Why Is It So Hard to Have Discipline And Commit to Something?

Discipline is one of the most important traits a person can have. Without it, it's difficult to achieve anything of significance. Just think about how many people start a new diet or fitness program with great enthusiasm but eventually give up because they lack the discipline to see it through. It's the same with any other goal: learning a new skill, earning a degree, or starting a business. All of these things require dedication and discipline.

So why is it so hard to be disciplined? Discipline is complex because it requires us to do things we don't necessarily want to do. It means making sacrifices and saying "no" to things that might be fun but aren't helpful in the long run.

In this article, we'll explore some of the reasons why discipline is so complex and offer some tips on how to attain focus slowly.

Read on to ensure you have the discipline to stay on track and achieve your goals!

Why Does Our Body & Mind Say No to Discipline?

There are a few reasons our body and mind might say no to discipline. The first is that we live in what's called an "instant gratification" society. This means we're used to getting things right away, whether it's a new toy, food, or information.

We've become used to having everything at our fingertips, which has led to a decrease in patience. When we don't see results immediately, we often give up because we think something must be wrong.

Another reason it's hard to be disciplined is because our brains are wired for pleasure. This means that when we do something pleasurable, such as eating or watching television, our brain releases chemicals that make us feel good.

On the other hand, when we do something that requires effort, such as exercising or studying, our brain doesn't release these same chemicals. This can make it hard to stick to a disciplined routine because we're not getting that immediate gratification.

Reticular Activating System And Discipline

The reticular activating system (RAS) is a part of the brain responsible for filtering information. It essentially decides what we pay attention to and what we tune out.

You can think of it like a radio: if you're only listening to one station, you're likely to miss out on others. The RAS works similarly, except with information.

If we're only focused on the immediate gratification that comes from pleasure, we're likely to miss out on the long-term benefits of discipline. The RAS is very lenient in saying no to things because it doesn't want us to get bogged down with too much information.

However, we can retrain our RAS by setting small, achievable goals and celebrating when we reach them. By doing this, we're teaching our brain that discipline can be rewarding.

Discipline Isn't the Solution, But It Allows Us to Commit to Change

Many people think that discipline is the solution to all their problems. However, this isn't necessarily true. Discipline is a tool that can help us commit to change, but it's not the only thing we need.

To change our habits, we need to have a clear understanding of why we want to make the change in the first place. Without this understanding, it's easy to give up when things get tough.

We also need to have a plan for how we're going to make the change. This might include setting small goals, finding a support group, or speaking to a professional.

And finally, we need to be patient. Change takes time, and it's important to remember that we won't see results overnight.

If you're struggling to change your life, don't hesitate to seek help. Many professionals can assist you in making the changes you want to see.

How Understanding Ourselves Leads to the Ability to Maintain Discipline

To maintain discipline, we must understand ourselves and what makes us tick. This includes our values, goals, and motivation.

When we know what's important, it's easier to stick to our goals. For example, if one of your values is health, you're more likely to make healthy choices like eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly.

It's also important to have realistic goals. If we set our sights too high, we're more likely to get discouraged and give up. However, if our goals are achievable, we're more likely to maintain our discipline and see results

And finally, it's essential to know what motivates us. This might be a specific event, such as a wedding or vacation, or something more general like wanting to feel healthier or be happier.

When we know our motivation, we can use it as a reminder of why we're trying to be disciplined in the first place. Our core identity is critical to leading full-stride lives of purpose and meaning.

The Difference Between Regressive & Progressive Discipline

There are two types of discipline: regressive and progressive.

Regressive discipline can be tremendously impactful in a negative way even when built on good intentions or chemically-sound positive experiences.

For instance, a regressive discipline would be an addiction to a substance that initially produced good feelings. The person experiences euphoria and feels great, so they keep returning for more, even though the consequences become increasingly negative.

Progressive discipline, on the other hand, is based on building positive habits that lead to long-term success. For example, someone who wants to get in shape might start by going for a walk every day.

