self respect is the fruit of discipline essay

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On Self-Respect: Joan Didion’s 1961 Essay from the Pages of Vogue

Joan Didion , author, journalist, and style icon, died today after a prolonged illness. She was 87 years old. Here, in its original layout, is Didion’s seminal essay “Self-respect: Its Source, Its Power,” which was first published in Vogue in 1961, and which was republished as “On Self-Respect” in the author’s 1968 collection, Slouching Towards Bethlehem.​ Didion wrote the essay as the magazine was going to press, to fill the space left after another writer did not produce a piece on the same subject. She wrote it not to a word count or a line count, but to an exact character count.

Once, in a dry season, I wrote in large letters across two pages of a notebook that innocence ends when one is stripped of the delusion that one likes oneself. Although now, some years later, I marvel that a mind on the outs with itself should have nonetheless made painstaking record of its every tremor, I recall with embarrassing clarity the flavor of those particular ashes. It was a matter of misplaced self-respect.

I had not been elected to Phi Beta Kappa. This failure could scarcely have been more predictable or less ambiguous (I simply did not have the grades), but I was unnerved by it; I had somehow thought myself a kind of academic Raskolnikov, curiously exempt from the cause-effect relationships that hampered others. Although the situation must have had even then the approximate tragic stature of Scott Fitzgerald's failure to become president of the Princeton Triangle Club, the day that I did not make Phi Beta Kappa nevertheless marked the end of something, and innocence may well be the word for it. I lost the conviction that lights would always turn green for me, the pleasant certainty that those rather passive virtues which had won me approval as a child automatically guaranteed me not only Phi Beta Kappa keys but happiness, honour, and the love of a good man (preferably a cross between Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca and one of the Murchisons in a proxy fight); lost a certain touching faith in the totem power of good manners, clean hair, and proven competence on the Stanford-Binet scale. To such doubtful amulets had my self-respect been pinned, and I faced myself that day with the nonplussed wonder of someone who has come across a vampire and found no garlands of garlic at hand.

Although to be driven back upon oneself is an uneasy affair at best, rather like trying to cross a border with borrowed credentials, it seems to me now the one condition necessary to the beginnings of real self-respect. Most of our platitudes notwithstanding, self-deception remains the most difficult deception. The charms that work on others count for nothing in that devastatingly well-lit back alley where one keeps assignations with oneself: no winning smiles will do here, no prettily drawn lists of good intentions. With the desperate agility of a crooked faro dealer who spots Bat Masterson about to cut himself into the game, one shuffles flashily but in vain through one's marked cards—the kindness done for the wrong reason, the apparent triumph which had involved no real effort, the seemingly heroic act into which one had been shamed. The dismal fact is that self-respect has nothing to do with the approval of others—who are, after all, deceived easily enough; has nothing to do with reputation—which, as Rhett Butler told Scarlett O'Hara, is something that people with courage can do without.

To do without self-respect, on the other hand, is to be an unwilling audience of one to an interminable home movie that documents one's failings, both real and imagined, with fresh footage spliced in for each screening. There’s the glass you broke in anger, there's the hurt on X's face; watch now, this next scene, the night Y came back from Houston, see how you muff this one. To live without self-respect is to lie awake some night, beyond the reach of warm milk, phenobarbital, and the sleeping hand on the coverlet, counting up the sins of commission and omission, the trusts betrayed, the promises subtly broken, the gifts irrevocably wasted through sloth or cowardice or carelessness. However long we postpone it, we eventually lie down alone in that notoriously un- comfortable bed, the one we make ourselves. Whether or not we sleep in it depends, of course, on whether or not we respect ourselves.

Joan Didion

To protest that some fairly improbable people, some people who could not possibly respect themselves, seem to sleep easily enough is to miss the point entirely, as surely as those people miss it who think that self-respect has necessarily to do with not having safety pins in one's underwear. There is a common superstition that "self-respect" is a kind of charm against snakes, something that keeps those who have it locked in some unblighted Eden, out of strange beds, ambivalent conversations, and trouble in general. It does not at all. It has nothing to do with the face of things, but concerns instead a separate peace, a private reconciliation. Although the careless, suicidal Julian English in Appointment in Samarra and the careless, incurably dishonest Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby seem equally improbable candidates for self-respect, Jordan Baker had it, Julian English did not. With that genius for accommodation more often seen in women than in men, Jordan took her own measure, made her own peace, avoided threats to that peace: "I hate careless people," she told Nick Carraway. "It takes two to make an accident."

Like Jordan Baker, people with self-respect have the courage of their mistakes. They know the price of things. If they choose to commit adultery, they do not then go running, in an access of bad conscience, to receive absolution from the wronged parties; nor do they complain unduly of the unfairness, the undeserved embarrassment, of being named corespondent. If they choose to forego their work—say it is screenwriting—in favor of sitting around the Algonquin bar, they do not then wonder bitterly why the Hacketts, and not they, did Anne Frank.

In brief, people with self-respect exhibit a certain toughness, a kind of moral nerve; they display what was once called character, a quality which, although approved in the abstract, sometimes loses ground to other, more instantly negotiable virtues. The measure of its slipping prestige is that one tends to think of it only in connection with homely children and with United States senators who have been defeated, preferably in the primary, for re-election. Nonetheless, character—the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life—is the source from which self-respect springs.

Self-respect is something that our grandparents, whether or not they had it, knew all about. They had instilled in them, young, a certain discipline, the sense that one lives by doing things one does not particularly want to do, by putting fears and doubts to one side, by weighing immediate comforts against the possibility of larger, even intangible, comforts. It seemed to the nineteenth century admirable, but not remarkable, that Chinese Gordon put on a clean white suit and held Khartoum against the Mahdi; it did not seem unjust that the way to free land in California involved death and difficulty and dirt. In a diary kept during the winter of 1846, an emigrating twelve-year-old named Narcissa Cornwall noted coolly: "Father was busy reading and did not notice that the house was being filled with strange Indians until Mother spoke about it." Even lacking any clue as to what Mother said, one can scarcely fail to be impressed by the entire incident: the father reading, the Indians filing in, the mother choosing the words that would not alarm, the child duly recording the event and noting further that those particular Indians were not, "fortunately for us," hostile. Indians were simply part of the donnée.

In one guise or another, Indians always are. Again, it is a question of recognizing that anything worth having has its price. People who respect themselves are willing to accept the risk that the Indians will be hostile, that the venture will go bankrupt, that the liaison may not turn out to be one in which every day is a holiday because you’re married to me. They are willing to invest something of themselves; they may not play at all, but when they do play, they know the odds.

That kind of self-respect is a discipline, a habit of mind that can never be faked but can be developed, trained, coaxed forth. It was once suggested to me that, as an antidote to crying, I put my head in a paper bag. As it happens, there is a sound physiological reason, something to do with oxygen, for doing exactly that, but the psychological effect alone is incalculable: it is difficult in the extreme to continue fancying oneself Cathy in Wuthering Heights with one's head in a Food Fair bag. There is a similar case for all the small disciplines, unimportant in themselves; imagine maintaining any kind of swoon, commiserative or carnal, in a cold shower.

But those small disciplines are valuable only insofar as they represent larger ones. To say that Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton is not to say that Napoleon might have been saved by a crash program in cricket; to give formal dinners in the rain forest would be pointless did not the candlelight flickering on the liana call forth deeper, stronger disciplines, values instilled long before. It is a kind of ritual, helping us to remember who and what we are. In order to remember it, one must have known it.

To have that sense of one's intrinsic worth which, for better or for worse, constitutes self-respect, is potentially to have everything: the ability to discriminate, to love and to remain indifferent. To lack it is to be locked within oneself, paradoxically incapable of either love or indifference. If we do not respect ourselves, we are on the one hand forced to despise those who have so few resources as to consort with us, so little perception as to remain blind to our fatal weaknesses. On the other, we are peculiarly in thrall to everyone we see, curiously determined to live out—since our self-image is untenable—their false notions of us. We flatter ourselves by thinking this compulsion to please others an attractive trait: a gift for imaginative empathy, evidence of our willingness to give. Of course we will play Francesca to Paolo, Brett Ashley to Jake, Helen Keller to anyone's Annie Sullivan: no expectation is too misplaced, no rôle too ludicrous. At the mercy of those we can not but hold in contempt, we play rôles doomed to failure before they are begun, each defeat generating fresh despair at the necessity of divining and meeting the next demand made upon us.

It is the phenomenon sometimes called alienation from self. In its advanced stages, we no longer answer the telephone, because someone might want something; that we could say no without drowning in self-reproach is an idea alien to this game. Every encounter demands too much, tears the nerves, drains the will, and the spectre of something as small as an unanswered letter arouses such disproportionate guilt that one's sanity becomes an object of speculation among one's acquaintances. To assign unanswered letters their proper weight, to free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves—there lies the great, the singular power of self-respect. Without it, one eventually discovers the final turn of the screw: one runs away to find oneself, and finds no one at home.

