I’ve always wanted more energy, focus, willpower… basically, I wanted to feel like I had everything under control.
Every week, I would make plans to implement habits and routines that would help me reach my goals.
Every. Single. Week. I would fail.
Sound familiar?
By Wednesday, I’d inevitably convince myself I could work out later, binge Netflix instead of writing, and sleep instead of doing anything productive.
Yep, sure enough — motivation wasn’t going to cut it. I needed discipline.
Sound familiar?
Self-discipline
The ability to just do what you need to do, whether you feel like it or not.
Not feeling motivated to work out? Self-discipline.
Too tired to cook healthy food? Self-discipline.
Don’t want to spend another Saturday night binge-watching Netflix? Self-discipline.
Discipline is what separates the people who win from the people who “try hard.”
Yeah, that’s right. You heard me.
Ready to start building good habits, creating killer routines, and developing a mindset of discipline that will transform your life? Let’s jump in!
10 Ways to Build Self-Discipline and Up-Level Your Life
1. Start Small, But Start Now
You don’t have to go “all in” to build self-discipline. By trying to change your life overnight, you’ll likely burn yourself out.
New morning routine? Move your alarm back 15 minutes. Doesn’t feel hard, right?
Want to start saving money? Begin by setting aside $5/day. Hell, even commit to putting a dollar in your savings account each day. We all gotta start somewhere.
You want to build self-discipline? Start doing one tiny thing that moves you towards your goals today.
Once you start proving to yourself that you can follow through on the small stuff, you’ll build momentum and confidence to tackle bigger challenges.
Think of discipline like a muscle. You have to exercise it gradually if you want it to grow.
Read also: 7 Daily Self-Motivation Habits
2. Find Your “Why”
Trying to force yourself to be disciplined for the sake of being disciplined is exhausting.
Trust me.
I tried it once, twice, and three times actually before I finally broke down and cried over spilled milk. I just couldn’t get into a routine to save my life.
But then something changed. Instead of mindlessly repeating habits because I felt like I “should,” I connected every goal, every habit I wanted to build to a purpose that was important to me.
Your Why
Ask yourself why you want to become more disciplined. Do you want to:
- Feel more confident?
- Improve your health?
- Earn more money?
- Level up your career?
Write down your why and make sure it’s meaningful. Specific. Powerful.
Pro tip: the more your goals align with your values, the easier it will be to avoid temptation and stay disciplined on days you “don’t feel like it.”
Read also: 30-Day Self-Improvement Challenge
3. Remove Temptations Instead of Just Resisting Them
Resisting temptation takes willpower. Lots of it.
And the truth is, if you have big goals, you’re going to need a TON of willpower to reach them.
Not anymore.
Make it easy on yourself to do the right thing by removing temptation.
Hungry for junk food? Don’t buy it or keep it in your house.
Can’t focus on work? Turn off your phone or try one of my favorite apps to block distractions, Freedom.
If you want to build self-discipline, set yourself up for success by designing your environment for victory.
4. Create a Routine and Follow Through
The foundation for self-discipline is a rock-solid routine.
I don’t have to think about what I’m going to do when I wake up in the morning because I have a routine.
Wake up >> Workout >> Drink Coffee >> Plan My Day >> Meditate.
Once I’ve gone through my morning ritual, I don’t have to feel like getting things done. My routine guides me.
Design a routine that moves you towards your goals, then do your best to follow through no matter how you feel.
Your routine is your blueprint for success. Lay it out brick by brick and watch your self-discipline improve over time.
5. Use the “2-Minute Rule”
This one rule has helped me build better productivity habits than any other trick I’ve tried.
Here it is:
If a task will take you less than 2 minutes, do it.
Want to reply to an email? Do it. Takes less than 2 minutes.
Need to file that report? Sit down and get it done. Takes less than 2 minutes.
Watch Reddit instead? Sure, why not.
Conditions are you down the toilet, you’re going to run back to that comfortable pile of crap every time.
Instant gratification loses its power when you force yourself to do hard things.
