Self-Discipline: Follow These 12 Steps to Make it a Habit

Most information out there on self-discipline is just annoying and unrealistic. It’s easy to feel discouraged when advice surrounding self-discipline in a self-help book feels condescending. 

I’ve put together the best tips that I could find, along with actionable quotes from books and authors that have helped me develop self-discipline over the years.

Set Small and Realistic Goals

Too often do we fail to stay disciplined because we set unrealistically audacious goals. We don’t even know where to start or how to begin, so we end up doing nothing.

Social media has convinced us that we need to be the hardest workers in the room who constantly work on various projects. That couldn’t be further from the truth. To develop self-discipline, you need to ruthlessly eliminate it from your life and figure out what you need to focus on. 

Stop Trying to Do So Many Things at Once

Change Your Environment

Did you know that your environment could be holding you back? There’s a reason so many people work out of coffee shops; or why CrossFit classes are such a hit. According to James Clear in “Atomic Habits,” it’s more important to change your environment than it is to try to rely on will-power.

Whatever you do, try to set yourself up for success by making it easy to stay on track. The trick is to set everything up so that you don’t have to struggle to stay disciplined. 

Make It Easy to Stay on Track

Hold Yourself Accountable

Are you being held accountable? The truth is that most of us can’t stay disciplined on our own. We need people around us that will keep us accountable so that we have a responsibility to do what we said we would do.

Swipe Up

for more finance, business, and real estate advice