How to stay disciplined?

 Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.

We all have certain goals we wish to be achieved. First, what is a goal? Goals are something that you wish to have within certain period of time. In simple terms, it has a deadline whereas there is no deadline in a dream. We just wish to achieve something, and we keep on dreaming and dreaming with no efforts done towards that goal. 

In order to achieve that goal, as I said first, we need to fix a deadline and plan a proper way to achieve that goal. The next step is to execute the plan. Here is where most people stuck and give up. 

What are the challenges faced when executing the plan?

For example, let's say my goal is to wake up at 5 AM daily.

So, in order to achieve that goal, all I need to do is wake at 5 AM. It's that simple. But in reality, it is not that simple like it seems.

Questions to ask yourself

1. Why do I want to wake up at 5 AM / whatever the habit you want to develop

2. What are the benefits I'll achieve if I follow this

I need a proper reason to achieve that goal. Proper reason in the sense, a clear valuable reason for me. The reason should be satisfying only for me. It doesn't have to make sense to others. 

I want to wake up 5 AM because I want to find some time in the morning. This is the next step.  I told myself a reason why I want to wake up 5 AM. Now, what are the benefits I'll get if I actually do this daily? This will be the next question to answer. According to this example, as my reason for the goal, I will find some time in the morning to do things at my pace. I don't have to rush things. I will have some time to take care of myself better. And most importantly, it won't ruin my mood in the morning. 

Let's I'm preparing for some exam, and I feel mornings are when I feel fresh to study. Now, by waking up by 5 AM, I may cover most of the syllabus and understand better than I do in the afternoons or evenings. 

Things keep on going like these. Your duty is to develop the habit and create a routine, in order to achieve that goal. And discipline plays a major role in this. How?

How staying disciplined help to achieve your goals?  

Discipline is doing something you promised yourself that you will do even when you don't feel like doing so. Let's say I wanted to wake at 5 AM daily and I did for 2 days, and during my third day, I'm at my lowest and all those goals which I fixed for myself doesn't make any sense anymore. You don't feel motivated to do this at all. But I do this anyways. You can only do this when you are disciplined. 

If you pursue your goals based on motivation, which you may not have those certain days, all the efforts you put these days suddenly seems like a waste and no point in moving towards the goal at all. It is not true. If you keep moving forward, even at your lowest days, without any motivation, even when you are stuck, you will find yourself making progress you never knew you were capable of. These are the fruits of staying disciplined.  Before you plan to achieve something, commit yourself to that goal, put a deadline, tell yourself that you are going to do no matter what comes my way, no matter how I feel. And you are halfway there already.

Personally, I have this bad habit, which most of the people struggle with - overthinking. Yes, I struggle a lot, literally everyday with this one thing. Staying disciplined helps you overcome this overthinking too. But how? How could something when your mind tells you there is no point in doing this. It's all waste of time and all those negative narratives that your mind tells to push you down. 

You could do this when you believe in yourself and the goal you have made for yourself. It's all in your head and that doesn't make the reality. Reality is built by what you do in the present moment. And one thing you could do this shift your mind whenever you start to overthink or whenever your mind starts those negative narrative. Even this could be your goal. When you don't give your mind that freedom to think whatever it wants and control what it should think. You have won this. You have got control over your mind, and it can't control you anymore. This is the wonderful power every human wants and of course it is not that easy, but it is never impossible. 

When you become aware and alert yourself that you are starting to overthink stuff, divert your mind from it and start doing something more present and useful, like reading a book, listening to songs or whatever stops your mind from thinking. By doing so, you have that power over your mind. Don't let your tricky mind to let you control you. 

All these may look so simple when reading. But in reality, it does require a lot of practice and self-discipline and that's what this article is about. Stay disciplined and achieve whatever you want in life. 

I sometimes wonder why people (includes me ofc) struggle a lot when there are lot of self-help books towering in the market and some of them are really good and life changing. The thing is most people read it, know it, and goes for the next book like some non-fiction books. You can eat the fruit only when you start to plant and water it daily. The key to improve is to implement the knowledge that you have gained through books and practice it daily.

You can read this post, gain some factual knowledge and leave it. Else, you can read and try to implement it in your daily life and claim the fruitful results. It's all up to you.