Hello everyone, Creator is here. It’s an amazing fact, but even the most organized and hardworking people wonder how to become even more disciplined. Therefore, it is not surprising that you turned to the Internet for help to find out how to develop discipline in yourself. Besides, I came to the right place.
In this article you will learn 11 ways to help develop discipline and willpower.
Ps After 11 ways, read the top 5 books that will help develop your discipline.
The essence of the concept
So, discipline is a conscious attitude towards one’s responsibilities and one’s own behavior. It is formed in parallel with the development of certain skills. The most important of which is self-discipline.
This is a person’s ability to subordinate his activities to reasonable grounds, to fight inclinations and inclinations of a lower order, which only lead him away from fulfilling certain duties. And that's a good quality. Because a person who follows notorious hobbies does not have a strong will. He feels only lethargy and depression. And in the fight against laziness, he manages to develop a sense of duty and strengthen his will.
Personal discipline is at a decent level among those people who have more or less well-established moral convictions, observe the established regime and certain habits in their lives. All this plays a role in the development of the above-mentioned quality.
About the mode
Cultivating discipline largely lies in following a routine. And it's clear why. After all, the regime implies a strict time distribution of different types of activities. If a person copes with this, then, as a rule, relative order reigns in his life. And there is no place for chaos, spontaneity and chance. But disorder and disorganization is something that requires large and wasted expenditures of volitional effort.
In addition, as mentioned above, discipline is the ability to comply with rules, norms, etc. Regime is a related concept. Because in a narrow sense it means a clearly established, standardized, correctly structured routine. Here, for example, is the daily routine. This is the daily routine. Which a person has determined for himself and follows it. The work schedule is the order of work and rest, observing which, it is possible to act more productively. And a person, following it fully, shows his discipline. And demonstrates an attitude towards work. This is a necessary quality to achieve the established objectives as efficiently as possible.
Positive aspects of internal discipline
If a person has self-discipline at a high level, then such a person in a team or in society as a whole has an advantage over other people. He succeeds in all areas of life. In the family of such an individual everything goes according to plan, in the team he shows better results than his colleagues, in his career he achieves high results faster than others, and so on. Such a person is characterized by such traits as concentration and organization.
If you look closely at such an employee or employee, they always have a weekly journal with them. They are never ashamed to make entries in their diary, but they know for sure that the task they set themselves will be completed on time.
Such an “action plan” is a small result of self-discipline; it is internal self-organization that helps to cope with the assigned tasks.
Thus, self-discipline is self-control and complete responsibility over oneself. External discipline, unlike internal discipline, will never help a person overcome his fears and self-doubt. It will only aggravate these qualities, which will ultimately have a negative impact on the formation of personality. Thanks to self-discipline, a person will be able to put his complexes in order and develop willpower.
About habits
Not only the regime is associated with such a concept as discipline. These are related concepts, and habits are also closely intertwined with them. Representing a certain moral value, of course. And promoting the development of discipline.
For example, the habit of being active and not sitting still. Such people usually allocate their resources wisely and achieve a lot. Another useful habit is to finish what you start. If a person did not abandon him halfway, then he is responsible. This is an important quality. It is inherent in people who are not afraid to bear responsibility for their actions and deeds, as well as to be honest with themselves and others.
Any useful habit is formed through action. A person cultivates certain qualities in himself by constantly repeating a method of one behavior or another. It is easier for people who practice this to develop discipline - since they are used to it. Although they often do not need to develop this quality. Since their way of life itself developed it a long time ago.
Training discipline and willpower
The stronger your self-discipline, the easier it is to form new, healthy habits. So let's talk about training self-discipline.
At the beginning of the article, we compared self-discipline to a muscle - regular training and a “diet” will make your self-discipline stronger and stronger each time.
Start by adjusting your daily routine , namely your sleep pattern. Train yourself to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time. From the first alarm! Chronic lack of sleep leads to rapid fatigue, stress, emotional burnout and even neurasthenia - what new useful habits can we talk about here? You can also add a diet to your sleep schedule: firstly, eating at the same time is good for the body, and secondly, it will teach you to plan and have a daily routine, you will always know when you have time.
Take up meditation . Meditation improves your ability to concentrate and helps you immerse yourself in something completely. Determine a time for meditation - you can set aside 15 minutes in the morning after waking up, to set yourself up for the day, or before bed, to get rid of unnecessary thoughts. You can start with breathing meditation, this method is great for beginners. You can learn about breathing meditation here. You can also “meditate on an object”: choose an object in the place where you are and concentrate on it, without noticing other things and without thinking about anything other than that object. You can use technology to learn how to meditate. The Headspace app will teach you different types of meditation, the CALM and Insight Timer apps will create the necessary atmosphere, and Smiling Mind offers meditations for different ages and conditions. This article also describes the different types of meditation and the rules of meditation.
