5 Ways To Improve Your Self Discipline (...or lack there of)
It’s a new day. You wake up with great intentions of eating right & getting in your exercise BUT, by the time the end of the day rolls around, you haven’t done a damn thing! Why?
Because life happens.
Every day, you face situations & circumstances that are rarely in alignment with your daily goals. Whether it’s a change in plans, something with the family, the kids, the job, or the car, there is always something–something to do, something to fix, somewhere to go, or somebody to help.
The question you have to ask yourself is how long are you going to allow that “something” to interfere with what you desire most for yourself?
At some point, your health & wellness has to become a priority to you. It has to become a non-negotiable factor in your life. You have to decide that you will be intentional about your health & daily activity. If not, you already know, you will out negotiate yourself every time.
Going forward, let us ask you another question.
What are you going to do differently this time?
Different is required. You can not continue to operate under the same process and expect to achieve different results. You can not expect the things you complain about to change if you are unwilling to change your process. It truly is that simple.
We often complicate this process for ourselves when we give away our power to choose. For example, you find yourself saying things like:
“I don’t have willpower.” “I have no self discipline.” “I have no time.” “I can’t.” And then, there is our favorite, “I know.”
To be perfectly honest with you — all of those statements & inner beliefs can be true but they don't have to be permanent.
1. You have willpower.
Willpower is merely a CONSISTENT choice.
2. You have self-discipline.
Self discipline is defined as the ABILITY to PERSIST at difficult or unpleasant tasks until they are completed. In other words, self discipline is a reflection of your willpower OR your willingness to consistently make those choices that will lead you closer to your health/fitness goals & lifestyle.
It’s not magic. It’s not a gene. It’s not anything that is exclusive to a few. We all have the ABILITY to PERSIST…if we so choose.
3. You have time.
God gave us all 24 hours in a day. If you are not setting aside at least ONE hour for yourself, you need to re-evaluate your priorities. You MUST MAKE TIME for yourself. Life happens, therefore, making time for yourself has to be something that is a priority for you. If you want it, you will make time for it.
4. Yes, you can.
There is nothing a made up mind can not accomplish. Nothing.
5. If you know, then let's start doing.
We hear it all the time from clients. “I know….yep, I know….I know.” (stare. blink. stare. blink. stare. blink. Insert cricket sounds.) HELLO???!!!! What’s the point of knowing something if you are unwilling to apply it? It’s one thing to know what to do. It’s another thing to know how & why what you do is either working for you or against you.
At the end of the day, you still have to #Nike it…JUST DO IT!
Right now, you are digesting this information. You can see vividly the things in your daily process that you know needs to change. You also recognize you are the only one who can CHOOSE to change them. You can either continue making the same decisions, sticking to your old habits knowing these are the small tipping points that are creating the challenges in your life OR you can use this insight as motivation to spring you into action!
As your favorite healthy lifestyle coaches, we have 3 bonus tips to help spring you into action!
Be Accountable: Accountability is a powerful concept. It holds you to a higher standard and helps you eliminate coming up with all those excuses. Recognize when you need help with this one. Get an accountability partner–whether that’s working with a health coach, personal trainer, spouse, friend, coworker, or fitness group. Create a support system that will help you focus on your goals, eliminate the excuses & procrastination, & motivate you to stay committed & focused.
Set SMART Goals: Your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, & timely. Most times, we set unrealistic goals and when we don’t achieve them, we get frustrated, blaming the process instead of ourselves. We hear it all the time–I need to lose 30lbs in 2 weeks. Really? That’s a setup for failure every time. A “smart” goal considers the end goal but it allows you to establish the small tipping points, when combined, will yield you big results.
Get Prepared: A goal/plan requires preparation. Often times, we jump into diets & challenges without proper preparation. You know, EASY! Let us ask you, what has “easy” done for you lately? Exactly. NOTHING. Preparation makes the execution of what you do daily, easier to execute. The more you do it, the easier your process becomes. Preparation helps you eliminate unnecessary decisions. For example, when you pack your lunch for the day, you eliminate the decisions about what you are going to eat. You already know what you have prepared fits in alignment with your lifestyle goals. When you “wing it,” you will find yourself in somebody’s drive thru or indulging in things that will definitely derail your good efforts.
