7 Things Self-Disciplined People Do Effortlessly
“The first and greatest victory is to conquer self.” — Plato
I just need more willpower, a lot of people say in therapy.
They want to be able to manage themselves better, to stick to their diet or exercise or savings plans, to lock down on a creative project, to achieve a mighty goal.
They’ll tell stories of their willpower letting them down, berating themselves for not having the mental strength to Get Stuff Done. Which, when it becomes repetitive, leads them to toss in the towel.
I’ll never get out of debt. I’ll never lose this weight. I’ll never get fit. I’ll never stop drinking/smoking. I can’t complete this course. I’ll never learn this material. I’ll never write that book. I won’t. I can’t. I’ll never.
Then it winds up a level, and they attack their own character. I‘m lazy. I’m useless. I’m dumb. I’m fat. I’m weak. And the loop goes.
The High Art of Self-Discipline
“Success is actually a short race — a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over.” — Gary Keller
