We all set ourselves goals, and later on, it may turn out that some goals are rather intractable! Something gets in the way when you brace yourself to achieve them. You look around for what can be wrong. Is it a lack of self-confidence? Maybe it’s too big? Or it can affect your career or a relationship? But there can be another factor, and a very important at that: what if you don’t have enough discipline?
What is self-discipline?
To begin with, let it sink in that self-discipline is your ability to be your own master and drive yourself to work diligently when you believe it is necessary. You tell yourself what to do and how to act without anyone else answerable for your behavior.
Discipline is calling upon your inner resources of willpower, purposefulness, sheer doggedness – whatever it is you need to reach the peak of your success.
Set your sights on a goal
The first thing to do is pick out a goal which will require a honed self-discipline. But don’t rush into it; start with smaller tasks. Don’t get over-confident and rely heavily on your self-discipline – it should be given time to evolve properly before you get to depend on it.
The goal you selected should be SMART (S for Specific, M for Measurable, A for Attainable, R for Relevant, T for Time-bound). Also, it would be great if it could be broken down into small stages.
Countdown for the start
If you keep hesitating about how or when to set about it, take a resolution, count down slowly, and when you reach the end, get down to the first task. No use waiting for this extra motivation, let your self-discipline will be your motivation.
If you need that initial push to get going – push yourself to make the big step toward developing discipline.
Get a firm grip on motivation
You have got your goal – now go through the reasons behind it. Find the best expression for your ideas.
Try not to think along the lines of “I need to get it done and forget about it.” Think “I will be satisfied when I have accomplished this, my manager and coworkers will register my success, I will be a step further toward my objective.”
It can be plainer sailing when you have the reasons for your labor on your fingertips.
Look into the task for possible obstacles
So you know well what task lies before you; it’s time to foresee the obstacles you may stumble into and think seriously about how you can get round them in the most effective way.
Besides, you may have to alter your schedule to fit in some time for performing the tasks you have broken down your goal into. Maybe breaking it down some more to ensure that the tasks are really doable. You can also prepare for it by switching off your phone to avoid distractions.
Keep in mind why exactly you decided to do it
Never let yourself forget the reasons that set you off in the first place; remind yourself regularly of the benefits you expect to reap after you have arrived at the designated level.
Relax and start piсtuгing yourself in absolute control over your activities, the victor after having achieved your specific goal. Send yourself a message accentuating your headway and congratulating yourself on your success. Such kinds of support are great for keeping yourself focused strongly on your chosen road to further attainments.
Have credits where they are due
You don’t have to go for it alone. If you have somebody you can trust, a good partnership can bring better and faster results.
Such trustworthy people will be good recipients of your sharing news about your resolution to develop self-discipline – then again, you can bring them in on your projects. Working together will enhance your devotion to your new lifestyle as well as ensure a successful realization of your plans.
Prioritize
Among your wealth of tasks, some are more important and exigent than others; they may require reorganization of your daily schedule. Again, there are tasks you will be willing to perform and those that you think are unwelcome.
Those that cause reluctance are best put on the top of your list – this way you will be able to feel relief when they are over and done with! If you postpone them, they will only make you anxious.
Begin on a small scale
You may be tempted to demonstrate your growing self-discipline by accomplishing something enormous. This way you may shoulder rather more than you can bear, or throw in far more time and effort than you were initially ready to while your motivation may be sliding gradually down. It would be better to move by humbler steps.
If you mean to acquire a mighty habit, allow it to grow over time. Take a step further every day with small tasks waiting until it roots in your system. Then you will need no effort to let it drive you on.
Set a Goal Or a Teaser With a Deadline
Tasks carry a deadline for just this reason: to up stimulation, to stir enthusiasm, to offer challenge.
When individuals are facing their goals, they often need something extra that will propel them into action. The task itself rarely contains sufficient incentive. But if it comes with a facer, and the person feels himself challenged, he or she begins to wish to prove their worth, show others just how much they can do when they are stimulated properly.
The thing is, goals chosen correctly provide great stimulation for one to grow and become more potent. What’s more, challenged people are more likely to want to introduce changes in their lifestyles and environment.
Forgive yourself
Making mistakes is what we all do, and that is not the end of the world! When you digress from your set path, it is one of these things, it just happens, digressions are not necessarily to be punished immediately! Get back on your chosen path and don’t let it happen the next time round – it may be quite enough.
Reward yourself
You know when you have come to a milestone! Isn’t it time to pause and celebrate? Maybe even ostentatiously take care of yourself and come up with a reward. Bear in mind that it is so easy to move forward and forget about your victories, but you should really remember about them and realize they deserve to be rewarded. Stick another feather in your hat!
Reinvent or reset your goals as you approach them
Now and then every goal needs to be revised and compared against your headway. They are subject to change. As you look at your position from the outside you observe your progress and understand what alterations you need to make in order to update your goal.
Consider how your self-discipline has improved, what other steps you need to take to strengthen it; think up a plan of further development. Make it a regular procedure, at the start probably a weekly review. As you feel more proficient in self-discipline you can enlarge the span between your reviews.
Keep practicing
Winning is often just a matter of persistence. Teaching yourself new internal techniques like self-discipline does take a lot of time, slow progress is what you actually should expect; but if there is progress, you are on the right track! Get on with it and regard every small success you’ve achieved to keep you enthusiastic.
Employing self-discipline is going to become a habitual and easy practice. The time will come when you won’t be feeling any strain. By that time you will be so active and efficient as you would never have believed to be before you started!
