Why We Need Discipline and Focus

Discipline and focus are necessary for personal improvement. The world we live in has too many distractions, many we didn’t have as kids. Smartphones in the pocket of most people are enough to erode the discipline and focus needed to reach our goals.  Developing self-discipline and focus are necessary for putting our phones down so we can get on with more important things. They help us overcome challenges, resist temptations, and stay committed to our goals. In this article we will discuss what is discipline, ways to increase discipline and its components, and 8 Examples of Self Discipline.

What is Discipline and Focus

While focus is our ability to concentrate on a specific task without being distracted, discipline relates to developing habits that change behavior.  Discipline is the rule book, belief system, or code of conduct that allows us to follow through in reaching our goals.  Focus is usually a short term state of mind whereas discipline is more mid to long term oriented.  Focus is subordinate to discipline where discipline trains the mind to stay focused, manage stress and keep a positive attitude. 

In essence, discipline is about building habits, actions and beliefs that lead to the accomplishment of goals and adherence to personal standards. It is an important part of success and enables you to overcome challenges and be consistent in your effort.

8 Powerful Components and Ways to Increase Discipline and Focus

Here are the key components of discipline, without which you limit your chances of success.:

1. Set SMART Goals

Start by defining your goals clearly. Without goals and direction, it is difficult to find discipline.  Indeed, what is the need for discipline and focus without goals or a vision? 

Be sure to make your goals specific. Without specific goals, you really just have aspirations.  Goals must also be measurable. For example, you may want to lose weight. But how much weight? In addition, goals must be attainable. You shouldn’t set a goal to accomplish something which is impossible. Goals must also be relevant to you and your vision. Finally, a goal should be time based. When do you want to achieve your goal? 

Be sure to create goals with the understanding that they are temporary. You must continually set new goals once you’ve achieved the old ones, so that you are continually working towards your vision. Also, if you’ve set up tasks and habits, there is no need to continually look at your goals and gauge your current state to them.  Some may disagree but it is better to focus on your habits and the task at hand – stay in the present rather than the future.

The last step in setting goals is to break them down into smaller, manageable tasks to make the process less overwhelming and more achievable. When you develop a habit of going to the gym, your tasks are to do bench presses, leg presses and curls, for example. When you sit down at your computer and focus on your work, your task is to complete your report or budget or article. 

2. Routine and Adaptability

Establish a structured routine to minimize the fatigue you get from making decisions about what to do next. Routines provide a sense of order, structure, and consistency to your life.  Routines support developing and maintaining healthy habits. You can look at routines as the triggers for a series of habits.

Routines may appear to stifle flexibility as they seem rigid.  After all, life is sometimes chaotic and uncontrollable. Don’t beat yourself up because you can’t get to the gym, or are thrown off your routine when something unexpected comes up. Find creative ways to keep on track but have comfort that you can get back on track by falling back into your routine. 

Remember to schedule time for work, family, relaxation and other important activities. Don’t cheat yourself out of the other important things in life.

2. Self-Control

Self-control is our ability to resist temptations and impulses that can impact our goals and derail our habits. It allows us to continue our daily routine even when we don’t feel like it.

Self-control is the basis for discipline. Being able to resist temptations or impulses allows us to stick with new habits. It also helps us battle that inner conversation we have which tempts us and takes us off track, sabotaging our goals for immediate gratification. Self-control means being able to say no to sugar, social media or anything else that impacts our progress. 

The best approach to strengthen our self-control is to counter that negative inner conversation with quiet mindfulness and meditation, positive self-talk, and visualizing success.

4. Mindfulness, Positive Self Talk and Visualizing Success

Using mindfulness helps you be aware of your actions and how they impact your goals. It involves using your mind to battle your impulses and emotions. Simply take the time to relax your mind, quiet your thoughts to focus on what you want to achieve and how you will feel when you do reach your goals.

Your ability to condition or program your mind to follow through on your tasks and habits can also include using positive self-talk. This helps by, telling yourself that you can reach your goals and that ‘you are powerful enough to get what you want in life’. Make it a habit of repeating this to yourself regularly. Try writing it down and saying it out loud so that you can include your other senses to reinforce this affirmation.

