Do you want a Superpower? Something better than flying high with a cape or running faster than the train. In fact, a superpower even better than predicting your own future. Yes, it exists! And it’s called Self-discipline. How? Let me explain it.

Self-discipline is a superpower that not only predicts your future but also helps you in transforming it into a reality. It is a bridge that’ll take you from where you are now, to where you want to be in the future. A famous quote from Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility” holds true in case of self-discipline too. It is not easy to be disciplined, and it requires some sacrifices if you want bigger benefits in the future.

What Is Self-discipline?

You have to avoid the temptations that are stopping you from being a better version of yourself. For instance, you have to avoid that one slice of Pizza on your cheat day. You have to resist hitting “snooze” when the alarm hits at 6:00 a.m. You have to stop yourself from texting that toxic person who broke your heart. I know it sounds tough and boring. You may be thinking there’s no harm in making small exceptions. But, you must have noticed that you often fail to control all these temptations. This is where the self-discipline kicks in to save the day.

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” If you can focus on what you want the most, you’ll understand that most of the daily temptations are nothing but hurdles in your ultimate goal. I’ve heard people debating on the importance of self-discipline as if it’s just an option or a choice. No, it isn’t an option. Self-discipline is a necessity if you want to make the best out of the <a href="https://ankitkhnna.medium.com/how-much-time-do-you-really-have-5484b99d002f">limited time </a>you have. I am sharing below the points explaining why self-discipline is necessary in your life.

The most efficient way to get what you want is by <a href="https://ankitkhnna.medium.com/how-to-avoid-distractions-and-stay-focused-68905a759373">developing a sharp focus </a>that’ll act as a catalyst for your success. In a world full of distractions, self-discipline will help you stay focused on your goal by avoiding distractions.

1. It will help you focus

There are many situations where you want to say NO , but you just couldn’t do it. It might be peer pressure, emotional pressure, or social pressure. Fortunately, self-discipline will allow you to stick to your decision and take a stand for yourself.

2. It will teach you how to say No

When you are self-disciplined, you keep your home clean, regulate your finances, and <a href="https://ankitkhnna.medium.com/health-and-fitness-guide-for-busy-professionals-90c04ac47a45">stay fit and healthy. </a>This will force you to raise your standards and demand better to meet your expectations.

3. It will help you raise the bar

We all admire those who’re willing to make their life better and have long-term plans and goals set up in their mind. If you’re disciplined, focused, and driven, people will automatically start respecting you.

4. It will create respect

When you are self-disciplined, you’ll develop respect for yourself. Self-respect will give you confidence when you’ll talk to friends and colleagues. This will highlight your positivity at work as well as among your family and friends.

5. It will increase your confidence

Emotions play a big role in what we do. No matter how much you love to read, write, sing or dance, sometimes you don’t feel like doing it. Self-discipline will develop a habit that’ll help you bypass your emotions to get important things done even when you don’t want to do them.

6. It will get sh*t done

We all love to have someone to depend on. If you’re disciplined, people will know that you can be trusted to do a job, or they can rely on you for getting things done. It’ll also improve your chances of getting promoted at the workplace.

7. It will make you a valuable asset

When you’re self-disciplined, you keep everything organized and planned. Due to this, you do not have to worry about pending tasks and you won’t waste time daydreaming about potential plans. Therefore, you’ll get enough free time to do whatever you want to do.

8. It will give you freedom

We tend to procrastinate on things as much as we can. Self-discipline kicks procrastination straight out of the window. If you’ll develop a habit to give time and attention to your goal, you’ll start making progress for sure.

9. It will ensure you make progress

Once you start planning before taking action, you also start taking responsibility for your actions. Self-discipline will ensure that all your actions would be well-planned.

10. It will help you become responsible

Your willpower is the ability that keeps you disciplined. However, it is a finite resource and you can’t simply rely on it. That is why you have to develop self-discipline so that the lack of willpower won’t invite procrastination or doubt. Here are the 5 simple yet effective ways to develop self-discipline that’ll make you the best version of yourself.

How to Develop Self-discipline?

Think about all those important things you’ve given up just because of a little discomfort. If you want to be disciplined, you need to practice being uncomfortable. Take a cold shower, ask your crush out, apply for those leaves you’re planning, and bargain for a discount at the mart. What would be the worst outcome? A small itch, a temporary rejection, or a little embarrassment. But if you’ll succeed, I don’t need to remind you of the reward which would be much bigger.

