amy Hallabout a year ago

    Loved and subscribed! Can't wait to read more of your work! Consider having a look at mine and if you like it, please subscribe... there's a lot to come! I look forward to seeing more of your work!

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.