3 Steps To Achieve Better Self Discipline

I have come across many occasions where part of me wants to engage in a productive activity, such as working on a blog post, cleaning etc. However, at the same time, another part of me wants to watch some television, may be eat some chocolates or do anything else to avoid doing something I consider productive! I am sure you can relate to similar situations.

Self discipline is one of the most important and useful inner powers in everyone's life. It has always been considered an essential tool for success, in all areas of life.

Self discipline can be learned and developed like any other skill. Sadly, only few take any steps to develop and strengthen them in a systematic way.

This is an area I am trying to develop myself and I turned to, Self-Discipline In 10 Days, Going From Thinking To Doing, a book by Dr.Brooks & Dr.Goldstein.

Here are a few highlights….
Self-discipline is:
Becoming aware of your subconscious resistances to action, then overcoming those resistances.

The process of coordinating your conscious and subconscious psychological elements.

1. Accept Ownership for Your behavior

This should not be confused either with blaming ourselves or justifying behaviors that are inappropriate. Acceptance implies that we assume responsibility for our actions. We don’t resort to realizations such as “He made me angry”, “She was very persuasive, and that’s why I did such a foolish thing.”

2. Think before you act- Become a proactive problem solver

When I read that one, my reaction was “ya, right.. .. easier said than done.”. Most likely, we all have occasionally acted without thinking. At times it may be adaptive to do so, such as when we instinctively jump out of the way of an incoming car. At other times, no hard is done by an impulsive action.

3. Be consistent, not rigid

We often witness this in people whose mood on a particular day determines their behavior and their level of self-control. Their response to similar situations varies based on how they are feeling at the moment, rather than on the reality of the situation.

Time is the one indispensable ingredient of accomplishment. Everything you want to achieve requires time. The only way you can get enough time to do the things that can really make a difference in your life is by conserving time that you would normally spend somewhere else. You are surrounded by people and circumstances that waste your time and undermine your effectiveness all day long. Only by practicing rigorous self-discipline can you free yourself from these thieves of time.

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Network Your Way To Success: 7 Practical Tips

Any successful person will no doubt testify that in addition to their technical and professional capability, their ability to establish and develop effective/lasting relationships is critical, to success.

Harsh Truths: Why Relationships Are Critical For Success

1. Whether it's “getting that first big break”, landing the job, winning the promotion, gaining the sale, [your list here] …. you NEED to get cooperation and help from other people.

2. People are more likely to help their friends than strangers.

3. When it comes to choosing a supplier or business partner etc., Most people prefer someone they know and trust.



Your ability to be charming, to be a genuinely likable and pleasant person, will open more doors for you, than any other quality.

In theory, building good relationships and connecting with people is easy. In reality, we all know relationships can often seem like fragile things. It’s often built and destroyed by the actions we take.
Here are several practical tips to help network your way to success.

1. Take Initiative To Be Helpful.

Too many people wait for others to go first. They adopt the attitude, “When and if you do for me, I’ll do for you.”

Take the initiative. It doesn’t have to be too time consuming on your part. Give them leads that may help them. For example, connect people to other people who may be a resource to them.
Why? What better way to build strong relationships than by giving something of value to other people.

2. Don’t Be That Person, People Want To Avoid!

Many of us have people in our lives that we can't stand. Some would swear that they are just about everywhere! If so, it’s likely that you would try to avoid situations where you would be forced to deal with people such as these. Don’t let that person be you!

3. Stay True To Your Commitments.

This seems simple enough. However, how often have you experienced people doing the exact opposite? I have experienced this times. As a customer, I get told the work will be done tomorrow, and then it is not!
Set the right expectations with others and then live up to those expectations. If for some reason you are unable to meet these expectations, keep others informed in advance so that they won’t feel let down at the last minute.

4. Build An Impeccable Relationship With Your Boss

The relationship you have with your boss can be a major factor in determining your destination on the career ladder. It can be a wellspring of growth possibilities if nurtured properly or a career minefield if left to go sour. Thus, developing a good relationship with your boss is your best job skill and highly useful one, no matter where you work.

5. Exhibit Total Professionalism

Never participate in gossip or in discussing the business of coworkers behind their backs. People will trust you and know that what they tell you is safe in your hands. Alliances only work when trust is present.

6. Fine Tune Your Communication

The ability to communicate in an informal and friendly manner is essential for every aspect of a person's business, social, and personal life.
So, make an effort to improve your diplomacy, style, pitch, vocabulary & tone.

7. Don’t Forget Your Roots.

You are what you are today because of your family, friends, schools, previous jobs, and places you’ve lived.
Let the people that matter to you most know that you need them. Let them know they’ve helped or inspired you. Offer your gratitude and attention for their contributions.

If you leave it all behind, you lose touch with an integral part of you.

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Are You Practicing Being Unhappy?

You probably read the headline twice. You might have wondered whether the author of this post has made a mistake in writing the headline or think this post is plain ridiculous!

Of course you won’t “practice” being unhappy; at least not intentionally. But what do I mean by “Practicing Being Unhappy”?
Suppose, for argument’s sake that your goal was to be as unhappy, frustrated, and stressed out as possible. What would you need to do? The only way to guarantee that you would success would be to think lots of unhappy, angry, stressful thoughts. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to be as unhappy as you’d like.


This works because our thoughts are closely linked to our state of mind and the way we feel, we need to think negatively before we actually can feel that way. If you don’t believe me, give it a try. Just try to get upset right now without first thinking about something that upsets you.

We are always thinking, every moment of the day. It just that we’re not always aware that we are doing so. Thinking is a bit like breathing in the sense that, until you read the word “breathing” just now, you probably weren’t aware of your breath. Thinking is like that too. It goes on and on, whether we are aware of it or not.

The problem is, if we’re not aware of the link and connection between our thoughts and the way we feel, our thoughts can and often do encourage us to feel bad. This in turn, makes us act out in negative ways.

If you can catch yourself thinking negatively and drop those thoughts, then often you can snap yourself out of a negative state of mind simply by realizing. That doesn’t mean that it’s always going to be easy, but it sure helps to get you back on track!

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