As they build up their endurance, they can gradually increase the intensity of their workouts until they can eventually run a marathon. This discipline leads to sustainable results because it's based on positive habits.

When we have a positive association with something, we're more likely to stick with it. this can be a double-edged sword. Therefore, we need to learn how to retrain our brains to accommodate progressive discipline in small packets over the long term for it to really work.

The First Step In Attaining Discipline Towards Something: Determine Why You Want to Do It

The first step in attaining discipline is understanding why you want to do it. Without this understanding, it's easy to give up when things get tough.

Think about what you hope to achieve by being more disciplined. Do you want to be healthier? Happier? More successful? Once you know your motivation, you can use it as a reminder of why you're making an effort to change your behavior.

If you're struggling to come up with a good reason for why you want to be more disciplined, consider speaking to a professional. They can help you identify your goals and create a plan for achieving them.

The Second Step In Attaining Discipline Towards Something: Set Achievable Goals

The second step in attaining discipline is to set achievable goals. If you set your sights too high, you're more likely to get discouraged and give up. However, if your goals are realistic, you will likely stick with them and see results.

Think about what you want to achieve and break it down into small, manageable steps. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, start by setting a goal to lose one pound per week.

As you accomplish this goal, you can gradually increase the weight you want to lose each week until you reach your desired target. Similarly, if your goal is to exercise more frequently, start by setting a goal to exercise three times per week.

As you get used to this new habit, you can gradually increase the number of days you exercise until you reach your goal. Remember, it's essential to take things slowly and focus on one goal at a time.

The Third Step In Attaining Discipline Towards Something: Find A Role Model

The third step in attaining discipline is to find a role model. When we see someone else accomplishing what we want to achieve, it inspires us to do the same.

Think about someone who has the discipline that you want to attain. What do they do differently from everyone else? How did they achieve their success?

You can learn a lot from observing other people, so take some time to study your role model and see what you can learn from them.

The Fourth Step In Attaining Discipline Towards Something: Create A Support System

The fourth step in attaining discipline is to create a support system. When we have people cheering us on, it's easier to stay motivated and stick with our goals.

Think about who you can rely on to support you as you strive to be more disciplined. This might include family members, friends, or even co-workers.

Let these people know your goals and ask them to hold you accountable. Having someone to help keep you on track can make a big difference in whether or not you're successful.

The Fifth Step In Attaining Discipline Towards Something: Reward Yourself

The fifth and final step in attaining discipline is to reward yourself. When we see that our efforts are paying off, it encourages us to keep going.

Think about what you would like to reward yourself with and make sure it's something that you'll enjoy. This could be a new piece of clothing, a day at the spa, or even just a night out with friends.

Whatever you choose, make sure it's something that will motivate you to continue being disciplined. Remember, the goal is to create positive associations with your new behavior so that you're more likely to stick with it in the future.

Discipline isn't easy, but it's essential. By following these five steps, you'll be on your way to achieving the focus and commitment you need to reach your goals.

Just take things one step at a time, and don't get discouraged if you slip up every once in a while. With a little effort, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Prominent Obstacles In the Face of Discipline

There are a few prominent obstacles we face when attempting to be disciplined. The first is that we often underestimate how difficult it will be to stick with our goals.

We think that because we're motivated at the moment, we'll be able to maintain that same dedication throughout the entire process. However, this is rarely the case.

It's important to remember that discipline requires consistency and effort, even when you don't feel like it. Otherwise, you're likely to give up when things get tough.

Another obstacle we face is that we tend to focus on short-term gratification rather than long-term benefits. It's easy to quit when we don't see results right away, but it's important to keep in mind that good things take time.

If you want to be successful, you have to be patient and trust the process. The final obstacle we'll discuss is that we often allow our emotions to get in the way.

When feeling down, it's easy to give up on our goals and convince ourselves that we're not good enough. However, it's essential to push through these negative emotions and remember why you're doing this in the first place.

Why Motivation Is A Sworn Enemy of Discipline

You might be wondering why motivation is a sworn enemy of discipline. The answer is simple: motivation is fleeting.

