The Secret Behind Self-Discipline

When someone is referred to as self-disciplined, it means that they are intrinsically motivated enough to avoid short-term temptations to achieve long-term goals. They tend to be the person everyone else can count on to get things done. They are exceptionally reliable people who are often remarkably successful. They are people with integrity.
 
If you are self-disciplined, you:

1. Take Personal Responsibility for Your Actions – If you want to demonstrate self-discipline you need to realize that it is all about taking responsibility for your own actions and no one else’s. When things go right or wrong, you look at how your own behavior affected the situation and then note what you will do again or how you can do better next time.
 
2. Believe You Are Responsible for Yourself – A person with strong self-discipline doesn’t usually need outside influence to do the right thing. They are very sure of their core values and will put them ahead of what they "want" and do what is right.
 
3. Understand Your Own Potential – People who have strong self-discipline tend to realize that they have a lot more power than the average person thinks they have. In essence they set up their lives in a way that will lead them to succeed because they know they can do it.
 
4. Know How to Set Goals Properly – When you know that your actions make a great deal of difference to your success, you will place a high level of importance on learning how to set goals properly. Learn about SMART goals so that you can set yourself up for success.
 
5. Set Schedules and Routines for Daily Life – Everyone is handed the same 24 hours in a day. The way successful people use that time is the only difference. They tend to schedule everything and do things at certain times ritualistically, because it helps them do more in their lives and experience more balance.
 
6. Feel Grateful Every Day – Looking on the bright side is a trait that people who have self-confidence. They are thankful for the gifts they receive every day and tend to believe their life has purpose and appreciate the world around them. Keeping a gratitude journal can help anyone learn to feel more grateful.
 
7. Are a Lifelong Learner – Sadly, most of the world does not read after they’re finished with school. But a person who has self-discipline is usually a lifetime learner. They like reading and learning and always make time for it. Their personal growth and development is important to them.
 
8. Take Care of Your Self – The reason self-discipline helps you take care of yourself is that you are able to see how some hard decisions made today will pay off tomorrow. And, taking care of yourself strengthens you to take care of others.
 
9. Are Confident, Patient and Calm – Because you do not feel powerless, and because you know how to make goals and plans to reach those goals, you can feel a lot more confident, patient, and calm. There is no reason to get into anyone’s drama and even when things are tough, you know you will make it through if you follow the steps and your schedule.
 
10. Forgive Yourself and Others for Their Imperfections – Since you constantly work on yourself, you realize that no one is perfect and that it’s okay. Human imperfections are what makes everyone interesting.
 
The most important thing to realize about self-discipline is that you don’t have to be perfect from day one. If you want to improve your chances of experiencing success, working on your self-discipline is the key to that success.
Thank you for Reading,

Richard Fontanie
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PS. This article is from the e-book “A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Discipline” included in the FORTIS MEMBERSHIP site. You can also purchase it at the Storefront.