Self discipline is truly like a superpower and once you have mastered it, you’ll be amazed at how things start to fall into place in all aspects of your life. Research shows that self discipline is one of the most important traits needed to accomplish your goals, have successful relationships, lead a healthy lifestyle, and to ultimately live the life of your dreams. So today I am going to share with you 13 ways we can all learn to develop more self discipline in our lives.

1. Don’t wait for it to feel right. It’s normal when doing something different, to have feelings of uncomfortableness, like something is not right, but that’s okay. You are using a different part of your brain, your prefrontal cortex, because you are making the DECISION to do something new, rather than running on auto-pilot doing your old bad habits. Don’t wait for it to feel right, embrace those feelings of awkwardness, knowing that once something becomes routine for you, it will feel natural and comfortable.
2. Remove temptations. Think out of sight, out of mind. If you are trying to remove distractions, keep your cell phone in another room while you are working. If you are trying to eat better, don’t keep junk food in the house. It’s much easier to resist a temptation, when it isn’t easily accessible.
3. Take small actions. An easy way to develop self discipline is to break large, overwhelming tasks and goals into smaller steps. If you want to start an exercise program, begin with just 5 minutes a day. Want to drink your water? Focus on just one glass a day for a week, and build from there. Trying to write a book? Give yourself a goal of a paragraph a day. You’ll slowly develop more self discipline as you continue to see your small successes each and every day.
4. Find motivation. Try focusing on your “why.” Why do you want to be more self disciplined in the area of your health? Do you want to feel better? Look better? Be alive longer for the ones you love? Focus on your “why,” when your self discipline waivers, and it will help you get through those tough moments when you want to quit.
5. Discomfort training. As humans we are hardwired to avoid things that are difficult or dangerous, and to instead seek the comfortable and safe. Learn to stop running from the hard, uncomfortable things in life. Instead train yourself to ride the wave of discomfort. Push yourself a little each day out of your comfort zone, and remind yourself that you can do this!
6. Practice mindfulness. Be mindful of your urge to quit, distract yourself, or run away from something difficult that requires self discipline. Focus on that feeling of wanting to quit, but remember that you don’t have to act on that emotion. Try this trick. Allot yourself 15 minutes to work on the thing you have been putting off. When that urge comes to not do it, be mindful of that feeling, and tell yourself that you don’t have to do that task, but you cannot do anything else. No phone, no TV, nothing else. Your choices are to sit there focused on the feeling of quitting and breaking another promise to yourself, or pushing through the task and then feeling the sense of accomplishment afterward.
7. Ask for support. You are not alone in wanting to develop self discipline. So many of us want to do this too, but are afraid to share our limitations and weaknesses. Find the courage to ask for help, to be vulnerable. You’ll be surprised how many people will surround you, and join you on this journey.
8. Spend time with people who are self disciplined. Surround yourself with people that are self disciplined. Find a mentor, in person or virtual. Watch videos, listen to podcasts, read books by people that have achieved what you’re trying to accomplish. If they can do it, you can do it. Get inspired by their success, and use it to push and drive you as you develop more self discipline.
9. Schedule breaks and rewards. Self discipline doesn’t have to mean self deprivation. Schedule a specific break or reward in your weekly routine. Feel comfort knowing that you don’t have to go cold turkey. Self discipline doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Starting an exercise program? Give yourself Sundays off as a rest day. Dieting? Allow yourself a dessert every Friday night. Cutting your spending? Give yourself only $50 each weekend to spend on whatever you want, and leave the credit cards at home.
10. Forgive yourself and move forward. We are all human. We are going to have ups and downs when trying to improve self discipline. You will have days of great successes and days of complete failure, and that’s ok. Forgive yourself, acknowledge the slip, be mindful of what caused it, and press on. Use it as a learning experience, and let it fuel you as you persevere towards your goal for better self discipline.
11. It’s about the habit not the outcome. When developing self discipline, remember it’s about the habits that get you there, rather than the outcome itself. If you want to get in shape, what does that mean? Something different to everyone, right? Instead of focusing on the fitness goal of getting in shape, concentrate on all of the habits that will get you there. “I will walk 10,000 steps a day” is a measurable habit that will likely get you to your end goal of fitness if done every day with self discipline.
12. Challenge your own excuses. Do you ever tell yourself that you don’t have enough time or money to accomplish something? That you aren’t smart enough or good enough? Challenge your own excuses! Find the time, make the money, you are everything you need to be! Want to write the book or exercise, but you don’t have time? Get up 30 minutes earlier, write or exercise instead of watching Netflix. You can do this!
13. Fake it ‘til you make it. Identify with what you are trying to achieve. When developing your self discipline and reaching your goals, claim it. Say “I am an early riser” as you improve your self discipline, getting up with the first alarm each day. You will begin to see yourself as a person that has self discipline in the area you are working on, it will become a part of who you are, and it will eventually become a natural habit and part of your identity.

Are you working on developing self discipline?
What worked for you?
Please let me know in the comments!