1. Get out of your comfort zone

Start with something small and stick to it. For example, waking up early, meditating for only 15 minutes, or going out for a morning walk. Stick to the schedule and do it daily without any exception. To make it easier for yourself, choose something you’re confident about. Once your tolerance increases, you’ll be able to set up the big goals like exercising daily and planning your diet chart.

2. Learn to make a habit

You’ll need to understand the triggers that are stopping you from being self-disciplined. For example, you can’t plan a healthy diet if your refrigerator is full of cheesecakes and pints of beer. Self-control is easy when you don’t have distractions around you. Make a list of things that are moving you away from your goal and get rid of them as soon as possible.

3. Get rid of temptations

According to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs">Maslow’s hierarchy of needs </a>, basic needs like food, shelter, warmth and rest comes before your psychological and self-fulfillment needs. You must take care of your basic needs if you would like to be self-disciplined and achieve big in the future. Eat healthy and stay hydrated, do sufficient exercise, and get enough sleep to keep yourself fit and ready.

4. Take care of yourself

It’s important to track your progress and check how far you’ve reached. Make a checklist on an app or keep a calendar to mark your daily routine.Self-monitoring gives you confidence and makes it easier for you to track down your weaknesses and opportunity areas. Once you find out your weakness, it’ll be much easier to tackle it.Remember, self-discipline is not a day’s or a month’s process. It will take time to develop. Have faith in yourself and do not compare your progress with others. You’ll definitely achieve your goals at the right time if you’re willing to work hard for them.

5. Monitor your progress

As quoted by one of the greatest minds in history, Nikola Tesla, “I could only achieve success in my life through self-discipline, and I applied it until my wish and my will became one.”

Thanks a lot for reading! If you like the article, please support by visiting the actual link and liking it there.Or you can simply click <a href="https://ankitkhnna.medium.com/why-is-self-discipline-necessary-5e88cb73bfd6">here</a>.

The End

A complete guide on how to develop self-discipline 

Self-discipline is a superpower that not only predicts your future but also helps you in transforming it into a reality. It is a bridge that'll take you from where you are now, to where you want to be in the future.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

habits

Habits

timemanagement

Time Management

Why Is Self-discipline Necessary?

We often use the phrase “Time is Money” to depict the importance of time in our life. But, is it an accurate analogy? Because, unlike money, the time once spent can never be earned back. It is like a one-way road with no U-turn.

Time Is Money 

After a Life itself, time is the second most precious thing in the world. The best thing about time is that it is unbiased. You’ve got the same 24 hours in your day like any other living being. It changes for no one. And the worst thing about time is that it isn’t your friend. It doesn’t stop or slow down for anyone.

An average human life expectancy is around 75 years. This is the total amount of time you have which includes your schooling, higher studies, job, sleep, and all other daily chores. Though you can skip some of these activities, others can’t be skipped at all.Going to work is necessary to earn money and have food and shelter for your family. Sleeping is mandatory to stay healthy. Similarly, eating, cleaning, grooming, and parenting are also essential for a balanced life. All these tasks consume time. So, the question arises, <a href="https://link.medium.com/VaLGvvZIvpb">“How much time do you really have?” </a>

Oxford conducted a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article-pdf/41/12/zsy182/27090248/zsy182.pdf">study </a>that shows that sleeping for 8 hours a day results in better cognitive abilities. That’s 25 years straight out of your total lifespan of 75 years. Now you’re left with only 50 years.

Working 8 hours a day for 45 years (from age of 20 till 65) costs 10 years in total. Watching television daily for an hour, using social media for 2 hours, and watching a movie twice a month combined together consume another 9 years of your life. You spend 6 years doing daily household work like cooking, cleaning, etc. Around 4 years are spent eating and drinking. Similarly, 3.5 years on education, 2.5 years on grooming, another 2.5 years on shopping, 2 years on daily travel, and 1.5 years on childcare. Sighs!