Joan Didion on Self-Respect

By maria popova.

From her 1968 essay anthology Slouching Towards Bethlehem ( public library ) comes “On Self Respect” — a magnificent meditation on what it means to live well in one’s soul, touching on previously explored inadequate externalities like prestige , approval , and conventions of success .

Didion writes:

The dismal fact is that self-respect has nothing to do with the approval of others — who are, after all, deceived easily enough; has nothing to do with reputation, which, as Rhett Butler told Scarlett O’Hara, is something people with courage can do without. To do without self-respect, on the other hand, is to be an unwilling audience of one to an interminable documentary that deals with one’s failings, both real and imagined, with fresh footage spliced in for every screening. There’s the glass you broke in anger, there’s the hurt on X’s face; watch now, this next scene, the night Y came back from Houston, see how you muff this one. To live without self-respect is to lie awake some night, beyond the reach of warm milk, the Phenobarbital, and the sleeping hand on the coverlet, counting up the sins of commissions and omission, the trusts betrayed, the promises subtly broken, the gifts irrevocably wasted through sloth or cowardice, or carelessness. However long we postpone it, we eventually lie down alone in that notoriously uncomfortable bed, the one we make ourselves. Whether or not we sleep in it depends, of course, on whether or not we respect ourselves. […] Character — the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life — is the source from which self-respect springs. Self-respect is something that our grandparents, whether or not they had it, knew all about. They had instilled in them, young, a certain discipline, the sense that one lives by doing things one does not particularly want to do, by putting fears and doubts to one side, by weighing immediate comforts against the possibility of larger, even intangible, comforts. […] Self-respect is a discipline, a habit of mind that can never be faked but can be developed, trained, coaxed forth. It was once suggested to me that, as an antidote to crying, I put my head in a paper bag. As it happens, there is a sound physiological reason, something to do with oxygen, for doing exactly that, but the psychological effect alone is incalculable: it is difficult in the extreme to continue fancying oneself Cathy in Wuthering Heights with one’s head in a Food Fair bag. There is a similar case for all the small disciplines, unimportant in themselves; imagine maintaining any kind of swoon, commiserative or carnal, in a cold shower. […] To have that sense of one’s intrinsic worth which constitutes self-respect is potentially to have everything: the ability to discriminate, to love and to remain indifferent. To lack it is to be locked within oneself, paradoxically incapable of either love or indifference. If we do not respect ourselves, we are on the one hand forced to despise those who have so few resources as to consort with us, so little perception as to remain blind to our fatal weaknesses. On the other, we are peculiarly in thrall to everyone we see, curiously determined to live out — since our self-image is untenable — their false notion of us. We flatter ourselves by thinking this compulsion to please others an attractive trait: a gist for imaginative empathy, evidence of our willingness to give. Of course I will play Francesca to your Paolo, Helen Keller to anyone’s Annie Sullivan; no expectation is too misplaced, no role too ludicrous. At the mercy of those we cannot but hold in contempt, we play roles doomed to failure before they are begun, each defeat generating fresh despair at the urgency of divining and meting the next demand made upon us. It is the phenomenon sometimes called ‘alienation from self.’ In its advanced stages, we no longer answer the telephone, because someone might want something; that we could say no without drowning in self-reproach is an idea alien to this game. Every encounter demands too much, tears the nerves, drains the will, and the specter of something as small as an unanswered letter arouses such disproportionate guilt that answering it becomes out of the question. To assign unanswered letters their proper weight, to free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves — there lies the great, the singular power of self-respect. Without it, one eventually discovers the final turn of the screw: one runs away to find oneself, and finds no one at home.

Slouching Towards Bethlehem is a superb read in its entirety. Also from it, Didion on keeping a notebook and not mistaking self-righteousness for morality .

— Published May 21, 2012 — https://www.themarginalian.org/2012/05/21/joan-didion-on-self-respect/ —

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The Impact of Self-Respect on Your Life

Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

RgStudio / Getty Images

According to the American Psychological Association, having self-respect means having a healthy regard for your character, values, and dignity. It is a measure of your self-worth .

Self-respect demands an appreciation of your identity as an individual, which in turn impacts your thoughts, values, emotions, commitments, and behaviors, says Judith Zackson , PhD, Founder and Clinical Director of Zackson Psychology Group.

This article explains the importance of respecting yourself and suggests some strategies to improve your sense of self-respect.

Benefits of Having Self-Respect

These are some of the benefits of having a healthy sense of self-respect, according to Dr. Zackson:

• Internal sense of happiness: People who respect themselves understand that they must first look inward to discover their worth, esteem, and happiness. As a result, their life is more stable and fulfilling than those who compare themselves to others or those who rely on external sources of validation.
• Commitment to upholding personal values: People with self-respect have a set of morals and values by which they evaluate their character and actions. They are often willing to bet all they have on upholding these norms of behavior, as their very worth and sense of self depend on it.
• Ability to establish boundaries: Self-respect requires people to have the fortitude to establish limits and fight for them when they are threatened. Respecting oneself enough to stand up for one’s beliefs and boundaries also helps command the respect of others.
• Strong sense of dignity: Respecting oneself means having a strong sense of dignity toward one’s person and position, and honoring it at all times.

Judith Zackson, PhD

Self-respect is the everyday discipline of loving who you are. It is the bedrock of developing self-acceptance and self-love. It's hard, if not impossible, to live a fulfilled, meaningful, and joyous life if you don't respect yourself first.

Potential Pitfalls of Having Low Self-Respect

Below, Dr. Zackson outlines some of the potential pitfalls of having low self-respect:

• Relying on external validation: Individuals with low self-respect allow others to define them, rather than defining themselves. They are more concerned with how others perceive them than what actually matters to them, and often lead fake lives as a result. They have a constant need for external validation and tend to be people pleasers .
• Living a life that lacks meaning: People who lack self-respect are unconcerned with their intrinsic values and the meaning of their lives. They are often impulsive, irresponsible, reliant on others, and self-destructive.
• Having a negative self-view: Those with limited self-respect are more vulnerable to having a negative view of themselves, which can cause them to engage in self-defeating behaviors such as negative self-talk .
• Developing unhealthy relationships: A balanced, wholesome view of oneself and a healthy dose of self-respect are important ingredients in healthy relationships. Without it, people have trouble standing up for themselves and maintaining their boundaries. The lack of self-respect often gets reinforced over time, and people find themselves stuck in unhealthy situations, such as abusive or manipulative relationships.

Influences on Self-Respect

Below, Dr. Zackson describes some of the factors that can influence one’s sense of self-respect in childhood and adulthood.

Childhood Influences

Self-respect, like any other lasting quality, largely develops in childhood. Children learn that it's all right for them to love themselves when their parent or caregiver loves and appreciates them for who they are.

Giving one’s full love and attention to a child is the foundation to help them value themselves. The knowledge that they do not have to do anything special to deserve love and respect will make them much less likely to place artificial limits on such feelings for themselves.

Parents who value themselves and are at peace with their sense of self are more likely to share these values with their children. It is not so much what parents do but rather who they already are that will shape a child's sense of worth. The importance of self-respect is fostered at a young age and lasts a lifetime.

Adult Influences

While childhood factors often play a far greater role in influencing one’s sense of self-respect, the influences in adulthood also matter. Factors like relationships, work, and life experiences can contribute to a person’s sense of self-efficacy and self-confidence.

How to Improve Self-Respect

Dr. Zackson shares some strategies that can help you improve your sense of self-respect:

• Identify your values: Start by understanding yourself. Imagine suddenly losing everything you own and being left with nothing but yourself. Ask yourself: “What is important to me? What are my values? Why do I settle for less? What could remind me of my value?”
• Keep the focus on internal qualities: Be mindful that you may get caught up in thinking that your worth as a person is due to external factors like your net worth, position, looks, possessions, or the number of followers you have on social media. Self-respect however, is about internal qualities like your character, morals , values, and actions.
• Work on accepting yourself: Start to pay attention to your thought patterns without getting caught up in them. Concentrate on self-acceptance and let go of your harsh internal critic. Commit to forgiving yourself and accepting your flaws, bad habits, and all the things you don't like about yourself.
• Challenge negative thoughts: Pay attention to how your negative thought patterns affect your actions. Identify your triggers for negative thoughts and rationalize them. For instance, if a negative experience or lack of specific skills causes you to automatically call yourself unworthy, it can be helpful to recognize this thought process and challenge it: “Even if I’m not great at singing, I am still worthy of love and respect.”
• Don’t give in to self-doubt: Focus on loosening the grip of self-doubt. Nobody can make you feel unworthy of respect unless you permit them to do so. Develop a kinship with yourself and understand your strengths and values. Remind yourself that just as we have a moral obligation to respect others, we also have a moral obligation to respect ourselves.

Whenever you notice your inner critic starting to fire up, pause for a moment, challenge your thoughts as they whisper in your ear, and remind yourself that no matter what you do or don't do, you are nothing less than beautiful and worthy of self-respect.

