How to Tap Into Your Inner Discipline

DISCIPLINE: HOW TO TAP INTO IT

THE DICTATING DESIRES THAT CONTROL YOUR LIFE 

 We as humans are driven by our deep-rooted desired need to avoid pain and seek pleasure (biological/psychological need). However, the brain will do more to avoid pain than it will to seek pleasure. 

A lot of one’s overall success is often fueled by their ability to be disciplined in life. Often times our ability to achieve a goal, ambition or personal development goal, takes consistent work on a day-to-day basis. However, our motivation to put in the work to achieve that happiness is going to come more easily some days than others.  Motivation runs out, things get hard, life changes and it’s easy to get side-tracked from your consistent work.

 THIS IS WHERE BEING DISCIPLINED COMES INTO PLAY

Discipline is the ability to do the things that need to be done even when you don’t want to do them. It’s the ability to keep putting one-foot in front of the other when the motivation to do so runs out. Discipline isn’t necessarily something that we are born with, it’s a skill that one works to adapt overtime.

HOW DO I TAP INTO MY ABILITY TO BE DISCIPLINED?

We all have something we love, are passionate about or an ambition that we want to reach. It could be getting sober, adapting better coping mechanisms, building a life worth living without escape, it could be wanting to re-kindle a relationship, learning to adapt new perspectives… Whatever it is that you want, love or passionate about; It’s going to take consistent work.  As we know the brain is designed to avoid pain before seeking pleasure so, when we get inconvenienced/uncomfortable/motivation runs out, or we are faced with a barrier, the brain often times wants to link a negative emotion to the situation. This often times causes one to find a way to justify the end of consistent work.

In order to stay disciplined, you need to be able to identify what positives of the desired outcome are, how will they positively affect you?

Ask yourself what your situation would be like if you cheated yourself and didn’t stay consistent/disciplined.

 Stop and take a minute to focus your attention on the following

• The pain you will feel/experience if you do not stay disciplined
• The immediate and measurable pleasure you will receive by staying consistent. (self-value, pride, confidence).

Ex. You have 30 days sober and come to realize that the personal development needs to be a continual process in order to maintain success. However, it’s hard to keep up when you’re not in a facility solely focusing on it, away from the stressors of everyday life. You have a bad day at work, you’re tired, you’ve had a disagreement with your S/O and your kid just stuck a knife in a light socket, and you feel like you’re at your wits end with everything.

Are you going to resort back to old behaviour’s and halt your development/recovery/ sense of self because it’s easier? 

Or are you going stay disciplined, put perspective on the situation and exercise the necessary coping skills and communication lines in order to maintain the path in which you want to walk/ the life you want to live? 

• Put perspective on the situation by reflecting on the outcome of each possible scenario.
• Train your brain to see the positive in the desired course of action. (ex. If I don’t go to the gym, I’ll be disappointed in myself and I won’t feel as accomplished, this could lead to negative thought patterns about myself. If I do go to the gym, I can take pride in staying accountable and taking care of my body. I’ll feel good about myself)
• Allow yourself to identify the “painful emotion/reaction” to the undesired action. This will help you take the action desired.  (Ex. Not going to the gym will make you feel guilt and disappointment in yourself, it will post-pone your progress.)