Self Discipline Gets a Bad Rap
Doing one thing that goes against your goal or who you want to be.... probably won’t have a huge negative impact on the course of life. (However don't get me wrong... I have had my fair share of moments where I made a single decision and it completely changed my life.)
In general though.... The problem comes when that one thing can lead to another, and another, and then turn into a habit. Habits aren’t always bad, and sometimes get a bad rap. In this case though, if your habit doesn’t fall in line with your goal and how you want to live your life, it’s a bad thing.
Avoiding these negative habits that take you off track may not seem easy... but it’s is a whole easier than trying to dig yourself out of a hole you created.
I’m here to tell you, the details and the small things matter a lot more than you think and they all add up!
Waking up on time, making your bed, packing your meals, missing a workout... once you miss one or two of these you have already let yourself down because you said you would do it. Do you let your family down? Or how about your best friend? Why do you do it to yourself then??
Self discipline has a reputation of being difficult but not having self discipline ends up being even harder!
When you let yourself down, and continue to do so, you end up feeling shame and guilt and tell yourself something like “I knew I couldn’t do this”. I know this because I got into a habit of telling myself I wouldn’t eat that, or do that, or I drink that... and did it anyway and then felt this enormous amount of guilt... but the thing is... instead of learning from it and moving on... I DID IT AGAIN! That is the definition of insanity- doing the same thing expecting a different result.
Making the decision to do what you say you are going to do, may sound so simple... but it adds up.
Do what you say you are gonna do, no matter how small it is... when you do this you get momentum and confidence in yourself and when the big things come up in your life, you won’t even think twice. You will just make the right decision.
Every choice, big and small, has consequences. Every decision you make is an opportunity to show your commitment to yourself to live a meaningful life.
Wake up with a plan to execute exactly what you said you would do the night before. Remember the small things add up! If you get overwhelmed easy, like I do... focus on today... that’s it’s. Don't focus on anything else until you get the momentum and confidence that no matter how big or small the decision, you will always make the right choice.
Xx
Nikki O.