Another tool you can use to condition your mind is to use visualization techniques for mastering your discipline. Take time each day to imagine yourself completing your habits and goals. Try to be as clear and specific as possible with your vision. Add the positive feelings you will have at the time while completing these habits and tasks. This mental exercise helps keep you motivated and focused on your objectives. It also helps to build the neural pathways that cement habits, as though you were actually doing them. Finally, make sure you are clear and specific with your visions to make it feel as real as if you are performing your habit.

7. Patience

Being patient with the progress you make towards your goals is necessary for maintaining self-discipline. Habits and ultimately goals take time to establish and achieve, so it is important to stay patient and remain persistent. It is too easy to continuously compare your progress to the desired outcome represented by your goals. By doing so this will derail your progress by demotivating you. Remember, as you work towards your goals, you are exactly where you should be. 

8. Reflection and Course Correction

Accountability involves taking responsibility for your actions and progress. To be truly responsible you may need to track your progress and reflect on how you did each day. It may also mean including a friend or spouse in your journey for encouragement and to keep one another on track. 

Regularly reflecting on your progress and tracking what went well and what didn’t will help you improve.  Self-reflection is also an important part of maintaining discipline and keeping you interested and focused on reaching your goals.  

8 Examples of Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is the ability to push yourself to take action in spite of your emotional state. It’s a necessary skill for reaching your goals and keeping your life productive. If you want a quick start on developing self-discipline the following examples will help you to move forward:

1. Stay in the moment

While this is listed first it is actually the most difficult and also, if practiced regularly, will ensure your success in life. Focusing on your tasks without getting sidetracked by other activities or thoughts is the strongest form of self-discipline. 

2. Avoid Unhealthy Foods

A good start to developing self discipline is to say no to sugar and carbs made from white flour (white bread, most cereals, pasta, etc.) By saying no to these foods you can dramatically improve your health over a relatively short period of time. This means resisting junk food but also requires planning your meals and opting for better choices when shopping, 

3. Exercise Regularly 

A commitment to exercising regularly is a great way to improve self-discipline. Setting a daily routine which includes exercise, will make it easier to exercise as it provides a template for consistency. Also, make sure to incorporate warmup, stretching, weight training and cardio into your routine. 

4. Manage Your Time

Managing your time rather than letting it manage you is a perfect example of self-discipline.  This involves setting a routine.  A routine is simply a schedule which prioritizes habits you want to develop. Make sure your routine is time based but has flexibility built in. Include time for exercise, work, play, and when you want to go to sleep and wake up.  Finally, having a scheduled sleep time each night helps you feel more rested and stress free.

5. Avoid Frivolous Spending

The ability to say no to purchasing something you don’t need seems easy but in reality requires a good deal of self-discipline.  For many people, spending money frivolously gives them a sudden dopamine surge.  Because this is a temporary high, it often leaves people feeling empty or depressed afterwards. Practicing self-discipline may require creating a budget and focusing on mid to long term goals, like purchasing a car, a house or setting money away for retirement. 

6. Limit Screen Time

Reducing time spent on social media, TV, and other devices requires discipline. Set boundaries adding screen or social media time to your routine. In addition, make sure to strictly timebox this activity as it can be a huge waste of time and can derail your success. It can also impact other important things you want to accomplish during the day.  Take a tip from Stoicism – focus only on what you can control.

7. Keep your Environment Clean

For many it is difficult to keep their work and living space clean. Therefore, having the discipline to tidy up, declutter and clean regularly is difficult.  Make sure to pick up after yourself regularly and add cleaning to your routine

8. Say No to Interruptions 

It shows great self-discipline to say not to interruptions. Once interrupted, it is very easy to indulge others in their demand on your time.  Your focus is usually lost due to the interruption. Once that happens it may seem like a reward to stop and chat with someone else. Make sure to keep to your routine and continue focusing on the present moment, letting your interrupter know you can chat later.  Once you’ve set a routine, others usually catch on and will stop interrupting you.  

Conclusion: Discipline and Focus

Discipline and focus are necessary for improvement in all areas of life. They guide you towards your goals and keep you progressing throughout your life. Without a minimum level of each you won’t have much success. Discipline fuels consistent actions, while focus keeps you on task. Finally, they empower you to overcome challenges, resist temptations, and stay committed to your goals and vision in life. 

Improve your life by diving into the components of discipline. Also, improve your focus and discipline by acting on the 8 examples of self-discipline listed above. 

Check out Habits and Goals for a Successful Life.