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Writer's pictureRishiwanth Venkatesh

How to cultivate self-discipline in 5 powerful ways

What is Self-Discipline?


Self-discipline represents one’s ability to control their own mindsets, abilities, and goals. It is a very important aspect of human nature, given that we are the only ones who can control our own lives and carve the path towards our own destinies. It is a form of self-governance because it is us who can control our own thoughts and actions. All of us have some good habits and bad habits. After all, we are humans, and there is no such thing as a perfect human being. We are made with certain flaws, but we also do have the ability to shape ourselves to become better every day through the act of self-discipline.


Self-discipline is one of the most important skills every person has to possess because this skill can contribute towards an easier, healthier, and more successful life. This is a skill that comes naturally to people and is not a trait that is inherited from our family or is passed down from generation to generation. Self-discipline is something we build within ourselves to exercise self-control, increase our level of focus, and take charge of our actions.


Now you may be wondering how people build self-discipline and what are all the things they do to be more focused and in control every single day. For some, it is seemingly difficult, while it never really was in the first place. It’s because building self-discipline doesn’t require much effort. It should come from within. A strong mentality and desire for change for the better is the chief driver. Good habits emanate from self-discipline only and nothing else.


Let me give you an example that you might possibly be able to relate to. From the point of your childhood until now, your parents have always been the ones who raised you and inculcated good habits in you. They taught you how to differentiate between right and wrong. It’s because our parents are the only ones in the whole world who genuinely wish to see us be the best version of ourselves and grow up into a fine man or woman with a happy and successful life. However, there is not a single person in the world who cannot deny that they have had at least one bad friend in their life who was spoilt and a bad influence on others. The bottom line is that some of your bad habits would have come from your friends. While parents infuse good habits within us, some of our friends try to implant bad habits within us. Smoking is an example of a bad habit, and it takes a lot of self-discipline to stop that or at least keep that habit in control.


5 Ways to Build Self-Discipline:


I’d now like to come to the part that you all have been waiting for. The moment where you’ve arrived to after reading four paragraphs about what self-discipline is. The key reason why you chose to click on this article among all others. Here they come. I will share 5 ways on how I’ve built self-discipline, and I will be honest; following them has made me into a more refined person, and my life has taken a turn for the better because of that. I will share those tips below:


1. Go to the Gym

First and foremost, my greatest tip that I would suggest to your journey on building self-discipline is to subscribe to a gym membership and go for it on a regular basis. Working out and getting your daily exercise not only helps in keeping you fit and healthy, but it also ensures that you make it a habit to go every day without any compromises or excuses. Seeing some visible results will take time, but what they say is absolutely true. Once you see results, it does become an addiction. You don’t have to force yourselves to go to the Gym regularly because you feel that you need to honour the payment you made for your membership but go periodically to build that habit. It’s a total win given that it will not only turn into a good habit but will also keep you healthy and in good shape.


2. Get Good Sleep

Working out at the Gym is not the only solution towards a healthier and happier life. Good sleep is a prerequisite for good health, and I believe that is more important than exercising. Getting eight hours of sleep is important. Setting your time to go to bed and wake up in the morning is another self-disciplinary practice.


3. Set Every Day Goals

One of the most important aspects of achieving self-discipline is by fixing a daily routine and setting goals every day. Working out at the Gym is an example of a routine that is followed every day. The idea is perfectly simple. Grab a pen and a piece of paper. Make a list of tasks and goals you wish to achieve today and work on them. That way, you not only build your focus towards accomplishing your targets, but you also feel happy and motivated to accomplish more tomorrow. You might as well wash away some of your burdens through this process. Trust me, this is a very powerful method.


4. Don’t Be Afraid to Say “No”

The word ‘No’ is the smallest and simplest thing you could ever say to save yourself from a lot of trouble. There is no harm at all in denying or refusing to do some things. You might be in a social gathering where your friends light up a few cigarettes or pop open a few drinks. Of course, you may be offered and compelled to take them and peer pressure might force you to say ‘yes’ and lead you towards making a potential mistake you will soon regret. If you believe something is wrong and you’re not interested to be a part of it, just give a firm ‘no.’ This is an important step towards building self-discipline.


5. Practice Self-Reflection

Self-reflection and self-discipline may seem like different topics, but they actually go hand-in-hand. Practicing self-reflection is how you achieve self-discipline because to achieve that, you need to first find and understand yourself. Figure out what you want and don’t want in life and filter out the latter. To put it short, self-reflection is a building block towards self-discipline.


So yes, we finally conclude. These are my tips on how you can build self-discipline, and as I said before, it’s not hard. If you are determined to lead a better life, then you certainly will achieve this. Those 5 tips will surely come in handy, and I assure you, following them will improve your lives further.


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