Self Discipline = DOING what you know you need to do even though you don’t FEEL like doing it
“I know what I’m suppose to do, I just can’t do it.”
This has been a common phrase in my life. I was waiting for a feeling of great motivation. I needed a perfect atmosphere, or circumstances. I wanted it to feel easy. I wanted to feel like doing the hard things I didn’t want to do.
And as I looked around watching other people execute on hard things, I thought they had some special gift. I thought they were constantly motivated. I thought they were feeling it all the time.
It’s sad to say but it hasn’t been until recently that I realized I have the ability to get after it no matter how I feel. That I’m a powerful person and I can take action on things even if I’m not feeling it.
It was yesterday when I was reading Take The Stairs by Rory Vaden and he stated something along the lines: Every single person has things they want to do and don’t want to do, but learning to take action on the things you don’t want to do is the winning habit of self discipline.
I remember when I was in my late teens having people tell me that emotions were deceptive and I couldn’t trust my feelings.
I thought they were ludicrous. My feelings felt so real. More than a decade later I’m wondering why I’m taking this lesson in now. If I would have read some of the books I’ve been reading then would I have gotten the message?
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is right now.
So I can’t wonder about the past and what my life would be like if I had unlocked this seeming secret to self discipline earlier. And just because you know something doesn’t mean you’re going to apply it. So now that I’ve been given this truth, am I going to take ownership of it? Well my alarm went off at 4am this morning and I drank a bunch of water to start my day and did some squats with my kettle bell, and here I am writing. So today I’m taking ownership of taking actions on things.
Another great quote from Rory is this: “Success is not owned, it’s rented, and rent is due every day.”
Yesteryears disciplines don’t do you a whole lot of good today.
This morning there was something in me that felt like getting up and executing on my morning plan, that’s why I’m up. I value “feeling” good. And when I do my morning plan it helps me feel better throughout the day. Less scattered. I get time to myself uninterrupted to work on the things I want to work on and by the time everyone else gets up I’ve already accomplished some things. So while everyone else is waking up, I’m already primed and ready to go.
But self discipline kicks in and is tested when you don’t feel like doing things. When you’re tired or sick. Last night I was super tired after work and didn’t want to prep the house for my morning routine. But I did it anyway.
Because at some point, our values have to override our feelings.
The interesting thing is we have the ability change the way we feel through perspective. We might not feel like doing certain things now. But when we get in a routine of it, and are reminding ourselves of the value of said task, we can change how we view life. No longer is it just something we don’t want to do, but it moves to something that we enjoy doing because it’s valuable to us.
Take action today on the things you know you need to, the healthy disciplines that are an investment in your future. I promise you’ll feel better if you do.
The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. — Proverbs 22:3