Eventually, you’ll be left with only 9 years ! That’s the total amount of time you have. No matter what you do, the time keeps on moving and you have to race against the clock to get things done. Those who do not understand the importance of time can easily be found wasting their time by doing things like <ul><li>Complaining about everyone and everything. </li><li>Repeating the same mistakes. </li><li>Comparing themselves with others. </li><li>Waiting for the right time. </li><li>Talking without taking any action. </li><li>Having fear of failure. </li><li>Lack of priorities. </li><li>Trying to please others and worry about their opinions. </li> </ul>

If you’re doing any of the above things, you need to stop doing it NOW. Time is limited. The days you’re living will never come back. Every second you’re spending is part of those limited years you’ve left. So, you need to optimize it in order to make the best out of each and every moment of your life. Time is precious; more precious than money. And that is why Time Management should be your topmost priority.

There are many ways to manage your time while increasing your efficiency. You can change your sleeping patterns, create a to-do list, set up reminders, or download time management apps. But if you do not understand the importance of time, all those things will be of no use.Time is the only thing you cannot buy or barter. No matter how much you’re willing to spend or what you have to offer in exchange. You can save yourself from the guilt of wasting it if you can learn to manage it now. It will not only help with a disciplined and successful career, but it’ll also help you to stay ahead in life

Time management starts with fast thinking and faster decision-making abilities. If you can think fast, you take lesser time to decide, and then you will have extra time in stock for yourself. Below are some basic things you need to remember to be a fast thinker: <ul><li>Always prefer time over money. </li><li>Narrow down your options. </li><li>Listen to your gut feeling. </li><li>Be prepared for the unexpected. </li><li>Differentiate between good and bad choices. </li><li>Remember indecision is the worst decision. </li> </ul>

Time Management 

We all want to make the best out of the 24 hours we get each day. Some people manage to be successful, happy, and contained in the same time period, while others struggle to find their aim and are unable to stay focused. This results in the wastage of the most precious thing that we have i.e. Time. Time management is a process of organizing and utilizing the available time in order to maximize productivity. Though time is limited, there’s no such thing as a shortage of time. In order to make the best out of the available time, you’ll need to manage it properly.

Benjamin Franklin said, “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” With distractions all around, it is now more important than ever to manage your time. Using 10 quick time management tips below, you can easily organize your time to achieve success in life.

<ol><li>Complete the most important task first thing in the morning </li><li>Use a calendar and add a “To-do” list to it. </li><li>Do not multitask. </li><li>Do not stick to small things. Move on. </li><li>Learn to say NO. </li><li>Do not answer each and every unnecessary call or text. </li><li>Track the time you spend on each activity. </li><li>Instead of waiting for inspiration, do it NOW. </li><li>Outsource unimportant things as much as you can. </li><li>Set up a time limit for everything you do. </li> </ol>

Thanks a lot for reading! If you like the article, please support by visiting the actual link and liking it there.Or you can simply click <a href="https://link.medium.com/VaLGvvZIvpb">here</a>.

We often use the phrase “Time is Money” to depict the importance of time in our life. But, is it an accurate analogy? Because, unlike money, the time once spent can never be earned back. It is like a…

productivity

Productivity

How Much Time Do You Really Have?

Every day, life is running faster than yesterday wherein you’re trying hard to catch up. It doesn’t matter if you’re working a 9 to 5 job or running a business, you always feel drained to maintain a better work-life balance, isn’t it?

A Busy Life

Instead of being an option, healthy living should be a necessity. What would you do with all the riches and workplace appreciation if you’re not physically fit or mentally sound?I know it could be challenging to stick to a healthy lifestyle when you’re always on the go. But taking good care of your health will only help you become more efficient at the workplace.

Reality

We’re living in a world where 90% of working professionals admit working for more than 50 hours a week. This means you have a very restrictive time frame in which it becomes too exhausting to take care of your own health. If you also feel you aren’t getting enough time to stay healthy in your busy life, here are some great tips at your doorstep:

Instead of drinking water, most of us turn to a tea or coffee to stay alert. However, the human brain is composed of 75% water whose lack of consumption directly affects our health as well as our efficiency at work. In order to stay hydrated, keep a water bottle around you at your work station. It won’t only keep your energy levels up, but it will also reduce tiredness throughout the day.

Stay Hydrated

Since breakfast decides the energy level for the rest of the day, you should Kick-start your day with some healthy breakfast. There are various studies that show people who eat healthy breakfast instead of a quick snack from a vending machine, can perform much better throughout the day.

