What areas in your life do you want to improve? Your health, your finances, or your thought life. No matter what area in your life that you want to make progress in, learning how to discipline yourself will be a key to your success.

This month I will be writing on creating and maintaining success in any area in your life, so be sure to subscribe to my blog to get these articles sent straight into your inbox.

Discipline takes hard work, dedication, persistence, and perseverance. The ‘pay-off” or results of discipline takes time, and you have to resist the urge to quit when you don’t see any immediate changes.

Without discipline you most likely will do things impulsively or won’t do anything at all.

An undisciplined life results in: poor time management, disorganization, impulsive behavior, and unmet goals.

When I started running over 3 years ago, I had never ran before in my life; but I knew I needed to start exercising for my health. I never imagined I would have been able to run without feeling like I was going to pass out. I first decided to make a concrete goal for beginning to exercise such as I would start walking half way and running the other half the 3 miles over the bridge near my house 3x per week on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. I soon realized after several attempts to run over the part of the bridge that was steep that I could not initially run that part no matter how hard I tried. I adjusted my goals for running the bridge that for the next 3 months I would run, walk, run, walk the steep part until I made it over. Finally, after doing this for 3 months, I was able to run the entire steep part of the bridge without stopping or walking a portion of it through.

I am sharing this detailed part with you so that you do not get discouraged and quit if your initial goals that you make need to be tweaked so that you can have tangible results that will encourage you.  When I initially had the big goal of running the entire bridge, I could not in the beginning; and I felt defeated and just wanted to stop. Be on guard for negative self-talk that you may tell yourself if you are not able to complete your goals the way that you thought.

Focus on progress not perfection. Don’t quit if you are having some trouble completing what you desired, adjust your goals as needed.

These are some tips that I have used in my own life in becoming more disciplined and they have proven to work:

1. Write out what you want to accomplish, your goals. Be as specific as possible, such as, “I want to start walking 3x per week for 30 minutes in the morning when I get up.”

1. Remove any distractions that could hinder you achieving your goals, such as if one of your goals is to start exercising and lose weight start by tossing out any junk food in your pantry. If your goal is to cut back on spending and get on a budget, cut up your credit cards and avoid going to the shopping mall or other places that cause you to spend.

1. Declare over yourself daily what changes that you want to see in your life, such as if you desire to improve your health speak out loud daily that you are “healthy, healed and strong.”

1. Visualize yourself in what areas you want to be successful in. Place a picture in your mind of what you will look like when you have financial freedom, look and feel great, or perhaps overcoming an addiction.

1. Review your goals often. Check off the goals that you have completed, write new goals that you want to accomplish, and make sure to write down short and long-term goals. Your short and long-term goals can lead to you knowing your overall vision in life.

1. Spend time daily with God, reading the Bible, praying, worshipping and journaling. All true success starts with your need and acknowledgment of a Savior. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with what you want to achieve. I ask the Holy Spirit daily to help me, I recognize in all that I achieve I could not do it without His help.

1. Very important- reward yourself at least weekly for your progress. Reward yourself in ways that make you happy, but not in excess. Small rewards work just as well as large rewards.

DISCIPLINE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN ANY AREA OF YOUR LIFE. WRITE IT OUT. REMOVE OBSTACLES. SPEAK SUCCESS. VISUALIZE SUCCESS. REWARD YOURSELF.

Stephanie R. Reck, LMSW, LBT, BCCC
Stephanie Reck, Coaching & Consultation Services
www.stephaniereck.com
[email protected]
Stephanie Reck Coaching & Consultation Services, @2024
Author of, "Disciplining Your Mind 30 Days to a Better You!"