Self-respect is an important part of your identity because it reflects how you view yourself, which in turn impacts every area of your life, including your relationships, work, and social life. Respecting and loving yourself is the first step toward gaining the love and respect of others.

If you have low self-respect, there are steps you can take to work on it and improve it. It may also be helpful to see a mental healthcare provider, who can help you identify your values, correct negative thought patterns, set firm boundaries, and learn to love yourself.

American Psychological Association. Self respect . Dictionary of Psychology .

Clucas C. Understanding self-respect and its relationship to self-esteem . Pers Soc Psychol Bull . 2020;46(6):839-855. doi:10.1177/0146167219879115

Dillon R. Self-respect and self-esteem . International Encyclopedia of Ethics . Doi: 10.1002/9781444367072.wbiee221.pub2

Corrigan PW, Bink AB, Schmidt A, Jones N, Rüsch N. What is the impact of self-stigma? Loss of self-respect and the "why try" effect . J Ment Health . 2016;25(1):10-15. doi:10.3109/09638237.2015.1021902

By Sanjana Gupta Sanjana is a health writer and editor. Her work spans various health-related topics, including mental health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness.

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Essay on Discipline: Sample Essays of 100, 200 & 400 Words

• Updated on  
• Apr 24, 2024

Discipline is something that assists in keeping a person in control. According to Merriam-Webster ‘Discipline is control gained by enforcing order or obedience ‘. It also refers to orderly conduct or pattern of behaviour. Discipline motivates a person to progress and eventually achieve success. Hence, it is important. There are two types of discipline- induced discipline and self-discipline. An essay on discipline is usually given as a task in a school. Hence, we have provided sample essays on discipline in 200 words, 300 words, and 400 words. Keep reading to know more about the same.

To improve your essay writing skills, here are the top 200+ English Essay Topics for school students.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Discipline (100 Words)
• 2 Essay on Discipline (200 Words)
• 3 Essay on Discipline (400 Words)
• 4 Short Essay on Discipline
• 5 10 Lines on Discipline
• 6 Quotes on Discipline in Students Life

Essay on Discipline (100 Words)

Master the art of essay writing with our blog on How to Write an Essay in English .

Essay on Discipline (200 Words)

Also Read: Essay on Christmas: 100 – 150, 250, and 500 Words

Also Read: Essay on Politics in 500 Words

Essay on Discipline (400 Words)

Short Essay on Discipline

10 Lines on Discipline

Also Read: Essay on Neeraj Chopra in English for School Students

Quotes on Discipline in Students Life

While writing the essay on disciple a student can include popular quotes. It can make their essays stand out. Moreover, reading quotes on discipline can inspire a student to be disciplined in their life, 

• What lies in our power to do, lies in our power not to do.”– Aristotle
• Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”– Jim Rohn
• “There is no magic wand that can resolve our problems. The solution rests with our work and discipline. ”Jose Eduardo dos Santos
• “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.”– Abraham Joshua Heschel
• “For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories. ” Plato

Also Read: Essay on Technology

An essay on discipline talks about the importance of discipline in a person’s life. A disciple is something that keeps each person in control. It motivates a person to achieve success in their life.

Discipline means being consistent, and following the set rules or order. AA disciplined person will follow the written and unwritten rules. There are several unwritten rules in schools. A disciplined student will follow the written and unwritten rules.

A school discipline essay contains the introduction, body, and conclusion, A student needs to include the importance of discipline while writing the essay.

Check out our Popular Essay Topics for Students

Discipline refers to an orderly conduct or pattern of behaviour. It involves following the rules in a school or an organization. Self-discipline is also important for success in life.

For more information on such informative essay topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

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Blessy George is a Content Marketing Associate at Leverage Edu, boasting over a year of experience in the industry. Her expertise lies in crafting compelling content tailored to online courses, making her a go-to source for those navigating the vast landscape of digital learning. In addition to online classes, she writes content related to study abroad, English test preparation and visas. She has completed her MA degree in Political Science and has gained valuable experience as an intern.She is known for her extensive writing on various aspects of international education, garnering recognition for her insights and contributions. Apart from her professional pursuits, Blessy is passionate about creative writing, particularly poetry and songwriting.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Respect — Importance Of Respect For Self

Importance of Respect for Self

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Published: Mar 14, 2024

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Importance of Self Discipline Essay | Essay on Importance of Self Discipline for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Importance of Self Discipline Essay: Self-Discipline means having control over oneself; it provides self-control overreactions, actions, and oneself and boosts a person’s inner strength. Self- Discipline is the most important skill a  person should possess. One of the main attributes of Self-Discipline is its ability to abdicate immediate pleasure and gratification.

Self-Discipline does not necessarily mean to live a controlled or restrictive lifestyle, but to have control over oneself. It gives a person the power to make the right decisions, despite temptations, and achieve goals. Furthermore, the skill manifests as inner strength leading to strong willpower and overcoming procrastination, laziness, addictions, and overeating.

Thus, Self-discipline is a skill that leads one to achieve success.

Long and Short Essays on Importance of Self Discipline in English for Students and Kids

Below we have provided a Long, descriptive Essay and a Short, brief Essay. The extended essay consists of 400-500 words and is a guideline to help students with their essay topic. The short essay contains 150-200 words to help and guide children and kids.

Long Essay On Importance of Self Discipline 500 Words in English

The long essay mentioned below is for students belonging to classes 6,7,8,9, and 10, and competitive exam aspirants. The essay is a guide to help with class assignments, comprehension, and competitive examinations.

Self-Discipline is the ability to control and avoid unhealthy habits or excess that could create a negative impact. A self-disciplined person rejects any immediate pleasure or gratifications that favors more significant pain but requires time and effort to mold the skill.

The possession of Self-Discipline enables an individual to choose the right decisions, and maintain their thoughts, behavior, and actions, to attain success and improvement. Every person needs to possess the skill of self-discipline. Self-Discipline strengthens those who acknowledge it and yet only a few put efforts to develop it.

Life throws a series of challenges on the path to attain success and achievement. To rise above the obstacles, one needs to imbibe the habit of persistence and perseverance, which can be achieved through self-discipline. Furthermore, it helps an individual overcome his/her negative habits.

Importance of Self Discipline

Habit either creates or destroys a person; Self Discipline builds a pattern through discipline. It directs a person to stay consistent in work and reach the door that opens success.

It helps a person organize his/her schedule and get things done accordingly. It makes a person remain consistent in their work and helps them achieve success.

Life is a cycle of distractions and challenges, but a self-disciplined person focuses on the goals. Self-discipline singles out your goal from the rest of the distractions and fixates him/her to achieve great things in life.

Self-discipline boosts a person’s work ethic and self-esteem simultaneously—furthermore, self-discipline molds a person to become an improved version of themselves.

Through self-discipline, a person nurtures his path with confidence, inner strength, and self-esteem, leading to satisfaction and happiness. Contrarily, a person who lacks this ability falls into the pits of loss, failure, health and relationship problems, gluttony and obesity, and other related troubles.

Steps to achieve Self-Discipline

• Set your goals:  Goals give you a clear understanding of your needs for achievement. The preparation of a timeline draws you closer to your goal and is a driving force to work hard.
• Meditation:  Meditation channels a person’s energy in the right path. It aids a person to better his/her self-control, maintain focus, and connects them to their inner self.
• Everyday Routine check:  a self-disciplined person set a daily routine and enlists their tasks for accomplishment. Prioritize your goals and set them up in a timeline, and fulfill them accordingly. This act betters a person’s overall personality.
• Avoid Distractions:  Life is encompassed with numerous day-to-day distractions. Self-Discipline allows a person to hold charge of this/her actions. For instance, mobile phones have become an essential gadget in today’s life. However, it is a hindrance, addictive, and hamper work. Instead, read a book or meditate.
• Positivity: Many people strive to achieve self-discipline. However, they fail to meet their goal. Constant negativity and lack of positivity act as a barrier and is a wrong approach. Positivity helps an individual achieve anything and molds him/her as a reliable and confident person.

In short, Self-discipline directs a person to lead a healthy professional and personal life. A self- determined person achieves great heights through his efforts and optimum use of time.

Short Essay on Importance of Self Discipline 200 Words in English

The short essay mentioned below is for kids and children up to class 6. The essay is to help with essay assignments, comprehension, and school events.

Self-discipline is the ability of a person to do what he needs, even though he is interested not to do it. However, hard a person organizes or schedules his/her work. At times when you feel low, you battle with your self-determination. This is the reason behind uncontrolled behaviors.

Self-determination is needed at all times, whether you feel encouraged or low. When you are happy and positive, you feel inspired and apply self-determination in all your works. The skill is embedded in your subconscious memory, and you do not realize it. However, when you are experiencing a bad day, you realize your self-determination.

Self-determination is an inner power that instructs you to never give up, despite challenges and failures. It enables you to harness your temptations and distractions that come your way and helps you overcome it and attain success.