Don't Skip Your Breakfast

The human mind works in a strange way. Lots of studies have shown that thinking positive directly affects your physical as well as mental health. Having a positive approach toward life might not make it easier, but it will surely make it less stressful.

Think Positive

Being stuck at your desk will not only hamper your productivity, but it will also influence your health. You’re also likely to suffer tension across your neck and back if you won’t take a break. A 15 seconds break after every 10 minutes can reduce fatigue by up to 50%. Taking regular breaks of 2 minutes after every half an hour can improve your productivity by 11%.

Take A Break

It might not be equivalent to your lost sleep, but a power nap could be a big favour to your body. It has been shown in various studies that a 40 minutes power nap can improve alertness by up to 54% while a 20 minutes power nap can boost concentration and creativity by 34%. If you’re still finding it difficult to manage time for your health, there are lots of great productivity apps out there that you can install on your phone as well as your laptop. I am sharing some of the useful apps that helped me manage my busy schedule in a better way.

Grab A Nap

Every day, life is running faster than yesterday wherein you’re trying hard to catch up. It doesn’t matter if you’re working a 9 to 5 job or running a business, you always feel drained to maintain a…

health

Health

Health & Fitness Tips For Busy Professionals

Your brain may only weigh 3 pounds, but it holds the ultimate power that invented the electricity, the telephone, the Internet and millions of other scientific marvels that our world depends upon. Knowing each and every detail about this powerhouse isn’t easy. Scientists around the world have been trying to decode the human brain for centuries but are still unable to understand it completely. So, next time when you’d think you know how your brain works, think again!

A Powerhouse

You’ve got more than 100 billion neurons inside your brain transmitting information at the speed of a bullet train. That’s almost equal to the total number of stars in our galaxy!For all the plans you make, the things you do, and the decisions you take, there are neurons inside your brain sending electrical signals to each other round the clock. Without diving deep into the complexity of this grey matter, let us look at those amazing things about your brain that you should be aware of.

Complexity

If you think you are great at multitasking, I would say think again. Only 2% of human beings can multitask efficiently. This is because the human brain cannot process information from two different sources at the same time.You must be thinking that I’m kidding because you multitask every now and then. You can listen to music while studying or you can easily drive while talking over the phone. A chef is capable of cooking two, three, or maybe four dishes at a time, isn’t it?

A Multitasking Myth

Basically, the tasks that you regularly perform become a part of your subconscious mind. Your subconscious mind stores your skills, experiences, and memories so that you won’t stress your brain every time you perform a regular task. This makes it even easier and faster to switch between the two tasks. Moreover, the transition is so dynamic that you would feel like you’re multitasking. But in reality, you’re not.

The placebo effect is one of the most powerful effects in psychology. Moreover, it is widely accepted by medical sciences around the world. A placebo is something that seems to be a real treatment, but it isn’t. It is effective only because of the patient’s belief in the treatment. Similarly, you can easily fool your brain into believing that you’ve had enough sleep, even when you haven’t. A <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-01016-001">research </a>showed that just by thinking that you’ve got a good sleep you can make your brain work more efficiently and in a much better way.

Placebo Sleep

Your brain is inclined towards negative thoughts. Yes, you’re hardwired to focus on negativity and the reason behind it lies far back in history before civilization.In ancient times, paying attention to dangerous, negative, and bad things in the world was literally a matter of life and death. Those who were more attentive to dangerous and negative things were more likely to survive. Though you don’t need to be that attentive anymore, your brain still pays more attention to something that may harm you in the future.

Attraction Towards Negativity

You can make long-lasting beneficial changes to the physical or neurological functioning of the brain. If you like to learn something new or to give up an old bad habit, you can do that in just 3 to 4 weeks. You only have to take one step forward towards your goal every day. Once you visualize what you want and identify the beliefs that support your intention, you just need to take actions that’ll rewire your brain as per your preferences. However, the final result will depend on your consistency and the intensity of performing those actions.

Rewiring Your Brain

Laughter works in a way similar to antidepressants. A <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21280463/">research </a>showed that laughing literally improves your mental health as it releases the feel-good hormones, namely dopamine and serotonin in your brain. Laughing also helps in decreasing pain while improving the resiliency of your body by releasing endorphins in your brain. So, laugh and spread happiness because you never know who might be needing it.

Laugh!

