No, you don’t have to live like a spartan in order to be disciplined; you also don’t have to shave your head and go to a place where it’s cold in order to accomplish your objectives.
But dedication is what it takes to reach your objectives.
Most individuals claim to desire to run a marathon or become the next CEO, yet it wouldn’t be shocking if you saw them arriving late for work or missing a workout.
They don’t show enough dedication. But they are, disciplined individuals.
How dedicated and focused individuals are to their aims may teach us a lot.
They concentrate on various topics, but none of them are remarkable from birth.
1. They Like Building Personal Systems
James Clear, a writer, once said that victors and losers have the same objective.
This proves that having a specific objective isn’t the only thing you need. It requires the addition of an efficient system, which are habits.
Every objective has a series of related stages.
It’s difficult to write and finish a novel in one day, which is why renowned author Stephen King takes his time with it.
At least 60 books have been published by him thus far throughout his literary career.
What is he hiding? daily writing of six pages or 2000 words. No less and definitely not any more.
He has been able to finish so many of his works because to his commitment and consistency.
2. They Don’t Rely On Motivation
When you’d rather sleep for 5 (or 30) more minutes, it’s hard to motivate oneself to workout.
Everyone experiences it, even athletes.
Michael Phelps, who has won 23 Olympic gold medals, remarked in an interview that “it’s what you do on those days that will help you go ahead.”
Disciplined individuals show up when others wouldn’t, which is something that other people don’t do.
They don’t wait until they are inspired to write, and they don’t put off exercising because they don’t feel like it.
Once the habit is established, they are aware that halting now would only reverse their progress.
They concentrate on their daily tasks and do them, whether they are motivated or not.
3. They Prefer Clear Goals
They can’t just declare that they’re going to “reduce weight”; that is insufficient. It’s too broad.
Disciplined individuals use words purposefully to provide a clear picture of what they desire to happen.
Therefore, individuals can state “By December of this year, I am going to weigh X kilos” rather than “I want to reduce weight.” or “I will lose Y pounds by December 1st to meet my objective of X,” for example.
These are known as S.M.A.R.T. objectives. They are Timely, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, and Realistic.
Having a clear understanding of your goals also improves performance.
According to research conducted by K. Blaine Lawler and Martin J. Hornyak at the University of Florida, those who follow the S.M.A.R.T. goals technique are expected to do better than those who don’t.
4. They Stay Focused
Any distraction will catch your attention if your attention isn’t on one item.
Nowadays, it’s simpler to get distracted since there is so much stuff vying for our attention.
However, the more distracted you get, the less progress you’ll likely achieve.
Focus is a muscle that we can exercise.
By being aware of their activities and in the moment, disciplined individuals make it stronger.
This makes it possible for disciplined individuals, such as sportsmen and artists, to enter a state of flow.
They reach their optimal performance when time rushes by and their mind and body seem to be operating on their own.
They run the risk of losing their momentum when they get distracted.
It takes too much energy for the mind to then reset and gradually build up to it once again.
Distractions are detrimental, thus disciplined individuals try to minimize them as much as possible.
5. They’re Resourceful
There may be times when you want to work quietly but it rains when you intended to go for a run, or your neighbor’s dog won’t stop barking.
Others may only promise to try again later while blaming outside influences.
However, disciplined individuals own up to their mistakes. If anything prevents them, they will find a different route around it. They benefit from their surroundings.
It’s pouring outside. Perhaps it’s time for a bodyweight exercise session at home.
It’s becoming too distracting outside. Perhaps a different location in the home might work.
They always manage to do it.
6. They Set Fake Deadlines
It’s hard to muster the motivation to take care of something that isn’t urgent. It’s much simpler to postpone it until tomorrow (or even the day after that).
However, if your presentation is shifted to the next week rather than the following month, you’ll access a reservoir of energy and drive you weren’t even aware you possessed.
In accordance with Parkinson’s Law, “task expands to occupy the time available for its completion.”
Most of the time, if you set yourself 3 hours to do a job, it will take you 3 hours to finish it.
Disciplined individuals use the power of creating a false deadline for themselves to force themselves to complete the task they know has to be done.
They will thus have their own deadlines prior to the real deadline, even if they have to do anything by the end of the month.
7. They Don’t Fight Temptations — They Eliminate It
Your productivity is in danger because of that little red notice on your phone app. It begs you to help it and cries out for your attention.
Because app developers must research strategies to get you to use their products more, this is a losing struggle.
What is the greatest method to give oneself a chance? Getting rid of it. deleting the app entirely. Before you understand you can always download it again, it could seem extreme.
To decide whether to do or not do anything, you don’t always have to depend on your self-control.
Disciplined individuals strengthen their resistance to temptations by first hiding it from view.
In this manner, it gives them the opportunity to concentrate on what they choose to do, which may be anything other than checking their phones every few minutes.
8. They Like Getting The Hard Part Done Early
Ironically, the task we know we should be putting off the most is also the one that is most vital.
Even when we know we should be exercising, something keeps getting in the way.
Therefore, it is advised that you begin working on it as early as possible in the day.
People exercise in the morning for a reason: to get it over with and move on.
They want to enjoy the flexibility of the day without having an activity planned.
The likelihood that the exercise will be abandoned increases if they postpone it until later in the day.
Disciplined individuals go to the gym when they can since they are aware that urgent job projects and favors are always present.
9. They Avoid A Quick Fix
You could start to think, “Oh, one cookie won’t damage me,” five days into a new diet.
Then 1 becomes 2, and before you know it, you’re back to your old habits.
After the third piece, you may still exercise restraint, but disciplined individuals don’t want to take a chance.
They have mastered the difficult skill of postponing their pleasure.
It requires discipline and selflessness to forego momentary highs in favor of long-term contentment.
Delaying gratification requires time, practice, and patience, just like any other talent. Each time you decline an invitation to go out drinking with friends or decline the server’s offer of dessert, you build that muscle.
10. They’re Honest With Themselves
You must comprehend the motivation behind someone’s actions in order to appreciate their dedication to their aims. This calls for self-honesty.
Being honest with oneself helps in overcoming obstacles when following a plan becomes challenging.
When you return to your desire to create a strong financial foundation for yourself and your family, flashy new automobiles and gadgets lose their appeal.
You can only get so far in your discipline.
The courage to forgo immediate desires in favor of long-term pleasure comes from that intense desire for that object.
11. They’re Action-Oriented
Disciplined individuals are aware that acting on their objectives and goals is the only way to make them come true.
No amount of reasoning will enable them to succeed on their final examinations. Goal-oriented actions don’t have to be significant. As simple as “Organize notes for one lecture” may suffice.
Smaller chores make larger undertakings seem less intimidating and hence more doable.
Each little activity you do might seem like a tiny accomplishment for you.
This encourages you to continue working for even your most ambitious objectives.