We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

_Aristotle

Self-discipline is one of the greatest obstacles that keeps people from reaching their goals. Having this self-reliant skill guarantees momentum, getting things done on a continual basis and keeping your tasks, promises and life on schedule.

Improved self-discipline will help you make better decisions and live a better, healthier life.

---

1. Don't wait for it to feel right

There are two types of people. One of them says: "I'm gonna wait till I feel like it before I do it". And there is the other one who says "I got to do it, so that I feel like it". One of them goes for what he wants, he moves towards his objection, his goal, towards improving himself. The other waits for the perfect time that never comes.

Our brain consists of different parts that play different roles in our reasoning. One of them is called basal ganglia and it controls routine behaviors and habits. And then there is prefrontal cortex responsible for decision making. What happens is that when you make a prefrontal cortex decision that is not congruent with your habitual, basal ganglia behavior, you're going to feel odd. It won't seem right.

Let's say you are going to sleep pretty late, at 2 am or so, and you decide to go to bed earlier from now on. In the beginning, as you're laying in your bed at 11 pm, it's gonna feel unnatural and wrong and, quickly, you'll feel the temptation to go back to your (bad) habits.

Trick is not to look at it from the perspective of how it feels, but what it does for you. At least in the beginning. Over time, it will become routine habit that will come natural to you.

To be able to see and feel the difference, you got to move first.

Ask yourself are you doing the things you need to do right now, or are you waiting to "feel" the moment.

---

2. Schedule time for breaks and rewards

It's hard to stay disciplined at something if you are not getting any payoff. It is this payoff that keeps you motivated and focused.

When you accomplish something good that required you discipline, take time to reward yourself. Not giving yourself enough wiggle room often leads to failure and return to old ways. If you've completed big project on time, call your colleagues out for lunch. If you have finished new chapter for your upcoming book, invite your friends and family out for drinks and celebrate.

If you've been working hard in the gym and taking great care of your diet, make sure to reward yourself. But don't go overboard and indulge in things you tried so hard to resist as part of your new habit. If you want to quit drinking, don't go out and get wasted on weekends to celebrate abstinence during the week. Stay away from these temptations. Instead, you can reward yourself by going to see that new movie, or by reading that book you've been wanting to read since forever.

Feel good about the small wins. Every time you see your own success, you know it's because of your discipline starting to pay off.

Things are meant to be enjoyed, in moderation. Relax after you've put in hard work and dedication and treat yourself good.

---

3. Let your chosen path override your current desire

Discipline is not punishment. It's a training.

Discipline can be fun. It does not have to be something to dread from. Doing things in a disciplined way, may also be doing thing in a joyful way.

When you lay in your comfortable bed in the early morning, covered in blankets, you may ask yourself: "Do I have to go out there and do the hard work that I was born to do? Do I have to go out there and push and improve myself and the world around me? Do I have to hit the gym today or work on that project? Or should I just stay in bed?".

You will be faced with temptations like this. Because it will feel nice to stay comfortable, to treat every day like it's Sunday, to skip the workout or cheat your healthy eating habit. And you'll have to force yourself to do things aligned with your goals and chosen paths, but not with your current desire.

When we persist in being disciplined, when we (learn to) love the process, suddenly, no one has to force us to do it anymore. We become so engulfed in that task that we forget to eat or sleep. We start enjoying practicing our art, shaping our bodies in the gym or creating valuable content for the Steemit blog.

---

Choose your path in life carefully and the practice of self-discipline will make necessary actions instinctive. It will become part of your nature.

---

Images 1, 2

---

Hope you liked this! If you do, don't forget to upvote and resteem it. Also make sure to follow @alcibiades to stay updated about future posts .