We can improve our self-discipline and better ourselves to achieving our goals. It is essential to know that improvement takes time. Self-discipline helps you grow stronger. There are ample opportunities your way, take your time and practice till you perfect yourself.

Self- discipline can never be denied in our lives. Self-discipline helps us achieve our dream by directing us in the focus we need to follow.

10 Lines about Importance of Self Discipline Essay in English

•  Self-discipline is the ability of an individual to act according to his or her knowledge, experience, and consciousness. It helps him/her achieve maximum potential.
• Self-discipline is an essential aspect of an individual’s life, through his journey from school, to college to work.
• A person cannot achieve success or the desired outcomes without the application of self-discipline in life.
• Self-determination aids a person in overcoming all eating disorders, addictions, smoking and drinking problems, and al other harmful habits.
• Through self-discipline, a person nurtures his/her self with inner strength, confidence, and self-esteem. It helps him/her in many ways to achieve goals.
• To achieve self-discipline in life, one needs to set goals, stay positive, meditate for focus, avoid all distractions, and reward oneself for every tiny achievement.
• Self-discipline is present when you are motivated or when demotivated. A person fails to realize self-discipline during happy times. However, when he/she is sad, self-discipline is noticed.
• Development of self-discipline leads you to avoid acting on impulse, overcome procrastination and laziness, continue your project with focus, etc.
• The skill helps a person to strategize his/her goals. Through self-discipline, a person prioritizes all the vital tasks in their lives.
• Self-discipline is a doer that helps your achieve your dreams, and the world today needs more self-determined people who make their dreams and goals.

FAQ’s on Importance of Self Discipline Essay

Question 1. Why is self-discipline highly necessary?

Answer: Self-discipline is essential because it acts as a power that instructs you never to give up, despite failures. It is a skill that enables you to harness all the distractions that come your way and helps you overcome it to reach success.

Question 2. State a few qualities a self-disciplined person posses

Answer: A self-disciplined person stays positive, avoids distractions, keeps himself/herself focused, aims to achieve the goal, quick with work, and works hard.

Question 3. How can you maintain self-discipline?

Answer: To remain a self-disciplined person, you must identify your weakness, remove all temptations, set clear goals, have a backup plan, stay healthy, and create new and straightforward habits that improve your life.

Question 4. Is self-discipline difficult to follow?

Answer: Self- discipline is not when a person is motivated. However, when people lack motivation, they lose hope and give up. So one must take up the task of creating self-discipline to create a motivating and positive way to reach your goal.

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Essays About Discipline: Top 5 Examples And 10 Prompts

Looking for inspiration? Discover our helpful examples of essays about discipline and inspiring writing prompts to guide you in your writing.

The power of discipline is related to extreme focus, self-control and resilience. Having discipline allows people to abide by standards that can help improve their lives.  On an individual level, discipline extremely helps in developing self-control, allowing one to resist present gratifications and achieve something much better in the future.  In the larger society, discipline among members is crucial to maintain good behavior and allow communities to follow rules and achieve common goals. 

For your essay about discipline, take inspiration from our essay examples and prompts below:

1. Is School-Discipline Reform Moving Too Fast? by Wayne D’Orio

2. how self-control can actually unleash your dark side by david robson, 3. physical discipline is harmful and ineffective by eve glicksman, 4. discipline as a vital tool to maintain the army profession by maj. michael petrusic, 5. the key to mental discipline by owen fitzpatrick, 10 writing prompts for essays about discipline, 1. how to build self-discipline, 2. self-discipline as a key to success, 3. review of self-discipline books, 4. discipline in your school, 5. your parents’ discipline methods, 6. what is positive discipline, 7. employee discipline, 8. discipline in ancient civilizations., 9. self-discipline for weight loss, 10. the lack of discipline.

“While some districts were already working to reduce suspensions, the federal push spurred more schools to revamp their disciplinary procedures. So, too, did the growing body of evidence documenting the harm associated with pulling students out of school,”

Schools have been moving back and forth when introducing reforms on discipline. Moving from an extremely tough stance to an extremely lax one, schools continue to find the right balance on how to discipline students both generally and on a case-to-case basis. In between reforms, teachers are in the thick of adjusting their approaches with minimal guidance, creating a bigger mess that drives a high turnover among teachers. 

“…[S]omeone with high self-control is more likely to act ruthlessly when group cohesion starts to fall apart, including times when their own sense of power or authority is threatened, or when they feel in competition with others… If so, we might start to appreciate the people around us who are a little bit less disciplined and agreeable than the rest.”

For decades, self-discipline has been considered an admirable part of good character that should be developed at a young age. But new studies and experiments are showing that being highly disciplined can turn into toxic traits and even encourage immoral acts. Check out these essays about respect .

“Parents who use physical discipline may be teaching their child to resolve conflicts with physical aggression. Researchers found that spanking can elevate a child’s aggression levels as well as diminish the quality of the parent-child relationship. Other studies have documented that physical discipline can escalate into abuse.”

The American Psychological Association (APA) brings to light new evidence that physical punishment can cause lasting harm to children. While spanking gets children’s attention and would stop a wrong deed in an instant, the act bears dangerous effects that stretch up to a child’s adult years. The APA, hence, offers an alternative approach to parenting — one defined by “respectful communication, collaborative conflict resolution and parental modeling.”

“If Army leaders inadequately police misconduct within the force by failing to consider and exercise their range of disciplinary options when appropriate, they will create a perception that the Army is unable or unwilling to address misconduct within the ranks. That perception will both contribute to a culture of impunity regarding misconduct and erode the public’s trust in the Army’s disciplinary systems and its ability to self-police.”

The military has been embroiled in several controversies that make the public suspect a decline in discipline and corrective measures within the army. The essay indeed shows a decline in the use of disciplinary options and takes readers through the reforms and proposed interventions that have emerged to restore civic trust in the military. Check out these essays about competition .

“[Mental discipline] is about making a daily, committed decision as to what you are going to pay attention to and how you are going to think. It is a committed effort to keep using what you learn to maintain a healthy attitude and build the kind of emotions that serve you well.”

Just as the body needs exercise, so does the human mind. Mental discipline is a kind of discipline where you consistently engage in a mental activity that you want to be good at. As strengthening your mind to have discipline takes a lot of practice and will, the essay offers helpful tips.

Read on to see essay prompts on the topic of discipline that can help you:

Achieving self-discipline requires a lot of practice every day. For this prompt, round up first the biggest benefits of developing self-discipline based on what existing studies show. Then, draw up a list of tips on how one can commit to a routine that promotes discipline. Finally, offer some words of encouragement, such as reminding that the small things done every day could build up to something big. 

Theodore Roosevelt once said: “With self-discipline, almost anything is possible.” In your essay, explain why you think people value self-discipline as a hallmark of successful people. Find studies that show links between self-discipline and the achievement of goals and include these in your essay.

If your life has been moved by a book on self-discipline, it might be great to highlight this book in your essay. Describe how the book helped you develop a certain level of self-restraint to delay short-term desires. Elaborate on how it helped you set your sights on the bigger trophy waiting in your future. List down the author’s most helpful tips and don’t forget to include your favorite quotes from the book.

First, define what discipline is for you as a student and the role schools play in developing discipline among the younger generations. Then, highlight the disciplinary strategies undertaken by your school. Elaborate cases in which school suspension is deemed necessary. And finally, provide your own insights on the effectiveness of your school’s discipline strategies and ways in which they can be improved. 

What are your parents’ rules at home and how do they discipline you when you disobey? To answer this in your essay, find out first the different methods of discipline. Then, identify which category best suits your parent’s ways of discipline. Share your inputs as to how your parents’ methods have helped you build discipline. 

Positive discipline moves away from the punishing forms of disciplinary action such as spanking and yelling. First, write about the beginnings of the concept of positive discipline. Then, list down the most common techniques in positive discipline. Cite studies that show how positive discipline compares against punishment-based discipline in effectively changing behaviors. Finally, answer whether parents and schools should start listening more to advocates of positive discipline and why so. 

Having high disciplinary standards is imperative for organizations to maintain stability and productivity. For your essay, delineate first the roles of the human resource unit, managers and supervisors in implementing disciplinary policies and the code of conduct. Then, offer recommendations on how each can improve their roles to consistently enforce rules, ensure due process in disciplinary cases and strengthen the organization’s values. 

In ancient Rome, children endured corporal punishment such as beating and whipping. Research the pros and cons historians discovered from this practice. Investigate what were the kind of people that came out of such childhood during the early civilizations. Finally, find out why corporal punishment has declined since then.

In an age where ordering fast food can be done in a jiffy, many of us have gained the extra pounds that we now regret and badly want to lose. Write a motivational essay on how your readers can keep on track of their fitness journey. Offer tips on how they can change their eating habits to how they can add exercise into their daily routine even if they feel that don’t have time for a workout.

