Success is something that we all aspire to, yet for the most part, we often do not know what it takes to achieve it.
From business to sports, to work and even workout, getting to be best at whatever you do need self-discipline, and self-discipline is hard.
But here is how you can build yours.
Build your self-awareness
The first thing you need to do to build your self-discipline is to cultivate your self-awareness. Self-awareness is the ability to identify your values, strengths weaknesses and preferences.
Self-awareness helps you identify what you want to do based on how well you can do it, or on your potential to do it. It helps you focus more on what you do best, while also acknowledging your shortcomings.
Write down clear goals
We often set goals but are shocked when we don’t achieve them. Thing is, we often don’t achieve most of our goals because, one, they are never written down and second, they are never clear.
When setting your goals, first begin by writing them down, and then making them as clear and precise as possible, including putting a time frame.
So, rather than write ‘I want to work-out set the goal as ‘I want to get into shape by making daily walks for ___ minutes a day for___ weeks/months.’ Then, once you begin walking, adjust the goal as you find fit.
Figure out what matters
Once you have built your self-awareness, it is time to build your focus. Once you set your goal, ensure that it aligns with your values and that nothing else is distracting you from it.
Focusing on what matters to you helps you put more effort into it as you will do it out of choice, rather than obligation. Thus, you become more likely to maintain your discipline while doing it. For example, if you want to work out, work out because you want to lose weight/be fit and not because you just need to.
Visualize the outcome
Memories help our brains focus and a study found that our brains often do not distinguish between real and imagined memories. Thus, imagining something vividly adjusts your brain chemistry into thinking you actually experienced it.
So, visualizing the outcomes of your goals gives you positive feelings which help you maintain focus to actually achieve the thing that you want.
However, don’t let the visualization delve into daydreaming. If you only imagine the outcome but aren’t working towards that outcome, you aren’t visualizing; you are fantasizing.
Self-discipline is the root of any kind of success and thus, you need it more than you need talent.
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