It comes and goes, and it's never there when you need it most. Discipline, on the other hand, is something that you have to work on actively.

It requires dedication and consistency, even when you don't feel like it. This is why so many people give up trying to be more disciplined.

They're not prepared for how difficult it will be to maintain their focus. So, if you want to be successful, you must find a way to push through the tough times.

This doesn't mean that motivation isn't important. It can definitely help you get started, but it shouldn't be your only focus.

Being a motivated person means that you are subject to the many sporadic influences the world or people might have on you. You might be highly motivated to achieve a goal one day but lose all interest the next.

On the other hand, if you're focused on being disciplined, you're more likely to stick with your goals even when you don't feel like it. Discipline gives you the power to push through tough times and come out victorious.

The Danger of Emotion In the Development of Discipline

As mentioned in the previous content, emotion is often false. It might give you a temporary high to achieve something, but in the long run, it will be your downfall.

This is because when our emotions are in charge, we tend to make impulsive decisions that we later regret. We also allow our negative emotions to control us, which can lead to depression and anxiety.

Therefore, it's essential to find a way to separate your emotions from your actions. This doesn't mean that you should suppress your feelings or ignore them altogether.

It simply means that you should know how they influence your behavior. Once you do this, you'll be on your way to developing proper discipline.

Meditation is discipline building for more meditation. However, it also leads to greater awareness of ourselves and how we are in this world. This is an excellent approach to having more discipline in our lives.

The goal of meditation is to clear the mind and focus on the present moment. Once you've mastered this, you'll be able to control your thoughts and emotions more easily.

This will lead to better decision-making and a more disciplined lifestyle. If you're having trouble meditating, there are plenty of resources available to help you get started.

Should We Force Ourselves to Do Things We Don't Want To?

One of the most common questions people ask about discipline is whether or not they should force themselves to do things they don't want to. The answer is yes and no.

It depends on the situation and your goals. For example, if you're trying to quit smoking, you might need to force yourself to stay away from cigarettes even when you want one.

However, if you're trying to develop a new hobby, there's no need to force yourself. Just find something that interests you and go from there. The key is to find a balance between pushing yourself and enjoying the process.

Many people will force themselves into the discipline without having a good enough underlying core reason or purpose for it.

This often leads to them quitting because they don't have a strong enough why. So, if you force yourself to be more disciplined, ensure you have a good reason for doing so.

How to Overcome the Self-Deprecation If We Don't Live Up to Our Discipline?

There will be times when we don't live up to our standards of discipline. It's important to remember that this doesn't make us bad people.

We're human, and we all make mistakes. The key is to learn from them and move on. One way to do this is to have a plan for when you slip up.

This could involve taking a break from your goals or cutting back on your expectations. Whatever you do, just make sure you don't beat yourself up over it.

Self-deprecation will only hold you back and make it harder to achieve your goals. So, be kind to yourself and give yourself the grace to imperfection.

Now the reason for the deprecation is another story. Inherently, we will have many self-limiting beliefs, which will lead us into self-limiting behaviors. This cycle is tough to break out of, but it is possible.

We often need help from others to see our self-limiting beliefs for what they are. Once we can do this, we can start working on changing them.

This will lead to a more positive outlook on life and more tremendous success in achieving our goals. So, if you find yourself being self-critical, reach out for help.

Discipline Won't Last Unless We Overcome Self-Limitation

There's no denying that discipline is essential for success. However, it's also important to remember that it won't last unless we overcome our self-limitations.

These are the beliefs and behaviors that hold us back from achieving our full potential. So, if you're serious about being more disciplined, start working on yourself.

Identify your self-limiting beliefs and start changing them. This will lead to better decision-making, a more positive outlook on life, and tremendous success in all areas of your life.

The difficulty of self-limiting beliefs is that they can have a groundhog day effect on our lives. We can find ourselves in the same loop of negative thinking and destructive behavior.

However, it is possible to break out of this cycle with enough awareness and effort. To mention a previous article, I wrote about the importance of our desire for change. Our desire to change must exceed our desire to remain the same, it's the only way we can make progress.