For this essay, point out how a child’s lack of discipline can affect him or her. Segment how these disadvantages appear in three settings or scenarios: home, school and the future. For example, a lack of discipline makes it challenging for children to disobey rules and regulations. If they violate rules repeatedly, the worst consequence could be suspension or even expulsion, depending on the graveness of the misconduct. 

For more writing tips, check out our guide on transition words .Looking for more? Read our guide on persuasive writing .

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Argumentative Essay: The Importance of Discipline

Discipline is something that we have all experienced personally in different forms, seen used on others, and is also something that many of us will go on to use later in life, both in the form of self-discipline and as something to keep children and even employees in check. It is essential to life as we know it, and we need it in its many different forms in many different situations.

The first reason that discipline is so important is that we all need to exercise self-discipline to be successful in life. Self-discipline can mean very different things to different people; for students, for example, self-discipline is often about motivating yourself and making yourself concentrate on your studies and get your assignments in on time. For working people, it can be as simple as getting up on time every morning, however tired you may be and how much you may hate your job, getting to work on time and doing your job. Without this kind of self-discipline, people would not be able to enjoy academic success, or be successful in their careers either.

Self-discipline is also required for dieters and anyone doing regular exercise, because given the chance, most of us would prefer to be lazy rather than get up and exercise, and eat burgers and fries rather than healthy food. Without it, even more people would be fat and unhealthy, and a lack of self-discipline in some people certainly contributes to the obesity crisis.

Discipline is also something that needs to be used on others where necessary. If parents didn’t discipline their children when they were naughty, children wouldn’t grow up knowing right from wrong, or be able to become productive members of society who contribute to the system. Equally, schoolteachers need to be able to dish out punishments to children who don’t behave themselves. Without discipline in the classroom, there would be a great deal of disruption and nobody would ever learn anything. Indeed, teachers who struggle to command the respect of students and who fail to use discipline effectively will often have trouble even making themselves heard in a classroom.

In the workplace, discipline is also essential to maintaining a hierarchy and dealing with employees who do not follow company policies and procedures, regularly arrive late or not at all, or treat their co-workers unfairly. Then, you have to consider that without discipline, there would be no law enforcement. Murderers would be roaming the streets and everybody would be stealing from each other, because there would be no consequences for their actions.

Discipline acts as a vital deterrent to stop children being naughty, people from missing work, and even potential criminals from stealing and killing, and for this reason it is vital in human society.

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Essay on Self Discipline 1000+ Words

Self-discipline is like a superpower that can help us achieve our goals and dreams. It’s the ability to control ourselves, stay focused, and do what needs to be done, even when it’s hard or tempting to do otherwise. In this essay, we will explore the importance of self-discipline and how it can positively impact our lives.

Self-Discipline Builds Character

Self-discipline is not just about getting things done; it’s about building good character. When we practice self-discipline, we learn values like responsibility, determination, and perseverance. It’s like strengthening a muscle – the more we use it, the stronger it gets. According to a study by psychologists, people with strong self-discipline tend to be more honest, hardworking, and dependable.

Achieving Academic Success

In school, self-discipline is crucial for academic success. It means setting aside time to study, even when there are fun distractions. Research shows that students who practice self-discipline tend to get better grades and perform well in exams. For instance, a study conducted at a prestigious university found that students who consistently followed a study schedule achieved higher grades compared to those who didn’t.

Pursuing Personal Goals

Self-discipline is not limited to academics; it’s essential for achieving personal goals too. Whether it’s learning a musical instrument, excelling in a sport, or becoming a better artist, self-discipline plays a vital role. Look at the story of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. He said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration,” highlighting the importance of hard work and self-discipline in achieving great things.

Health and Well-being

Self-discipline is not only about mental strength but also about taking care of our physical health. Eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep all require self-discipline. A balanced and healthy lifestyle is crucial for our well-being. According to medical experts, people who practice self-discipline in their daily habits tend to have better health and live longer.

Resisting Temptations

One of the hardest parts of self-discipline is resisting temptations. It’s so tempting to watch TV instead of doing homework or eat candy instead of fruits. However, practicing self-discipline means making the right choices, even when it’s difficult. A famous psychologist, Walter Mischel, conducted the “marshmallow experiment,” in which children who resisted eating a marshmallow immediately were found to have better life outcomes, including higher SAT scores and more successful careers.

Self-Discipline and Time Management

Time is a precious resource, and self-discipline helps us use it wisely. When we plan our tasks and stick to a schedule, we become more productive. This is especially important as we grow older and have more responsibilities. Time management skills, rooted in self-discipline, are highly valued in the professional world. Successful people often credit their achievements to effective time management.

Conclusion of Essay on Self Discipline

In conclusion, self-discipline is a vital quality that can shape our lives in positive ways. It builds character, contributes to academic success, helps us achieve personal goals, and ensures our physical and mental well-being. By resisting temptations and managing our time effectively, we develop the strength to overcome challenges and reach our full potential. So, let’s embrace the power of self-discipline and use it as a guiding light on our journey to success and fulfillment. Remember, with self-discipline, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Also Check: The Essay on Essay: All you need to know

Short Essay: Value Of Discipline

Discipline is a fundamental aspect of successful societies and personal lives, shaping habits, behaviors, and outcomes across various spheres. Writing a short essay on the value of discipline requires a focused exploration of its benefits, applications, and significance. Here’s a structured approach to help you draft a persuasive and insightful essay on this topic.

Table of Contents

Title and Introduction

Title : Choose a title that is both engaging and descriptive, such as “Discipline: The Key to Success and Harmony.”

Body of the Essay

Mental Health and Well-being :

Summarize the key points discussed, reinforcing the thesis about the pervasive value of discipline. Emphasize the universal benefits of discipline, encouraging readers to cultivate it in their personal and professional lives. Conclude with a reflective thought or a question that prompts further consideration of the role of discipline in achieving a balanced and fulfilling life.

Value Of Discipline Essay Example #1

Discipline is a virtue that encompasses self-control, commitment, and adherence to a set of principles or rules. It is a cornerstone of personal growth, success, and overall well-being. The value of discipline extends beyond mere obedience; it empowers individuals to overcome challenges, achieve goals, and lead a purposeful life.

Furthermore, discipline plays a vital role in maintaining healthy relationships. It fosters respect, accountability, and effective communication. Individuals who practice discipline are more likely to honor commitments, manage conflicts constructively, and prioritize the needs of others. Discipline helps to build trust and strengthen connections, leading to more fulfilling and harmonious relationships.

In conclusion, the value of discipline is undeniable. It is a virtue that empowers individuals to overcome challenges, achieve goals, and lead a purposeful life. Through discipline, personal growth is fostered, academic and professional success is attained, and relationships flourish. While discipline may require effort and sacrifice, its benefits far outweigh the challenges. By embracing discipline, individuals can unlock their true potential and live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Value Of Discipline Essay Example #2

Discipline is a fundamental value that plays a crucial role in shaping individuals and societies. It is the key to achieving success, maintaining order, and reaching personal and professional goals. The value of discipline extends to every aspect of life, from education and career to relationships and personal growth. In essence, discipline provides the structure and self-control necessary to navigate life’s challenges and make the most of opportunities.

In the professional world, discipline is highly valued by employers and colleagues alike. Disciplined individuals demonstrate punctuality, reliability, and a commitment to quality work. They are focused, organized, and able to meet deadlines consistently. This level of discipline not only enhances productivity but also fosters a positive reputation, opening doors to new opportunities and career advancement.

While discipline may sometimes be perceived as restrictive or challenging, its benefits far outweigh any perceived limitations. Discipline provides a sense of direction, focus, and purpose. It empowers individuals to overcome obstacles, resist temptations, and make choices aligned with their long-term aspirations. It instills a sense of self-control and resilience, enabling individuals to navigate life’s ups and downs with grace and determination.

Value Of Discipline Essay Example #3

One of the significant impacts of discipline is its ability to cultivate self-control. In a world filled with distractions and instant gratification, discipline empowers individuals to resist temptations and make choices aligned with their long-term goals. It allows individuals to overcome impulsive behaviors and develop a sense of restraint that leads to healthier and more fulfilling lifestyles. Whether it’s resisting unhealthy habits, managing impulses, or staying focused on important tasks, discipline provides the inner strength needed to make positive choices.

Moreover, discipline is instrumental in achieving long-term goals and aspirations. It instills the habits of planning, organization, and perseverance necessary for success. Disciplined individuals set clear objectives, break them down into actionable steps, and consistently work towards their realization. They understand the importance of consistency, hard work, and resilience in the face of obstacles. By maintaining discipline, individuals stay committed to their goals and increase their chances of accomplishing them.

Discipline also contributes to the development of strong character and integrity. It requires individuals to uphold moral values, act responsibly, and make ethical choices. By practicing discipline, individuals build trust and credibility in their personal and professional relationships. They become reliable, accountable, and respected members of their communities.

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Essay On Importance Of Discipline for Students and Children

500+ words essay on importance of discipline.

