Wow! Have you ever looked up what “discipline” means? There are a LOT of negative connotations about the word. When I am talking about discipline, however, I am referencing the skill of being able to focus and stick to a course of action or routine in order to develop, advance or make yourself better. This usually involves self-control and the ability to stick to a set objective or goal. Discipline is a word used in reference to a “diet”, “work out regimen”, “homework routine”, “doing necessary and good things we don’t want to/feel like doing”, etc. It is a CORE character trait that helps people to succeed and get traction in life. An article written by Ashley Fern on Elite Daily said “The most successful people in life exert discipline on a daily basis. It is vital to every living being and without it, the world around us would be chaos.” (https://www.elitedaily.com/life/why-discipline-is-so-important)
We used to joke about the US education system and how much of it is really teaching DISCIPLINE. The discipline to sit and listen, follow a routine, follow direction, follow rules and standards, to take an assignment and get it done on time, to work together even with people you might not prefer to be with, to grow in your skill of patience, stick-to-it-ness, etc. Some keys to this are self-restraint, self-control, mental toughness, drive, focus, consistency. “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”
MANY people struggle with discipline as an adult – here are a few things to help:
- HAVE A CLEAR OBJECTIVE: have a clear goal and measurable objective
- UNDERSTAND THE WHY: know why you want to do this and the benefit IF you do it and the COST if you don’t
- DESIGN HOW: think through exactly what you will need to do, for how long and what tools or support you need
- PLAN FOR OBSTACLES: remove distractions and temptations that would make it difficult to follow through
- SCHEDULE WHEN: set time (day and hour) when you are doing this activity
- REMIND YOURSELF: set a reminder or alarm to help you not forget and keep the task in front of you
- TEAM UP: find a buddy with the same goal or design accountability to ensure someone else knows you are doing it or not
- FOLLOW THE PLAN (ACT): it is about doing it, not “feeling” like it. It is quite rare to “feel like” doing something that you need to be “disciplined about”
- CELEBRATE: plan a reward and way to celebrate milestones of success and achievement
- KEEP GOING: if you fail or fall down, don’t give up. Just try again. You will get it. That is the art of discipline!
