How To Forge Discipline
Talent is overrated.
Motivation is fleeting.
Successful people use discipline to reach their goals.
But the truth is discipline can’t be studied.
You must go out and do hard things.
You have to become disciplined.
Here’s how you forge it:
1. PURPOSE
First, you need to understand what drives you.
This is your fuel and your foundation.
No matter how tough life gets, your purpose will keep you steady.
Your purpose is the voice that will drown out your doubts and naysayers.
How to find your purpose?
Ask yourself these questions and see where they intersect. That’s your purpose.
What gets you fired up?
How can you help others?
What is your desired legacy?
2. GOAL
To become more disciplined requires you to work on a goal:
• Become financially independent by age 45
• Start your own digital business
• Lose 25lbs in 3 months
• Run a marathon
Whatever it is, it should scare you.
Why?
Because you aren’t going to forge discipline in your comfort zone.
Use the pursuit of becoming more disciplined to shatter your self-limiting beliefs.
You are not too old.
You are not too weak.
You are exactly right for this moment.
Now become obsessed about reaching your goal.
3. PLAN
Next write down what you need to do to reach your goal.
• Up your investment game from 5 to 20% income
• Build your Twitter profile to attract fans
• Drop all sugar from your diet
• Go running 5 days a week
That’s your roadmap.
But planning is only one part.
The key ingredient is still missing: Who do you need to become?
4. HABITS
Discipline is built through daily habits.
• Don’t purchase anything new for 24 hours
• Tweet 3 times a day + comment
• Choose olives over cookies
• Lace up your shoes
Start small, build up over time.
Creating systems and habits to overcome fleeting motivation is the bedrock of your new disciplined self.
5. ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
Don’t rely on willpower.
Don’t rely on other people.
Eliminate everything and everyone holding you back.
Becoming disciplined and a better version of yourself won’t be easy.
But you have your purpose dialled in, you know it is worth it in the end.
6. EXECUTE
You know your purpose.
You know what actions to take.
But knowing all this won’t get you anywhere.
Knowing won’t forge discipline.
Only executing will.
7. REVIEW
Once you get going, build in a daily review of your progress.
Review your habits, goals, and purpose.
This will keep you on target.
Discipline is the ultimate equalizer.
A disciplined person will have the victory over the talented.
Because of discipline I earned a PhD in a foreign language.
Because of discipline I went from volunteer to CEO in the same company.
What are you going to do with your new disciplined self?
How do you forge discipline?
• Identify your Purpose
• Silence Distractions
• Clarify your Goals
• Create Systems
• Build Habits
• Execute
• Review
Your best self is waiting for you. It takes discipline and hard work to get you there.