Good habits are better than natural ability. Discipline can be worked on and habits formed that will enable us to grow consistently and accomplish much.
I found this list a while back but I don’t have the source. I think it’s compiled from a variety of books and speakers.
1. Make decisions the night before, clothes, meals, and priorities, to conserve morning willpower. We only have the capacity to make a certain amount of decisions. The more we make in advance, the easier our mornings and days can be.
2. Do the hardest task first; resistance is strongest before you begin.
Never negotiate with the alarm. The decision to wake up was made the night before. The snooze button should not be an option. You set the alarm for a reason, stick to it.
3. Attach new habits to existing routines, like journaling while coffee brews or walking after lunch. New things can feel like an interruption to routine. Adding something new to an existing habit makes it easier to incorporate.
4. Remove temptation entirely: keep phones out of the bedroom and junk food out of the kitchen. If doom scrolling or checking work email keeps you up at night, then keep your phone in another room. If you’re trying to eat healthier, remove the options to eat junk.
5. Track streaks, not just goals. Focus on “not breaking the chain.”
Schedule rest before burnout. Recovery is part of discipline, not the opposite of it. Some goals are going to take a long time to achieve and we can become discouraged. Focusing on the steps to achieve, mini-goals, can be helpful.
6. Shrink tasks to the smallest possible action: don’t try to write an entire paper, write one sentence. Don’t try to run a 5k, put on your workout shoes. Focus on the smallest possible action that initiates momentum.
7. Design your environment to make good choices easier, books on pillows, gym bags by the door. Obstacles easily become excuses.
8. Build identity-based habits: “I’m a reader” or “I’m someone who trains.” Instead of only making aspirational comments, “I want to…”, “I wish…”, focus on identity, not aspiration. Runners run. People who want to be a runner make running optional. Musicians play. People who want to be a musician make practice optional.
9. Learn to tolerate boredom. Discipline often begins where motivation and excitement ends. This one hits home. I get excited with the start of projects, but quickly feel ready to move on to the next project. Tolerating boredom and pushing through will often be what is required to reignite the excitement and complete the project.
10. Forgive bad days quickly. Reset immediately instead of spiraling. I see this with many people when it comes to Bible reading. They miss a day or two, get discouraged, and give up. It happens with exercise, diet, and in many other areas. Acknowledge the stumble, but move on. Don’t let stumbles become falls.
• Willpower is finite; habits make consistency automatic.
• Discipline starts before the day begins through preparation.
• Starting is usually the hardest part.
• Identity shapes behavior, you don’t negotiate with who you believe you are.
• The ability to work without constant stimulation is a competitive advantage.
• Fast self-forgiveness helps habits survive setbacks.
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