Discipline refers to the practice of making people obey rules. Furthermore, it also means following certain acceptable standards of behavior. Discipline is certainly an essential thing in everyone’s life. A life without discipline is a life full of chaos and confusion. Most noteworthy, discipline makes a person into a better human being. Discipline is a trait of paramount importance.

Why is Discipline Important?

First of all, discipline helps an individual in becoming more focused. Furthermore, a person of discipline tends to have a much better focus on his work, activities or goals. Discipline, makes a person avoid distractions of various kinds. A feeling of sincerity and seriousness comes in due to discipline. Consequently, a high-quality focus is the result of discipline.

Discipline brings a lot of respect for an individual from others. A disciplined individual by his very nature would command respect from others. Bringing discipline in one’s life is a difficult task. Consequently, people admire such an individual who manages to fills his life with discipline.

Another notable impact of discipline is good health. A disciplined individual has a proper schedule of doing everything. Therefore, an individual of discipline has a fixed time for eating, sleeping, rising, exercising, working, etc. Furthermore, such an individual is very strict with regard to his diet as well. Consequently, all of these measures ensure good health and body fitness of the individual.

Self-control is a praiseworthy benefit of discipline. A person of discipline exercises better restraint and control over his actions. A disciplined person is very careful with the use of his words when talking with others. Furthermore, such an individual ensures that his behaviour is decent and appropriate at all times.

Having more time is a precious advantage of staying in the discipline. A disciplined individual will certainly have more time than an undisciplined individual. This is because a person of discipline will not waste time in useless or worthless activities. Furthermore, an individual of discipline will not donate excessive time on any one task. By following this approach, people would have a lot of free time with them. This free time would certainly not have been possible in case of indiscipline.

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Techniques of Discipline

Time management is a very popular technique of discipline. Time management utilizes time as a regulator. Furthermore, time management utilizes the observer of time as the governor. Most noteworthy, time management ensures that the usage of time takes place in an efficient manner. Moreover, time management marks each activity within a boundary of time. Consequently, each activity and task must begin and end at a specific fixed time.

Responsibility based discipline is another technique. Furthermore, this technique co-opts members of an organization to understand remedies for a problem. Responsibility-based discipline involves laying out instructions for modifying future behavior. Also, this takes place by following good respectful role-models.

Another important technique of discipline is corporal punishment . This technique involves scolding, spanking, or hitting people. Most noteworthy, this technique is useful for school students. This is because; many school students are very rude and naughty. Hence, merely mild talking or instructions may not work with them.

In conclusion, discipline is a significantly important quality to have in every walk of life. Discipline is certainly the ladder towards success. Furthermore, discipline brings out the best in us. Most noteworthy, discipline keeps our body, mind, and soul under control.

FAQs on  Importance Of Discipline

Q1 Give any one reason why discipline is important?

A1 One reason why discipline is important is that discipline helps an individual in becoming more focused.

Q2 Name any two techniques of Discipline?

A2 Two techniques of discipline are time management and responsibility based discipline.

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Essay on Self Discipline

Students are often asked to write an essay on Self Discipline in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Self Discipline

Introduction.

Self-discipline is the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome weaknesses. It’s about making choices that lead to healthy, productive behaviors.

Importance of Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is crucial for success. It helps us focus on our goals, resist temptations, and persist in the face of adversity.

Building Self-Discipline

Building self-discipline requires practice. Start small, create routines, and gradually take on bigger challenges.

Benefits of Self-Discipline

Self-discipline leads to improved focus, better health, and achievement of goals. It also fosters resilience and self-confidence.

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250 Words Essay on Self Discipline

Self-discipline, an essential attribute for personal and professional success, refers to the ability to control one’s emotions, behavior, and desires, aligning them with set goals. It is a skill that enables individuals to overcome impulses, procrastinate less, and stay focused on their objectives.

The Importance of Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is a cornerstone of personal development and self-improvement. It fosters resilience, enabling individuals to endure hardships and persevere in the face of challenges. Furthermore, it promotes time management, allowing for the prioritization of tasks according to their importance and urgency. This leads to increased productivity and efficiency.

Self-Discipline and Success

The correlation between self-discipline and success is well-established. Those with high self-discipline tend to perform better academically and professionally. They are also more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle, manage stress effectively, and demonstrate higher levels of happiness.

Developing Self-Discipline

Developing self-discipline requires consistent effort and practice. It starts with setting clear, achievable goals, followed by creating a plan to reach them. Regular self-reflection is crucial to assess progress and make necessary adjustments. Moreover, cultivating a positive mindset can significantly enhance one’s self-discipline.

500 Words Essay on Self Discipline

Introduction to self-discipline.

Self-discipline, an essential characteristic for personal and professional success, is the ability to control one’s feelings and overcome weaknesses. It involves acting according to what you think instead of how you feel in the moment. It’s a sign of inner strength and control of oneself and one’s actions.

Self-discipline is of paramount importance for achieving goals. It is the backbone of successful people who manage to excel in their fields. It is the driving force that compels individuals to resist negative impulses and distractions. Self-discipline is the key to consistency and continuity in any endeavor, be it academic, personal, or professional. It helps in maintaining focus, thus enabling individuals to make constructive decisions that lead to positive outcomes.

Self-Discipline and Time Management

Self-discipline and emotional control.

Building self-discipline is a gradual process that requires patience and perseverance. It begins with setting clear goals and establishing a plan to achieve them. It requires consistent practice and the willingness to step out of one’s comfort zone. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep are also integral in fostering self-discipline as they enhance mental strength and focus.

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Self-Discipline

The importance of self-discipline for success.

Is there a link between self-discipline and success? We believe there is, and here’s why.

Many, of the high-achieving individuals we’ve studied , have stated or shown, that although numerous factors have contributed to their success, most of their achievements would be impossible without self-discipline. While passion, determination, and perseverance are all keys to success, the one thing truly required for success to happen is self-discipline.

Napoleon Hill, the great success scholar commissioned by Andrew Carnegie concluded the same thing; that the importance of self-discipline for success should not be ignored.

Look, setting goals is easy. Anyone can sit down for five minutes and create a list of goals . However, turning those goals into accomplishments doesn’t happen by itself. Bridging that gap between our goals, and the accomplishment of them can only be done with self-discipline.

When you have self-discipline, it’s easier to transform your goals into accomplishments. Understanding the link between success and self-discipline is the first step to becoming self-disciplined enough to achieve lasting success.

We Are the Product of Our Decisions and Choices

And this is why self-discipline is important; because life isn’t a level playing field. Certainly, there are factors that can both ease and inhibit our chances for success, and some people start out in life with more advantages than others. However, in the 21st century, we are largely a product of our personal choices and decisions.

First of all, no matter what cards you were dealt, you have complete control over your attitude. You also have control over how you treat other people and how you treat yourself.

Self-discipline is a choice. Depending on your upbringing and personal struggles, you may have to work harder to become self-disciplined, but the good news is, self-discipline can be learned.

The Unique Qualities of People Who Are Successful

It feels great to be successful, but behind most successful people, there are years of habits, choices, and decisions that most people never suspect of existing. 

Almost without exception, successful people:

• Complete tasks high in value first
• Choose to be successful
• Understand the law of attraction
• Commit to lifelong learning
• Have a growth mindset
• Are self-disciplined

The Importance of Self-Discipline

When you learn and master self-discipline, some magical things start to happen.  For example:

Self-Discipline Boosts Your Work Ethic

The great thing about success is that it builds on itself. When you experience success, it’s addicting. You automatically want more success. In this way, self-discipline increases your work ethic . The late Jim Rohn, who was a leadership expert and scholar of success, often pointed out that one discipline nearly always leads to another discipline.

You Will Have a Higher Self-Esteem

There is nothing that boosts your self-esteem more than completing a goal or creating an accomplishment. When you’re self-disciplined, you will have far more accomplishments in your life and you will grow to have higher self-esteem. 

It Helps You Get Stuff Done

The key to success is getting high-value things done and self-discipline is what helps you get things done. As human beings, we’re biologically engineered to look for shortcuts because shortcuts are efficient. Unfortunately, this means that most of us have to make a concerted effort to get up every day and tackle the hard things. 

Self-Discipline Creates Habits

Anytime you can put some areas of your life on autopilot, you’re freeing up time and energy to do the hard things. When you create habits, you’re building self-discipline into your life. 

Habits make it easy to stay on track, and self-discipline creates habits. 

Being Disciplined Helps You Focus

More than ever, we live in a world that is full of distractions. When you have self-discipline, you are more likely to stay focused on your goals. No one except Mark Zuckerberg ever became successful by being on Facebook all day, and honestly, we doubt he spends all of his time watching kitten videos and posting photos of what he had for lunch. 

Self-Discipline Helps You Achieve Mastery

How do you master anything? You have to spend a lot of time practicing and doing. Experts such as Malcolm Gladwell suggest that to master something, you need to spend about 10,000 hours doing it. This can only happen if you’re self-disciplined. 

