Discipline is a superpower because if you can do what you need to do instead of what you want, you will succeed. Discipline will get you there whether you want an amazing body, relationship, or money. You can develop it, which is a beautiful thing. I want to share some tricks I’ve learned and used to be extremely disciplined over the years.
The more you do hard things, the more you’ll be disciplined. But you have to start challenging yourself more. The brain’s cortex builds and gets bigger when you do hard things. It’s called the anterior midcingulate cortex, and research has been done about this brain area. Through struggles, you will become stronger and have more discipline. The bigger it gets, the more hungry and apt you’ll do things. Challenging yourself builds strength, character, discipline, and focus.
Successful people do not have crazy genetics in common. They have motivation, desire, and the ability to be disciplined. Choose to take action, and you will be successful. Here are some hacks and tricks used to be extremely disciplined over the years.
First, you need to know the difference between motivation and discipline. These two are often confused because motivation is the desire to do something, no matter how badly you want it, while discipline is the ability to take action. Action is part of the equation, so if you’re not feeling like it but know you have a long-term goal, you’ll do it because it’ll help you reach it.
Hacks to extremely strong discipline
- Not hanging with undisciplined people. Who you surround yourself with is critical to your success. If you’re around a bunch of losers, chances are, you will also be. Discipline is similar because undisciplined people procrastinate and aren’t motivated to do the work. Undisciplined people are less likely to stay on their journey because they’re influenced when witnessing others undisciplined. It’s difficult to shake and overcome when you align yourself with undisciplined people. It’s a lot easier, uplifting, and motivating to be aligned in terms of your discipline.
- Create your best environment. My office has helped me be more disciplined because I know it means business, and it’s motivating. I can’t work in clutter and chaos; I can’t focus. You need to love your environment, whether in a city, around people, in an office, or otherwise. There’s no way to be as disciplined in an uninviting environment. The environment dramatically impacts your ability to be disciplined and focused.
- Limit cell phone accessibility. This is a big one. We’re picking up our cell phones all day and have become conditioned to grab and look at them. It doesn’t matter what you’re checking; if you need to get things done, put your phone away. If you put it far away, you’re not as tempted because the cell phone is literally the discipline devil. The more you can eliminate it from your environment when focusing and working, the better. Putting it away has helped my mindset, focus, and clarity.
- Nootropics. I heard about his nootropic from Joe Rogan’s podcast and tried it. It didn’t make me feel like it should, so I’ve been researching it more. I found a company, Thesis, which is badass. You can customize your own starter kit. Nootropics are natural compounds that help your brain work better in different areas. Take the free 3-minute quiz to find out what your brain needs, and use code ALPHA to get $60 off your first purchase when you sign up.
- Realize the price of procrastination. When you wait to do something, there’s a price to pay, and sometimes the price can be huge. If you don’t just sit down and get it done, you end up taking away a lot of fun from other things because you’re thinking about what you should have been doing. Go ahead and do what you need to now to enjoy yourself later.
- Schedule downtown. In this hustle culture, people constantly grind it out and feel guilty if they’re not being completely productive. But if you don’t take time for yourself, you won’t be as productive or mentally sharp. You need to allow your brain to rest, so you need some relaxation and fun as part of your equation. Schedule downtime.
- Focus on the process instead of the end result. Having a North Star and knowing what you’re working for is good, but enjoy and embrace the process. Work will always be work, but there’s a difference between working for something you enjoy and being disciplined about it versus doing something you hate. Life is too short to do something you hate.
- Live simply. I’m not super exciting, going to many places and always eating out. I like to work but also enjoy having a very rigid schedule. I like structure, which will benefit you too. For the last 15 years, I’ve done the same thing Monday through Friday, which includes eating the same thing, going to the gym at the same time, and working out the same way. I might be boring, but boring is a choice and a mindset that I have to be more disciplined. It’s also more enjoyable because I’ve embraced this mindset, which has become a part of me. I’m not frantic and all over the place.
