How To Become More Disciplined (In 5 Steps)
What is discipline?
The word discipline comes from the latin word discipulus, which literally means, “to learn”.
And there are a few different definitions of discipline, but one that aligns with my idea of self-discipline is this.
Discipline is the ability to make yourself do things you know you should do, even when you don’t want to, so that you can achieve a goal.
It is the ability to control your mind and your emotions.
And self-discipline is probably one of the single biggest determinants of success.
It lets you become the captain of your own ship and helps you to navigate the winds and waves that life forces at you.
It’s empowers you to rise about the limitations we place on ourselves.
It can help to increase your focus.
It can help you to build more positive habits.
It can help boost your confidence.
And if you’re not disciplined, you probably won’t ever become the best version of yourself.
Let's get into the 5 strategies you can use to help you become more disciplined.
The first thing I want to clarify is that discipline and motivation are not the same thing.
Motivation is the desire to do the thing. Discipline is doing the thing, regardless of how you feel.
It is the key ingredient to unlocking whatever it is you want in life.
Having said that, you need to figure out what motivates you.
You need to know why you’re doing the thing. I’ll come onto the why in a minute.
1. Focus on your identity.
I was at a bar in London a few weeks ago with some friends and it was boiling inside.
So we headed upstairs into the smoking area.
We were chatting, laughing & joking as we usually do and I was standing near a girl who was smoking.
My mind wandered for a second but then I saw that she offered a cigarette to her friend who hesitated a bit, they said they were trying to quit and then they just shrugged their shoulders and took it.
And then she saw me looking and then turned to me and said "do you want one as well?"
I just said to her "no thanks, I don’t smoke".
That is my default reply if someone offers me a cigarette. My identity is one of a non-smoker.
To be disciplined you need to act in alignment with your identity.
Think about it.
2. Know your why.
Start With Why by Simon Sinek is a good read on the topic actually.
A few years ago when I was in med school, I needed to find a part time job.
I was already doing some ad-hoc reception work at a sports centre and working in a pharmacy during my summer break.
But I needed something that paid a bit better.
Basically my mum's car broke down and we really needed a new one.
Repairing the car we had would have just cost too much. It was quite old as well so it wasn’t really worth it. I wanted to get her a new one.
So I did what most people would do I went for volume, I applied for bunch of jobs and waited to hear back. The next day I got a call from a lady who invited me down for an interview.
The role was quite vague I didn’t even remember applying for it but I knew that it was a sales related role.
So I got to the office and it was a group interview, I was sat there with another girl and a guy and the owner of the company was sat across from us.
The interview progressed well and then it came to questions at the end. The girl asked the owner what the salary was.
“There is no salary - it’s 100% commission.” He said.
The others looked a bit shocked. (That took me by surprise as well).
But I was actually quite excited. In my mind, there was unlimited upside.
I agreed to join and the next day was my first day.
So what was the job? It was cold calling. I was knocking on doors, trying to sell recipe boxes.
Having never really had a sales job before, I was apprehensive.
I didn’t really have much training to start and I was unsure if I was going to be any good or make any money.
I had asked a few other sales reps about their income and how many sales they make.
Usually 2-3 sales a day was a respectable number. After the first week or two I was making pretty good money. Sometimes hitting 10 to 15 sales a day.
I worked really hard, 6 days a week for hours on end. It was a physically draining job.
Lots of walking and usually I’d get home around 8-9pm most nights. I think I lost over a stone in weight over the few months I was there.
There were days where it was pouring down with torrential rain. And I would stay out late and continue to knock on doors to try and get more sales.
I got rejected so many times.
I’ve literately seen thousands of doors slam in my face. But I knew that I had to knock on the next door. I had to keep on going. Because every sale would get me one step closer to buying my mum a car.
That was my why.
There was no way I would let some bad weather or rejection stand in they way of my objective.
I showed up every day, even when I didn’t want to.
My why and commitment to my goal, kept me going.
And because of that, I achieved what I set out to do.
