Mastering self-discipline is something that most people learn in the trenches of struggling for something they really want. It’s never learned when things come easy.
But are there ways you can develop self-discipline before things ever get tough? Absolutely.
Here are 5 ways you can develop self-discipline so that you’re able to see your vision through to the finish line.
Work out and eat healthy.
Working out and consuming a healthy diet are great ways to develop self-discipline. Doing this requires you to establish a routine that — when you stick to it long enough — becomes second nature. You can eventually, physically, see the reward from it and it becomes a great reference point for other endeavors that require the same type of commitment.
Make tough decisions.
Rather than avoiding tough decisions, make more of them. Making tough decisions requires you to be thoughtful and meaningful versus just shooting from the hip on a whim. You’ll have to think through the potential effects of your decision and eventually you’ll get much better at it.
Start saying no.
When people ask you to do things that can distract you from your ultimate goal, turn them down. That could mean jobs, hang outs, dates, and everything in between. And don’t hesitate to say no to things that you just flat out don’t want to do. You may not want to hurt feelings, but this is about your own personal development.
Be over prepared.
Avoid procrastination at all costs, and come to the table prepared out the hooha. To be over prepared, you have to put in time, attention, effort, and commitment. That makes you much more invested in whatever it is that you’re doing. Also, show up early for the same reason.
Never lose sight of your why.
Always keep the reason for your goals — or your why — in mind. Do you want to build a successful business so that your kids can experience financial freedom? Do you want to drop 15 pounds for a wedding? Whatever your goal is, if you keep the end result in mind, your self-discipline gets much stronger.
Developing your self-discipline is a great life skill in general. It keeps you grounded, level-headed and able to rationally make it through experiences that are important to get through but aren’t so comfortable for you. Once you’ve honed your self-discipline, accomplishing your biggest goals becomes much easier.