You Realize Your Full Potential

Do human beings have unlimited potential? In a way we do. However, we’re limited by the number of days we have on this earth and the number of hours in the day. Keep this in mind: Uber-successful people like Oprah Winfrey , Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk all have the same number of hours in the day as the rest of us.

However, their self-discipline is what sets them apart. 

Self-Discipline Can Be Taught (and Learned)

People aren’t born with self-discipline. If we’re fortunate, we were raised in homes where self-discipline was practiced and taught. However, most of us have to find our own paths to self-discipline. The good news is that there is a specific formula for learning to be more self-disciplined. 

1. Begin at the Beginning

You can become self-disciplined today by deciding to do the next thing right. However, complete self-discipline and success don’t happen overnight. Start small by setting micro-goals. Once you achieve one goal, you will be motivated to keep going with it. 

2. Understand Your Triggers

Are there things that trigger you into distraction or unhealthy habits? Knowing what triggers you is key to becoming self-disciplined. 

3. Remove Temptations

Most people have temptations that hold them back from getting things done. In terms of distraction, TV, the internet, social media, and pleasure reading can all be easy temptations that pull us away from what we need to be accomplishing. 

Are sweet treats and fad-laden snacks keeping you from achieving your weight and fitness goals? Simply remove them from your home. 

4. Explore Your Key Motivators

What motivates you? Have you ever really thought about that? Take a few minutes and write down a list of things that motivate you. It’s seldom the activity itself that is our motivator. For example, few people get excited about exercising. However, the motivator is feeling more energetic and looking better. 

Another example is money . You may or may not love your work, but you’re probably motivated by having money in the bank and enjoying the satisfaction of knowing your bills are paid. 

5. Create Habits and Routines From Behaviors

Start small by creating some habits that are easy to work into your life. Then, create routines and habits that are in line with your goals. For example, if you want to get more done before noon every day, try going to bed early the night before. Set an early bedtime for yourself and stick to it. 

Why Self-Discipline Is Important: It Leads to Success

Are you convinced that the key to success is self-discipline? Hopefully you’ve come to realize the importance of self-discipline through this post, because that was our goal; to empower you with this life-changing insight.

Now, if you don’t have as much self-discipline as you would like, that’s no problem at all. You can start where you are right now and become more self-disciplined. All you have to do is take that first step and keep putting one foot in front of the other. In fact, here are few terrific resources you can use as stepping stones to support you on your journey:

• Books to Strengthen Your Self-Discipline
• Affirmations for Self-Discipline

Quotes to Inspire Self-Discipline

• Habits to Improve Self-Discipline

Whatever mistakes and missteps you’ve made in the past, you can always make a different choice right now, today.

Till next time,

PS – If you enjoyed this post on the importance of self-discipline for success, then you’ll love this post on the real ‘secret’ to success .

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10 WAYS TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS IN 2024

Setting goals is a crucial part of success. No matter what you want to achieve in life, be it in your career, relationships, or in business, identifying what you want to achieve and then making a plan to move toward that destination is one of the most important steps of all.

When you know what you want and the exact outcome you desire, you can then create a plan and take action to get there. This is why setting goals works. Extraordinary people are able to produce amazing results in life because they have a clear goal that they want to achieve in mind. They know what they want, and then they get to work on their goals, every single day.

With that being said, if you want to master yourself, achieve greater results in life, and ultimately make your dreams a reality, you’ll need to learn how to set and achieve your goals. So, here the top 10 ways to achieve your goals in 2024. Enjoy!

Top 10 Ways To Achieve Your Goals This Year

1. Always Keep Your Goals in Your Mind

One of the most common reasons why some people fail at their goals while others succeed at them, is that those who successfully achieved their goals are really adept at keeping their goals top of mind.

Of course, this is easier said than done. But, it is backed up by the one of the most well-known success phrases of all-time…“You become what you think about most of the time”. It’s a phrase that conveys the fact that your life is organized around your thoughts. Hence, your dominant thoughts will determine how you will live your life.

If you always think about having not enough money, guess what, you will not be having enough money. You will find it hard to come up with extra money and there are always more days left at the end of the money.

Your thoughts dictate your life. Tony Robbins once said, “Where you focus goes, energy flows”, thus, if you always think about your goals and focus on them, that’s what you will create in your life. So, always choose to consciously think about your goals.

This is why you need to write down your goals, review them, visualize them, and see yourself achieve them. Make a vision board for your goals if you want to.

2. Make Sure Your Goals Align With Your Inner Values

Next up on the list of top 10 ways to achieve your goals is to ensure they align with your values. Yes, you have to make sure your goals align with your inner values. You don’t want to set a goal that is not in harmony with your values.

For example, if you are someone who values security more than adventure, setting a goal like traveling alone around the world may not work for you. Even if you force yourself to do it, you will not enjoy the progress and the experience.

Here’s another example, many people set income goals. And if money isn’t their main purpose, their goals will never work. They will find it hard to come up with the drive to put themselves into action and they will find ways to sabotage their own success.

This is what happens when your goals conflict with your values. Instead, learn to set goals that align with your inner values. Set goals that make your heart sing.

Related: Goal Setting Mistakes to Avoid

3. Make Your Goals Measurable

Are your goals measurable? Most people set very general and vague goals like, “I want to become rich”, or “I want to be happy”, etc., but these goals are vague, and they are not measurable.

Let me ask you, if your goal is to live a happy life, how do you know when you have achieved it? That’s the problem. When your goal isn’t measurable, you will never know when you have reached it.

So, make your goals quantifiable. Make them measurable so that you can tell when you have reached them. Plus, when something is measurable, you can then come up with a specific action plan to achieve it.

If your goals are not measurable, you will work day and night without knowing if you have reached them.

4. Identify the Lead Measures

Lead measure is an important measure of your goals. Most people focus on their main target or the results they want, but they don’t focus on their lead measures, and this is why they fail.

Your lead measures are the measures that directly impact the results of your goals.

For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, the two main lead measures are exercise and diet. How much time do you spend to exercise each week? And do you track your diet and calorie intake?

You see, these two measures will directly impact your goal of losing weight. If you want to achieve your goal, then all you need to do is to focus on the two lead measures: exercise and diet.

And you hit your exercise and diet target, you will automatically reach your weight loss goal.

Here’s another classic example. If you want to increase your sales, what should you do? You focus on prospecting and presentation. The more prospects you present to, the higher your number of sales. Therefore, the number of prospects you approach, and sales presentation you deliver are the two lead measures you must work on.

When you achieved your lead measure goals, you will achieve your main goal, which is to increase your sales. So, focus and work on the lead measures.

5. Focus on Making Progress

Next, don’t always think about your goals and the results, when it comes to maintaining your momentum, you need to focus on making progress.

As a blogger, one of my goals is to build a huge responsive subscribers list from my blog. But if I focus on the result, the number of subscribers I get each day, I’m going to fail. Why? When I first started, my blog is new and there are no visitors and subscribers.

So, if I think about my goal of having a ton of subscribers, I will feel dejected, lose my motivation, and eventually give up on my blog. Instead, I choose to focus on making progress.

I know that if I want to grow my subscribers, I will need to publish new articles consistently. Hence, I focus on publishing content. Every time I published a new article, I celebrate and reward myself. I feel good about it and it drives me to continue publishing new content.

And so, day after day, I make progress. And slowly, the number of visitors to my blog increases, and the same goes for my number of subscribers.

Can you notice the difference? Having a goal is important, but to achieve your goal, you need to make progress. Hence, it is more important to focus on the progress than to only think about your goals and do nothing.

Let your progress motivate you and get you to your goals.

6. Work on Improving Yourself Every Day

There is no way you can achieve your goals if you don’t improve yourself. You are where you are because of what you know and what you do. If you want to get to a new place, you need to do something different, and that requires you to improve yourself.

I love to give an example of playing games. If the character in your game is at level 3 and you need to fight a level 5 enemy, you will find the enemy difficult to beat. But as you play the game, gain better experience, and level up your character, say to level 8, the same level 5 enemy will be easy to beat.

Therefore, work on improving your level. When the size of you increase, the problem will become a small problem.

It is the size of you that matters, not the size of the problem. If you think you are having a big problem right now, it is because the size of you is small. You must learn to improve yourself so that the problems become no problem for you.

Related: Motivation Journals for Self-Improvement

7. Set Goals That Are Fun and Exciting

Think about it, if something isn’t fun or exciting, will you have the motivation to achieve it? Obviously, the answer is no. But unfortunately, that’s what most people do. They set goals that are not fun or exciting to them.

You have to understand that if you want to achieve your goals, your goals must be fun and exciting so that you will want to wake up each morning and work on them. If your goals are boring and uninspiring, you will choose to continue to sleep than to wake up and chase them.

Set a goal that makes your heart sing. Be passionate about your goals and make sure you are excited when you think, talk, and work on your goals .