The Reason Self Limiting Beliefs Develop Into A Repetitive Constant

The main reason self-limiting beliefs develop into a repetitive constant is that they are usually based on fear.

Fear is an emotion that loves to protect us by keeping us in our comfort zones. The problem is that our comfort zones often don't allow us to grow and reach our full potential.

Fear is an exciting thing because it's not what you would experience when apprehended by a horror-movie villain.

Fear is a learned behavior of avoidant thinking that can become so debilitating you're almost paralyzed by it.

When we're children, our parents often tell us things like "Don't talk to strangers" or "Be careful, you might get hurt."

These are all based on fear, and while they're meant to protect us, they also limit us. We start to believe that the world is a scary place and that we need to be careful all the time.

This mentality can stay with us into adulthood and prevent us from taking risks or trying new things.

So, to be more disciplined, start by facing your fears. And because fears are so easy to maintain with reaffirming experiences, they become a constant in our life without us even knowing it.

The Underlying Fear to All Other Fears

The underlying fear of all other fears is the fear of death. It's the one thing we're all guaranteed to experience, and it's the one thing we don't know anything about.

It's natural to be afraid of something that we don't understand, but death is something we should all come to accept.

It's not something to be feared; it's something to be respected. And once we can respect death, we can start living more fully. We can start taking risks and pursuing our dreams without worrying about what might happen if we fail.

Fear of death is consequently the fear of life and hence, the fear of the unknown. The only and most excellent solution to the fear of death is the understanding of the underlying truth of reality.

There are so many ways one can attain the understanding of union with the infinite and eternal. The most important part is the willingness to grow and change. God comes to everyone in its way and time.

It could be a near-death experience, profound meditation, or a dream that alters our perception of reality. It's different for everyone, but the key is to be open to it.

When we see death as natural and understand that we're all temporary beings on this earth, we can start living with more purpose. We can start being more disciplined because we know that our time is limited.

And when we have a limited time, we value it more. We realize that every day matters and that we must make the most of it. Meditation is the oldest, tried, and authentic approach to attaining the first-hand experience of union, allowing us to implement new truth-based principles into our lives.

It allows us to see things from a higher perspective and develop a relationship with our true nature. Once we establish this relationship, we can start making choices based on love instead of fear.

The Fear of Success Is Just As Powerful As The Fear of Failure

The fear of success is just as powerful as the fear of failure. It's natural to want to succeed, but often our desire to succeed is based on what other people will think of us.

We're afraid that if we're successful, we'll be boastful and cocky. We're afraid that people will envy us and judge us. But the truth is, people will only envy and feel us if we allow them to.

Success is something to be celebrated, not hidden. And when we start celebrating our successes, we start attracting more success into our lives.

So, instead of being afraid of success, embrace it. Be proud of your accomplishments and share them with the world. The more you do this, the easier it will be to achieve success.

And once you've achieved success, don't forget to help others achieve their own version of it. Pay it forward and watch as your life – and the lives of those around you – transform for the better.

Death Is Life

Death is not the end; it's simply a part of life. And when we understand this, we can start living with more purpose and meaning.

We can be more disciplined because we know that our time is limited. We value each day and make the most of it. We are no longer afraid of death because we understand it's a part of life.

When we see death as natural and respect it, we can start living with more purpose. We can be more disciplined because we realize that every day matters. We must ensure that we are at our "best" TODAY so that our fruits of labor and uniqueness lead to beneficial outcomes in other people's lives.

Discipline Gained Slowly But Righteously

Although it may seem complicated, developing discipline is essential to living a successful and fulfilling life. It's important to remember that we won't become disciplined overnight – it's a slow process that requires effort and commitment.

But if we're willing to do the work, we can develop the focus and determination needed to achieve our goals.

And once we have discipline, we can start making choices based on truth instead of fear. So let's all strive to be a little more disciplined each day and watch as our lives transform.

Here's a great article on personal development activities you can start toda.