"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11 NKJV)
Self-discipline is one of the most important and useful skills everyone should possess. This skill is essential in every area of life, and though most people acknowledge its importance, very few do something to strengthen it.
Building self-discipline does not mean being harsh with yourself, or living a limited, restrictive lifestyle. Building this skill means using common sense, making priorities, and thinking before acting. This is because you understand the implication of your actions, and you are intentional about achieving your goals.
Self-discipline is defined as the ability to control yourself and to make yourself work hard or behave in a particular way without needing anyone else to tell you what to do. Discipline is the fulcrum of character, and is essentially your consistent ability to control your actions, feeling, and emotions.
Transformation is a demanding journey, and it takes the ability to stick to your plans towards becoming a better, healthier and fulfilled you. Truth is, it is not easy to undergo a personal transformation journey, but when you realize that you need to become better, great and effective in what you do, you will realize that discipline is a must.
When you discipline yourself, you stay motivated and are more likely to achieve success. There is no better thing that feeling in control of your life, attitude and actions. It helps to decrease anxiety and when you are in control of how you act, you are less likely to feel anxious. Many people cannot achieve their goals because they are indiscipline, and anything rules them.
Discipline can help you achieve things faster without getting distracted. No one is immune to distractions, but when you cultivate discipline, it will help realign your focus in the right direction. You become happier when you are on the path to achieving your goals, and when you are making progress.
Disciplined people often keep themselves continuously motivated by maintaining personal standards for their own lives. Setting standards for yourself does not mean you are excessively serious with life, but you know what you want and you are ready to sacrifice other things to get it. Rules are personal standards that help you not to engage in particular activities in excess. It works to help you become accountable for the boundaries you break.
You can be discipline in the following ways:
Goal setting instills discipline because it gives you direction. When you have goals, it defines your activities and confines your movement in a certain direction. When you know where you are going, you will not be distracted by places that do not look like it. It helps you become more effective at making daily progress.
Organization is very important to everything. To be self-disciplined and achieve our goals, we need to be organized. Being organized is a habit that must be completely embodied. Excellence has one unique character, and it is organization. Excellent individuals are organized. This is not limited to your professional life, but also for your personal life.
Until you know how to effectively manage time, you are not disciplined. Self-discipline is largely a function of our ability to manage our time properly. If you are able to manage your time successfully, then you have self-discipline. It shows you are able to manage distractions and unnecessary activities.
4. Be persistent
Persistence is key to achieving almost everything. It is a habit that keeps us going when things are difficult. Even when we do fail, it allows us to get back again. Without the habit of persistence, self-discipline would be largely impossible. This is because there's no guarantee you won't let down your standards at some time, but your persistence will make you tighten up again.
Meditation helps to put our minds at ease. It provides us with a spiritual centeredness that acts as an avenue of growth. When we meditate, we eliminate the noise, in a way, and become focused on the right things.
Never forget that personal transformation is a journey and not an event. You must be willing to sacrifice your present gratification till you become who you really want to be.
