3 Easy Ways to Best Master Self-Discipline
Alright, so I feel I can't really say "I'm baaaack!" Cause I've told y'all that PLENTY of times, and...smh... I still find a way to ghost y'all. I can't even explain it. Life happens to every. single. person. So using that as an excuse won't cut it. What I've learned in the leadership course I'm in, spearheaded by Dr. Matthew Stevenson, is that it comes down to the leadership of self, aka self-discipline. I'll show up for everybody else, no problem. Showing up for ME though? A WHOLE different story.
I'm learning to do better though, and realize that I can't depend on inspiration to kick in to get going. I know this to be true and I've told myself this plenty of times before. Motivation is for amateurs. Professionals have discipline. Sounds harsh, I know. But that's what it all comes to at the end of the day.
Passion Projects & Pursuing Purpose Will Require Work.
So I guess this post is about embracing self-discipline. In one of the zillion webinars and online summits I've attended since Covid-19 broke out, one guy referred to taking the time to work on things that ignite our spirit and feed our soul, purpose hours. Devoting time to whatever your passion is less of a "task" and more like a privilege. The key thing to note is that even purpose and passion-filled work CAN feel like work sometimes. You've heard it said, "do what you love [passionate about] and you'll never have to work a day in your life." Hate to break it to you, but they lied.
A photographer can love taking pictures, but late-night photo editing session to meet a deadline may not always be fun. An author may love the creative process of typing up all the words that will eventually become a masterpiece. But writer’s block wouldn't be a thing if it was all a breeze, all the time. A dancer may love to perform, but even they, after HOURS of practice, can get frustrated and not want to dance at a given moment. You get the idea. It's in moments like this that self-discipline separates the great from the average.
1. Treat Yo Self...AFTER You Get Ish Done.
So how do we tap into this seemingly elusive self-discipline? Well, here's where the leadership of self comes in. Talk to yourself like you would a subordinate. Lovingly, encouragingly, and firmly, (lol) tell yourself to get to it, or else..... Here's the kicker, are we really going to punish ourselves? Most likely not. But we can withhold a reward. That whole "treat yo self" mentality, implement it when you deserve it. We're too quick to treat ourselves just 'cause, and that's how people end up in debt and packing on an extra few pounds. Not saying you don't deserve it, cause girl! You absolutely do. Just get some of the grunt work out of the way first. I promise you, the treat will come with a lot less "guilt".
2. Ditch the Vision Board for a Measurable Goal.
Delayed gratification may be challenging, however, if we keep our ultimate goal the focus, keep our WHY at the forefront of our mind, then perhaps we might be more motivated to get through the days when we don't feel like doing the work. Although I have a huge vision board plastered on my bedroom closet door, I'm realizing I need a more direct and closely related goal to the task at hand, in this case blogging, to motivate myself to do the work. You may have "Travel around the world" on your vision board, but I'm thinking something more like "save $2,000 for Mediterranean cruise" might be more of an incentive to be disciplined about saving. In my case, perhaps having a number of readers per day goal can be more motivating. Haven't thought it through yet. But something needs to be done, cause clearly what I was doing wasn't working.
[Also Related: How to Have the Audacity to Boldly & Proudly Be You]
3. Accountability Partner for the Win.
My last tip is having an accountability partner. I'm in a virtual class where they told us to pair up to get the work done. As an ambivert, I was like "UGH!" Lol. Cause I just knew it would mean I have to reach out to someone when I saw the list of everyone proclaiming they needed a partner. I sifted through the names and the first day I said "nope! Not tuhday!" But then I gave it another go, and went with my gut feeling of who seemed to be a fit, sent her a DM, and the rest as they say is history. I love her to bits. We have weekly calls to go over the work, which forces me to have DONE the work in order to discuss it. I'm telling y'all, a game-changer.
Self-Discipline Doesn't Make You Perfect.
I don't want to make it seem like when you have self-discipline, it's downhill from there. As with everything else in life, there's no such thing as perfect. Perfect moments perhaps. But we're flawed by nature and so I don't want you to be hard on yourself if things don't run smoothly after implementing the above.
Entrepreneur magazine further elaborates on this point by sharing “7 Myths About [self] Discipline You Need to Stop Believing” which you can read here.
In what area(s) of your life do you want to implement self-discipline? Share your answers and comments below.
Grace & Peace!