Achieving Self Discipline

Self discipline is the ability to take action regardless of your emotional situation.

Imagine an impulse hits you. You resist it by making a conscious decision to say no...

Just like wanting that piece of pie in the refrigerator!

You know you aren't hungry, you know you don't need it, but.......... you either lock up the fridge or you eat it!

You could accomplish so many things if you could follow through.

You always want to, but you just don't always have the stamina to make it happen.

Imagine Being In Control

Imagine being able to control and solve problems in your life. If you have the persistence, or willpower, you don't have to be a slave to your emotions and reactions.

We all have stamina, but it's different for each of us. But not all of us have developed self control to the same level.

It's important to know where you stand in self discipline before you can start a building plan.

Check the list of questions below. These pertain to different areas of your life, such as work, eating habits, and things you experience every day.

What Challenges You?

   - Are you over weight?
   - Is your home neat?
   - When you make a promise, do you keep it?
   - Do you say something even though it's not important?
   - Do you have goals established?
   - When you come home from work and need a shower, do you take it then?
   - Do you have a planned exercise program?
   - Do you give up your seat to someone elderly or disabled?
   - Are you organized at work?
   - Do you smoke? Could you give up smoking for a day, or a week?

Building Self Discipline

What areas do you seem the weakest in? Assess where you stand, pick your weakest area to start. Accept that point to start at. Accept where you are right now. Build on that.

Example: You walk for exercise. You try to walk 4 days a week, but only manage to walk 2 days a week. Challenge yourself to start walking the third day. Once you're disciplined and doing that, challenge yourself to walk the fourth day.

Be persistent, keep training yourself to meet the next challenge. Set goals, for the small things first. Work your way up to the larger problem areas.

Each time you accomplish a challenge, you gain strength and confidence. You'll meet the challenges of the short term goals and problems. Then you'll be able to start setting long term goals.

Using Willpower and Persistence

Self discipline takes time, hard work, energy and willpower to accomplish. Willpower is the ability to control and overcome immediate obstacles.

It's an energy that builds within you and gives you the ability to persist in a challenge or goal.

Persistence is the capability to act regardless of how you feel, even if you feel like quitting.

When you have a goal you really, really want, persistence will take over. It can become its own motivation.

It Didn't Work

When you're setting goals, you have to be realistic. The goal also has to fit in with your original focus. Have things changed?

As you grow, you change. What might be right today might not be six months or a year from now. For various reasons your goals can change before they come to fruition.

When you've outgrown a goal, or the goal just isn't what you thought it would be, don't be afraid to drop it and move on.

As you learn and practice self discipline and willpower, the outer situations become easier to control.

This also affects your inner being. You start enjoying inner peace, happiness and success.