Keep an achievement diary - write down every day what useful things you have done today. Such a diary can become a form of self-control. It’s even more convenient to use habit trackers: a kind of calendar in which you write down whether you spent time learning a new language or taking a walk before bed today. The resource my.365done.ru offers a variety of checklists and habit trackers for different purposes, and you can also collect your own checklist there.
Work with your thinking . Try to push thoughts of procrastination or relaxation away. As soon as you feel laziness creeping in, switch your attention to something else. Don’t negotiate with yourself, say that from now on this is your lifestyle. Also try to think ahead. For example, you decide to lose weight and eat healthy, but you can’t get rid of the thoughts of cakes and cookies. Play through a possible scenario in your head: You eat a piece of cake and enjoy it for 2 minutes. But these 2 minutes will end, and most likely you will begin to scold yourself and reproach yourself for weakness, and this will also throw you further away from the goal. Always ask yourself: is it worth it?
Work with self-esteem . Often, we are prevented from starting a task or completing it by self-doubt and fear of failure. Have you ever had thoughts like “Why start, I won’t be able to do it anyway” or “It’s so difficult, I probably won’t be able to do it”? You won’t raise your self-esteem in one day, but regular work on yourself (you can find out about this here) will definitely be beneficial.
Ability to think
It is also very important. Discipline means completing assigned tasks. Which often require motivation - an incentive to action by presenting an image that has value and meaning of activity. To do this, you need to think and be able to ask yourself questions. “What should I do? Why? When should this be done? Why do I even need this? What will I get?" — don’t be shy about asking such questions. And find answers. Because it is possible to achieve a goal only if the rules and priorities are precise, clear and fixed in memory.
It is important. Rules make doing anything much simpler and easier. If they did not exist, then every time a person before starting work, he would experience complex experiences that prompt him to act. And volitional manifestations, accordingly, would be complicated.
Books to Help Develop Discipline
“Get out of your comfort zone. Change Your Life, Brian Tracy
The meaning of the book is in a few lines: to achieve success, you need to overcome yourself and do what you don’t like for the sake of what you need.
The book is easy and quick to read. After reading it, I want to get up and just start doing it. The methods are effective, but only if they are applied.
Quote from the book:
“Success is achieved by those who are willing to sacrifice immediate pleasure for greater rewards in the future. Losers, on the contrary, are busy with today's joys and completely forget about the future."
"Strength of will. How to develop and strengthen" - Kelly McGonigal
This is a book that I can recommend to every person. 1 hour a day of useful reading will not be in vain, since the book contains many techniques, rules and tips. Surprisingly, for works of this genre, each thesis is argued and justified from a scientific and practical point of view.
The book will be especially useful for people losing weight.
Quote from the book:
“If you're chronically sleep-deprived, chances are you'll often regret at the end of the day that you gave in to temptation again and broke your promised routine. It’s so easy to get caught up in this whirlpool of shame and guilt.”
“I'll do it today! How to Stop Procrastinating and Start Taking Action - Steve Pavlina
If you are interested in the topic of personality development, you can glean interesting thoughts and ideas.
Quote from the book:
“Accelerating does not mean working like crazy without rest. This means starting to think differently about work, focusing better on it and enjoying it."
“Don't put it off until tomorrow. A short guide to fighting procrastination - Timothy Pychyl
A very useful book for procastinators, which is the majority of the population of large cities.
Under the influence of stress, we constantly put off things until tomorrow that need to be done today, and from tomorrow to the day after tomorrow, this happens forever. The author offers real solutions to this problem and suggests how not to waste time on useless activities that take away years of our lives.
Anyone who needs a “kick” in the form of effective solutions should read this book.
Quote from the book:
“Procrastination is the inability to cope with life.”
"From Urgent to Important" - Steve McCletchy
The author talks about how to define your goals, how to work with them and how to find time to achieve them.
This is a really worthwhile book for those who are tired of running in a vicious circle.
About the rules
Now you can pay attention to examples of discipline. Or rather, on the rules that are aimed at nurturing this quality.
They must be expedient. A person is obliged not to obey them blindly, but to follow them wisely, understanding the benefits. But you need to follow the rules - that’s what they were created for. Otherwise, these provisions will lose their essential quality. And of course, they must be brief, clear and clearly formulated - so that the possibility of conflicting interpretations is completely excluded.
Examples
Many people want to achieve the quality that so much has been said about. And some examples of discipline really inspire respect and admiration. Well, it’s quite possible to cultivate this in yourself.
There are several rules, following which, you can develop personal discipline. First, you need to keep your promises. Secondly, be honest. You can start small. Don't have enough time, have to stay late? You shouldn't keep others in the dark - you need to warn them.