So you have to gain clarity on your why.
I can’t explain how important it is.
3. Create a supportive environment.
The single best way to do this is to remove temptations and distractions.
You’ve probably heard that saying, "out of sight, out of mind"? Right.
It sounds pretty simple, but it's actually quite true.
Think about it this way: if you want to boost your self-discipline, one of the best tricks is to get rid of the temptations lurking around you.
When I decided to make a change and focus on improving my physical health.
I had to overhaul so many aspects of my life.
I started to eat healthier.
So I stopped buying all the junk food that was in my house all the time.
I cut down on alcohol so I literately poured dozens of beer bottles down the sink and started saying no to nights out and weekend drinking sessions.
And when I’m trying to be productive as possible, I make sure my desk is tidy, I put my phone in another room and I focus on the task at hand until it was done.
If you struggle with procrastination, I’ve done a video on this that might help you:
The key to true focus
The fewer distractions you have around, the more focused you'll be on hitting those goals.
4. Reminders.
Once you’ve figured out your why, you need to constantly remind yourself about it.
It has to be front and centre in your mind, day in, day out. And this can really help you to stay on track.
This is because of the Expectancy Theory in psychology.
According to this theory, people are more inclined to take action when they believe their efforts will result in favourable outcomes.
In simpler terms, when you recognise the importance of your goals and have confidence that your actions will lead to success, you're more likely to stay driven and disciplined in your pursuit.
So by regularly reminding yourself of your goals and their significance, you reinforce your desire and increase your likelihood of achieving them.
There are tons of ways to set up reminders.
You could jot down your goals on a sticky note and put it on your desk where you'll see it every morning.
You could get creative and make a vision board showcasing where you want your life to go. Or you can keep a visible tracker of your progress towards your goals.
One thing that has helped me is having an accountability partner.
Partner up with a friend or family member who shares your goals.
Check in regularly and support each other. It’s a good way to remind yourself of your commitments.
And the weight of not doing something we said we would, becomes a lot heavier.
If I tell my friend I’ll meet him at the gym for 7am, I don’t want to endure the feelings of shame and guilt associated with letting him down.
So I will be there at 7.
The key is to find what works best for you and make sure those reminders are there top of mind to keep you focused and on track towards your goals.
5. Discipline is a skill.
Take a second to honestly evaluate whether you actually are a disciplined person.
It's fine if you're not. Because being disciplined isn't something people are gifted at birth.
It’s a learned behaviour. And just like any other skill, it requires practice and repetition. It must become habitual.
When I started to see self-discipline as a skill that I could develop, it changed my perspective and really helped.
It’s like a muscle that you can train.
I saw it as bridge between wanting something and getting that thing.
With this in mind, try to start small, don’t just try and overhaul your life in a weekend.
Be patient and gradually build momentum. Set realistic and achievable goals that align with your aspirations.
You should reward yourself when you reach these milestones, no matter how small they may seem.
It’s important you do this because these rewards serve as positive reinforcement, encouraging you to continue on your journey towards becoming more disciplined.
Make a commitment to practice self-discipline daily, even when you’re faced with challenges or setbacks.
Consistent effort builds resilience and strengthens your discipline, making it easier to stay on track in the long run.
And lastly give yourself permission to fail.
Accept that you will mess up and make mistakes along the way. Use them as an opportunity for growth.
And to finish..
The constant distractions and artificial stimulation in our modern lives makes staying disciplined a real challenge.
So you have to cut out overstimulation and comfort.
Our brains have literately been programmed to say no thanks, at the first sign of slight discomfort.
We're hooked on convenience, whether it's ordering takeout, binge-watching netflix, or scrolling for hours on social media.
But remember, our bodies were designed to move.
They were designed for action. They were designed to hunt and to explore.
So push yourself. Don’t settle for the easy route. See how far you can go.
Escape the comfort zone and meet uncertainty head on.
Because the comfort zone is where your dreams go to die.
The way you do one thing, is the way you do anything.
A quote from a great
Have a fab day,
Z
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