Your brain may only weigh 3 pounds, but it holds the ultimate power that invented the electricity, the telephone, the Internet and millions of other scientific marvels that our world depends upon…

problemsolving

Problem Solving

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

Things You Should Know About Your Brain

Sometimes, you isolate yourself in a room for personal space, and it doesn’t make you feel lonely at all. On the other hand, you may sometimes feel lonely even after being surrounded by a group of friends. Right?

Loneliness is not same as being alone, and it doesn’t have to do anything with your social skills, the number of friends you have, or the amount of money you possess. It is a universal feeling that is subjective for each individual.

Misconception

Everyone feels lonely from time to time. It is something hardwired in us for thousands of years now.

Being social animals, humans can interact with each other like no other living species ever imagined. We are developing rapidly, and in the last one hundred years, we’ve discovered many ways to stay connected with our loved ones. With the help of technology, we can call someone hundreds of miles away and connect with them instantly. We have laptops, mobile phones, and tons of other gadgets to make us feel less lonely. And yet, various studies show loneliness is increasing over time among people across the globe. So, why is it happening?

Acceptance

To understand it, we will first have to understand how evolution works. The evolution of a species is a slow process that happens by natural selection. It happens over the generations in a way where upcoming generations by default possess the traits which helped their ancestors to survive. For example, walking on two legs, feeling restless when you’re hungry, or itchy when you have to go to pee.

Evolution

For thousands of years, people used to live in small groups of 50 to 150 members. Each group was one big happy family. They all hunted together and gathered food and shelter for the whole group. For someone who was not a part of any group, survival was hard. There were wild animals, lesser food, and no one to take care of their kids if they fell sick. Being a part of the group was a sign of a secured future and offered good chances of survival.

History

Due to this, everybody wanted to be liked by other members of a group. Staying away from others and having no physical contact with them was risky. This developed fear in the human brain and our body came up with an idea of social fear to avoid it. Loneliness is nothing but a by-product of that fear.

Urge

Before the industrial revolution that took place in the 18th century, people used to stay at home. They worked on farms and returned to their families at night. With the rise in factories and industries, we started traveling to cities for a better lifestyle. The focus was turned from a group to an individual. As a result, joint families turned into nuclear families, and close relatives turned into extended families.

Industrialisation

Since then, we’re becoming modern so rapidly that our bodies are not capable of coping with that speed. We are relocating for jobs, changing schools/colleges, and switching careers. Everyone is leaving a social circle behind to find a new one, which isn’t easy. We are gaining more and more social connections, but losing close connections.

Relocating

We’re always busy with careers and responsibilities, and we have no time to form close bonds. Because of huge competition and desire for recognition, we now find it hard to trust others. We keep on pushing our boundaries until one day we wake up and realize that we’ve got no one by our side.

Struggle

Slowly and gradually, this temporary loneliness turns into a chronic condition that may result in depression or some other serious mental health problem. Once you reach this stage, you start pushing people away. It becomes difficult to think with a rational mind and decide whom to trust. You start doubting the intentions of every person around you. A genuine help from someone feels like a favor done in an expectation of something in return. You start acting normal and happy just to avoid looking vulnerable.

Consequences

Suppressing your true feelings will make things worst and you may end up doing something horrible. It may sound like an exaggeration, but it is true and more frequent than one can imagine. Almost every one of us has our biggest regrets from the time when we had no one to talk to, and we did something wrong in the heat of a moment. This can be avoided simply by helping others and accepting the help you need.

Put your ego aside and communicate with others. You don’t need any expertise or special qualification to show empathy. Just pick up your phone, and call that friend you haven’t talked to since college farewell. Text your ex and give them the closure they deserve. Pay a surprise visit to your parents living in a town. Thank your spouse more often. Send a gift to your child studying abroad. Sit with a random stranger in a coffee shop, a park, or a bar and listen to their story.

Solution

Your small gesture may cheer someone up, make their day, or save a life.

Loneliness is a silent killer. It may result in depression and various other mental health issues. Let's understand it and fight it together.

Loneliness isn't the same as being alone, and it doesn't have to do anything with your social skills, the number of friends you have, or the amount of money you possess.

Why Is Self-discipline Necessary?

How Much Time Do You Really Have?

Health & Fitness Tips For Busy Professionals

Things You Should Know About Your Brain

Why do we feel lonely?

Ankit Khanna