Discipline has several positive connotations, including its relation to achieving remarkable goals and a successful life. It is possible to apply discipline to short-term goals, but it is not so easy to control your thoughts, feelings, and actions to achieve your goals and, at the same time, be consistent. The following are 7 habits that self-disciplined individuals share:
- Create clear goals – Highly self-disciplined individuals understand the importance of setting clear and specific goals. These people know what they want, and they break it down into smaller, manageable steps. They might also create a roadmap to stay focused and motivated, review and revise their goals to ensure they stay on track and make progress towards their desired outcomes.
- Keep a structured routine – This is another habit of highly self-disciplined people. They establish a routine for discipline and to improve efficiency and time management. A routine also helps them enhance clarity and reduce decision fatigue. These routines would be aligned with their goals and priorities, for instance waking up early, scheduling dedicated work hours, or incorporating regular exercise.
- Find accountable partners – Having accountable partners helps stay on track. Therefore, highly self-disciplined people tend to find someone they trust, like a friend or family member, who shares similar goals. They share their progress with them and encourage them to do the same. Staying on track is easier when you share your goals and check in with each other.
- Practice Time Management – People who are self-disciplined tend to manage their time effectively. Since time is a limited resource, highly disciplined people prioritize time accordingly, mostly by identifying their most important activities and allocating specific time slots to work on them. Given that they avoid procrastination and use their time wisely, they maximize productivity and minimize distractions. Using tools such as calendars, planners, or time-tracking applications helps them optimize their time management skills.
- Embrace delayed gratification – Highly self-disciplined individuals can resist immediate rewards as they understand that achieving significant goals often requires sacrificing short-term pleasures. To secure greater rewards in the future, they put in the necessary effort, endure temporary discomfort and make sacrifices.
- Maintain a positive mindset – Highly self-disciplined individuals stay motivated and persevere in the face of challenges as they cultivate a positive outlook and mindset that enables them to stay motivated. Rather than letting failures and setbacks demotivate their progress, they perceive them as learning opportunities. They also fuel their self-discipline by practising self-reflection, gratitude and affirmations.
- Reward themselves—Self-discipline is not about denying yourself the joys in life. Self-disciplined people reward themselves for their efforts as they make progress toward their goals. They choose rewards that are meaningful to them, such as taking a break, enjoying a favourite meal, or engaging in a hobby.
Although developing self-discipline is a lifelong journey, the above-mentioned habits can enhance a person’s self-discipline and achieve remarkable results. Cultivating such habits enables you to overcome obstacles, stay focused, and unlock your full potential. Ultimately, this leads to personal and professional success.
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Johanna Cutajar is a Master in Counselling graduate from the University of Malta. She works with children and adolescents as a counsellor within the education sector on a variety of issues including relationship issues, trauma, bereavement, transitions, and general mental health.
References
Verma, P. (2023). 5 Habits of Highly Self-Disciplined People. Retrieved from https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/5-habits-of-highly-self-disciplined-people-27be5f94c68