Articles of PD
20 EXERCISES YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE YOUR LACK OF SELF DISCIPLINE: PART 2/2
11. Just do it: How much do you really want to achieve your goals? Are you truly serious about it? You might think you’re serious, but it’s your actions that will convey how sincere you are. Focus on the long-term goal and self-discipline will naturally follow. Every morning, get up bright and early and tell yourself: today will not be over until I’ve done what I promised myself I’ll do.
12. Physical, emotional and spiritual: If you take truly take good care of your physical, emotional and (if needed) spiritual needs you will feel significantly better about yourself. Taking care of you, is one of the best ways to guarantee your new self-discipline.
13. Desired outcomes: The clearer and more specific you are about the what you want to achieve, whether it’s losing a few pounds, saving a few bucks or getting that interview for your dream job, the more likely you are to do whatever it takes to achieve your goal. Make sure you are very clear in what your goal(s) are. Write your goals down and read them as often as required.
14. Build routines: Force yourself to do whatever it is that you have made up your mind to do. By absolute force of thought, you will build a routine. Once you see those first few pounds come off, your savings begin to grow or finally get that job interview; your routines will become easier and start to become lifelong habits.
15. Don’t wait: Don’t do something based on whether it “feels right,” this is not an option. If you wait to feel right before exercising, putting that piece of cake in your mouth or making that important phone call, you will never be self-disciplined. Don’t wait, do it now!
16. Dump the excuses: Let’s be honest. Do the following excuses sound familiar? “I’ll start tomorrow,” “I’ll begin when the weather is right,” or "it's too late now,” remember, today will not be over until I’ve done what I promised myself I’ll do.
Keep in mind you are going to make excuses, don’t fall for them. Don’t believe your own bullshit. Honesty can be hard to swallow. In fact, harder than actually doing what you're trying to avoid. Stop mistaking excuses for yourself once and for all.
17. Non-negotiable: When you begin questioning whether you will actually get down to work, whether it's too late, whether we should watch that movie instead, we start to lose motivation. Make your development of self-discipline non-negotiable. Make whatever you’re trying to do as simple as opening your eyes in the morning. This is not negotiable (hopefully), so tell yourself: "I'm not going to listen to my excuses, this is non-negotiable!"
18. Don't get hijacked by trivia: We all have the desire of completion. It maybe a book we are reading or an electronic game we are playing. But if you have more important things to do, things to learn, an important project, then these trivial things can 'hijack' your need for completion.
Endless computer games or watching television might leave you feeling satisfied that something has been completed. It’s like eating junk food instead of nutritional food. You may have satisfied your hunger, but the accomplishment is useless. You must begin to feel that things remain unfinished like you are hungry, to keep focused on what is truly required to create self-discipline.
19. External deadline: Working to deliver what others expect from you, can enormously increase your self-discipline. If you don’t have any external deadlines, make some.
If you need to complete a project, tell the person you owe the work too, that on a specific date you are going to produce the completed work. Write out a signed and dated agreement, and ask him or her to sign and date it again when you have completed the task. External deadlines really do work.
20. Ignore the cynics: People can exert an enormous negative effect on us if we allow it. Don't let their words discourage you. Seek the advice from experts, but never allow negative people who haven't achieved themselves', to sway you from your goals.
If people say that your goal is not possible, use their negativism to inspire and energize you. Proving others to be wrong can be a great motivator.
Self-discipline is the fuel that gets you places. The happy by-products of discipline are, self-control, success, self-respect, and improved physical and mental health.