6. Track Your Progress Every Day
Want to improve your self-discipline? Measure it.
Tracking my daily habits and progress helps me stay disciplined because I like seeing how far I’ve come.
Get a journal or habit tracker, or if you’re really geeky like me, create a spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
Anything you can use to track your daily progress and habits.
Stay consistent, and you’ll be amazed by how much you can improve by tracking your performance.
Want to build self-discipline fast? Measure it daily.
7. Practice Delaying Gratification
Self-discipline is just delayed gratification.
In other words: hard.
But here’s the thing. When you practice delaying gratification every day, you’re training yourself to do hard things that align with your goals.
Here are some examples:
Put your phone in the other room if you need to focus.
Wait 24 hours before making a purchase.
Eat that salad instead of ordering pizza.
The more you practice waiting for things you want, the easier it becomes to make decisions that feel hard in the moment but serve you in the long run.
Instant gratification won’t rule your life when you learn how to delay it.
8. Use Accountability
Sure, you can learn to self-discipline, but it’s infinitely more fun with a friend.
Tell someone about your goals and have them check in on you. Find a like-minded community that pushes and supports each other. Or pay someone to keep you accountable.
Accountability is a powerful tool. We’re social creatures by nature, and knowing that someone is expecting you to take action will give you the extra push you need to show up day after day.
Put yourself in positions where others are expecting you to be disciplined. You’ll be surprised how far that confidence can take you.
9. Accept Failure and Learn From It
You’re going to screw up. No doubt about it.
You’ll skip the gym, slack on your goals, procrastinate on important tasks. It’s called life.
Here’s the trick. Accept failure as part of the process.
When you make a mistake, learn from it. Get better. Try not to make the same mistake again.
Use setbacks as fuel to improve your game. Don’t give up because of failing once.
Nothing kills discipline faster than shame and guilt.
10. Reward Yourself
Discipline isn’t about punishing yourself every time you slip up. It’s about rewarding yourself when you show up day after day.
Think about it. If you go to the gym every day for a week, you should probably treat yourself to something you enjoy.
Creating a habit of rewarding yourself when you take action strengthens your good habits.
There’s a scientific reason why.
Every time you show up and do what you said you’d do, give yourself a little reward. You’ll be surprised how quickly those good habits become… well, habits.
Building self-discipline is easy. Once you learn the basics, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.
Want more energy? Show up every day.
Want to focus better? Stop letting your environment control you.
The principles of self-discipline are simple. Start where you’re at and invest in yourself every single day.
Oh, and one more thing…
Want to remember these tips for building self-discipline? Share this article with a friend.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to be disciplined at first will feel tough. But trust me when I say that once you start forming good habits and sticking to your routine, every day will get easier and more enjoyable.
I promise.
Want proof? START WITH ONE of the tips above and take action today. You have nothing to lose and your entire life to win.
Remember:
Discipline isn’t meant to make your life suck… it’s there to liberate you.
You’ve got this!
FAQ
Q: How long does it take to build self-discipline?
A: It varies from person to person and habit to habit. But most studies agree that building a new habit takes somewhere around 21–66 days.
Start small and do your best to remain consistent. Over time, you’ll see your discipline levels soar.
Q: Can’t I just be motivated instead of disciplined?
A: Nope. Motivation is temporary, but discipline is what’s going to keep you going when you don’t feel like doing the work. Rely on habits and routines instead of how you’re feeling.
Q: How do I stop procrastinating?
A: Use the 2-minute rule. If it takes you less than 2 minutes, do it. Not sure where to start? Break your task or project down into baby steps.
Anything you can do to make starting (and finishing) your task as easy as possible will help you build discipline.
Q: Should I reward myself when I show discipline?
A: Absolutely! Rewards are a great way to create positive feedback loops that your brain loves. Just make sure the rewards you choose don’t counteract your goals.
Q: Will self-discipline help other areas of my life?
A: You bet! Self-discipline can improve every area of your life if you let it. From your finances and health to your relationships and career. You name it.
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