Thirdly, you need to learn to speak and write correctly. Fourthly, you need to correct your mistakes, but this will require you to master the ability to admit them.
Fifthly, any idea that comes to mind that seems promising needs to be written down.
You also need to wean yourself from complaining about failures and problems to others, since they have their own troubles, which they will always consider more important. And yet, you shouldn’t get hung up on the same thing. You always have to move forward.
You also need to develop the habit of doing what you least want to do first. The ability to cope with difficulties can save you more than once in this life.
How to become disciplined?
It is impossible to develop corporate discipline without introducing its fundamentals into personal life. If a person is extremely disorderly in everyday life, then you shouldn’t expect orderliness from him in the workplace. Accordingly, the development of this skill should begin with the daily routine and the organization of personal space.
The following techniques will help you develop discipline:
- Sports activities;
- Sleep and nutrition schedule;
- Planning your time;
- Concentration and perseverance training;
- Regular motivation.
Following these simple recommendations will significantly increase a person’s composure.
1. Sports activities.
Many people have encountered a paradox in life when athletes, who are often considered “not disfigured” by their intellect, for some reason become influential businessmen, politicians, and public figures.
Let's throw away stereotypes and conventions. Athletes often achieve success through their persistence and discipline. They develop these skills while visiting the gym, at training camps or competitions. After all, any successful performance is always preceded by dedicated training and a strict daily schedule.
Accordingly, anyone who lacks composure can learn from athletes. Once you sign up for any section, your level of self-discipline will increase noticeably.
2. Sleep and nutrition schedule.
The schedule of these components of life is extremely important for everyone. Restoration of strength depends on healthy and regular sleep, and filling the body with the necessary energy depends on proper nutrition. If you develop a clear sleep and wake-up routine, as well as regulate your diet, your overall vital energy will noticeably increase, you will have more time for work and a desire to do something. Discipline begins with the most basic elements. Sleep and nutrition are practically the basis of everything.
3. Planning your time.
Problems with discipline are often experienced by people who do not know how to plan their day. Any impromptu takes additional resources for adaptation and quick response. If a person plans his personal and work time, then all sorts of “surprises” happen less often. Of course, accidents may occur, but they will not be so frequent as to spoil the overall statistics.
Two planning methods are recommended: weekly and daily. The first allows you to deal with the most important tasks seven days in advance. The second adjusts the tasks according to the circumstances. It is best to plan the next day in the evening, and in the morning quickly adjust plans to accommodate possible changes. The main thing is to learn how to accomplish everything you plan, strictly following your schedule.
4. Training concentration and perseverance.
The main enemy of discipline is absent-mindedness. If you learn to concentrate, it will become much easier to control yourself. The skill of perseverance is also important.
It is best to develop these skills in a playful way, performing various exciting exercises. For example, you can download a thematic mobile application to your phone, daily developing concentration and perseverance, without any additional devices.
5. Regular motivation.
Any discipline must be motivated, otherwise it turns into meaningless violence against oneself. A person must realize why he should be collected. For example, a girl decided to lose extra pounds, went on a diet, and signed up for a fitness class. She hung a poster at home with a beautiful, curvy athlete in the arms of a real macho. I installed this screensaver on my computer desktop and phone screen. The motive is always before her eyes, regularly reminding her why she started training and eating right. The desire to look attractive is fueled by the contemplation of the chosen role model.
Discipline helps a person to more effectively complete the tasks that he sets for himself. In addition, it simplifies the process of socialization, allowing you to become part of society. If you approach the development of this skill creatively, then no internal resistance will arise, and your performance will increase.
Military discipline
This is another topic that cannot be ignored. Because the army, military service is what implies the development of discipline in the first place.
To begin with, let’s talk about the concept. Military discipline is the exact and strict observance by each military personnel of those rules and order established by law, the Charter and orders of higher commanders. It is based on knowledge of personal responsibility to the Fatherland and military duty.
Discipline obliges military personnel to comply with the laws of the Russian Federation, the Constitution and remain faithful to the oath. They must also take care of state and military property, cope with difficulties and do anything to protect their homeland. In addition, they must be vigilant, maintain military/state secrets, and show respect to everyone else. However, this is not all. The above, as well as much more, is brought up during service - by the method of developing moral and psychological values, fighting qualities, conscious obedience to superiors, etc.
About the manifestation of quality
A disciplined person is easy to recognize. This is a good quality of personality. People who are characterized by it live according to moral laws, look responsible, purposeful, maintain harmonious relationships with others, show respect, caring and selflessness. Discipline has many facets. It can even appear “under fire”, on orders. For example, in the work sphere - simply because it is necessary, the boss ordered it. But discipline can become a personal quality only in conjunction with a sense of duty, consciousness and awareness.