8. Make Your Goals Challenging

Besides making your goals fun and exciting, you must also make them challenging. Why? Because that’s the only way you can grow.

You see, Albert Einstein once said, “A ship is safe at the harbor, but that’s not why it is built for.” Your life is meant to be fun, exciting, and challenging. You want to live a remarkable life, isn’t it? Hence, make your goals challenging.

Think about it, if you are currently earning $5,000 a month, making an additional $100 isn’t going to make you jump out of your bed in the morning. What you want is to have a goal that is challenging and inspiring.

You want your goals to force you out of your comfort zone so that you can grow and become someone better, and worthy of the goals.

9. Take Baby Steps Each Day

It doesn’t matter how big your goals or how difficult they are, as long as you take baby steps and make progress each day, you will eventually get to your goals.

The key is in making progress every day. You can’t achieve your goals by thinking about them, you need to do something.

There is a saying, “If you swing the ax five times, every day, eventually the tree will fall.” Yes, no matter how big the tree, if you just swing an ax at it just five times a day, it will eventually fall.

The same principle applies to your life and your goals. As long as you take action and persist in working on your goals every day, you will eventually arrive at your destination.

Therefore, be consistent. Commit to taking at least 5 baby steps each day, and trust me, you will achieve your goals faster than you thought possible.

10. Believe in Your Goals and Trust Yourself That You Can Do It

Last up on this list of the 10 ways to achieve your goals is related to belief. You need to believe in your goals and trust yourself that you can do it. First, you must believe that your goals are possible. And second, you must trust that you can achieve them.

When you truly believe you can achieve your goals, you will do whatever it takes to reach them. Think about why people buy lottery tickets. Well, it is because they believe that they stand a chance to win, right? If you don’t believe you stand a chance to win, you will never bother buying the lottery ticket.

The same goes for your goals. When you believe that you can achieve them, you will do it with a 100% commitment rather than a half-hearted attempt.

Therefore, believe that your goals are possible and trust that you can achieve them.

There is no way you are going to achieve your goals if you all you do is sit there and do nothing. Reading this article is good because it helps you understand what you need to do to achieve the results you want, but until you implement the knowledge and take action , nothing is going to happen.

“Dream Big, Start Small, But Most Of All, Start.” – Simon Sinek –

Hence, don’t just think and daydream about your goals and the success you want. Make this year your best year ever by using these 10 ways to achieve your goals. If you need a little reminder, you can always print out or save the summarized tips for achieving your goals below:

It is true that this year has been challenging and tough, but if you keep a positive attitude , focus on your goals, and do what is necessary, you can make 2024 a life-transforming year. Use these goal achieving tips to help you.

PS – We hope you enjoyed these top 10 ways to achieve your goals, but never lose sight of this important fact: Achieving goals doesn’t just magically happen. Goal achievement  requires a plan . So, if you truly want to make 2024 a life-transforming year, you’ll want to use this to  make it happen.

SELF-DISCIPLINE: THE KEY TO HAPPINESS

If you want to know how discipline leads to happiness, then you’ll enjoy this article. Our research on this topic started after we came across an older, but still very relevant article that suggested the key to happiness was self-discipline.

We were struck by the article; particularly because it had brought to light a different key to happiness than we’ve been accustomed to hearing for most of our lives. The kind of secrets to happiness that we are all pretty much accustomed to hearing, you know; be more grateful, be present, get some supportive friends, have some goals to aspire to, focus on your health, or make more money , etc..

The article we read was published by the Atlantic.  It was a synopsis of a study conducted in 2013 by Wilhelm Hoffman at the University of Chicago.  If you are interested in digging deeper into the published research, you can do so here: Wiley Online Library .

“A Disciplined Mind Leads To Happiness, And An Undisciplined Mind Leads To Suffering.” – Dalai Lama –

Don’t Worry, Be Happy Self-Disciplined

The article spoke to us not only because it was refreshingly different from what the rest of the world typically says about acquiring happiness, but because it is something that we’ve found to be true in our own lives.

We’ve noticed through our own experiences, that when we’ve let our guard down, when we let our lack of self-control, and lack of discipline drive our life, things always seem to eventually get worse.  It’s not something that happens immediately either; whenever we’ve let off the proverbial (self-discipline) pedal; it has always led to a slow process of degradation.

It typically starts with something small, like having a good habit of going to bed early morph into a bad habit of going to bed late.  Having this good habit eventually turn into a bad habit, slowly leads to other good habits, like going to the gym consistently, or starting/arriving to work before schedule, in addition to other habits of our turning into bad habits all of their own.  Eventually, through inertia, even our once chipper and positive attitude becomes influenced, allowing us to drift into a realm of negativity.

Unfortunately, this degradation process has led us to having less patience with friends and family, in addition to obvious signs of work motivation and productivity being impacted.  Eventually, our levels of happiness and feelings of joy would take a very noticeable nose dive.

There’s no better quote to express the discipline to happiness process than the Dalai Lama’s famous quote: “A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.”

Needless to say, reading the study was not only like taking a breath of fresh air, but it was also reaffirming of our own experiences and philosophy on the link between self-discipline and happiness (which always feels good).

How Discipline Leads to Happiness

Below is a great way to visualize how discipline leads to happiness. It demonstrates how the end result/happiness levels can be determined by the level of discipline applied.

Get Disciplined About Self-Discipline

We are always aiming to add value to you, our readers, so we did some serious self-reflection and research to come up with the four methods that, you can apply easily, but that will still have the biggest impact on your ability to increase your self-discipline.  We intentionally left out any fluff, so you can get moving on your journey towards increased happiness.

This is going to sound like a crazy thought, but it is true.  Acquiring discipline requires discipline .  None of the steps that we are about to provide to you will take place without you making up your mind to take action on them. 

So in essence, to get disciplined, you have to have at least a smidgen of discipline to get you moving forward on those actions.  We know everyone has at least enough discipline to at a minimum, get started on these small steps towards improving our discipline.

Related: The Definition of Self-Discipline

1. Create a Compelling Reason to Be Disciplined

One of the most powerful catalysts we’ve experienced in improving our self-discipline, was in creating a compelling reason to stick to those disciplines.  The best way we’ve found to do this, was to take the time to think about and outline our goals for the next 12 months.

The most important aspect of setting these goals was to ensure that they were goals that really brought excitement into our lives.  We wanted to ensure they were goals that excited us, goals that if (and when) reached, would add a level of amazingness to our lives. 

Needless to say, the goals you need to create should be so enticing, so exciting, that you will be compelled to take action on them.

When you do this, you will have effectively set the stage to stick to your disciplines a little bit better.  Dare we say, that after you do this, you may experience (as we did) an almost magical-like tug on you, to take action on your ideas and plans (when needed) until that compelling reason/goal you set up for yourself is realized.

Check out these resources to help you create your compelling reason:

• A basic how-to outline for goal setting from Psychology Today .
• 4 steps for setting powerful goals from Success.com .
• An effective goal setting template that spans 10 years .

2. Sleep Your Way To Stronger Self-Discipline

We pride ourselves on being Spartan-like, and often force ourselves to work late into the night, instead of sleeping. 

Of course, facts are facts, and apparently even Spartans have to sleep too.  As such, this step should be an easy one to execute.

The next simple way you can get started on improving your self-discipline is through getting enough sleep.  It sounds simple, but when we deprive ourselves of sufficient amounts of sleep, it can significantly impact our ability to focus, it can affect our mood, our judgement, and even our general sense of well-being.  

On top of this, when we are not well rested, even the simplest of tasks can become difficult to accomplish.  So in short, getting sufficient levels of sleep is directly linked with our ability to be self-disciplined.

Last we checked, most people crave sleep, so why not allow yourself the luxury of indulging in at least this one thing?

If you want to go into more depth on sleep deprivation and the impact it can have on your cognitive performance, here are two helpful studies to dig into: Study One   &   Study Two .

Use these tips to help you get more sleep.

• Start taking naps .
• Stop using a digital device one hour before falling asleep (this one is so hard, but you can do it).
• Sleep no more or no less than 8 hours.
• Have a bed-time routine.

Our next actionable step, like sleep, requires you to keep your eyes shut.  However, this step takes quite a bit more effort.

3. Meditate Your Way to Self-Discipline

Our third tip to strengthen your self-discipline is to meditate .  Mediation is a practice of quieting our minds. When done correctly, it can help put our minds at ease, and drown out our hyperactive thoughts.  In essence, meditation is actually a practice in disciplining your attention.

Before reading further, if you find that mediation is just too ‘new-age’ a topic for you to even consider, take a look at  any of these scientific reviews from the National Institute of Health ,  webmd.com , and PyschologyToday.com  to help you become a believer.

Once done, come on back and I’ll share with you the powerful benefits that mediation can provide to help you improve your self-discipline.

Self-Discipline Benefit 1

The first benefit, is that your mind will gradually become less noisy, allowing for improved focus and clarity.  With an improvement in these two areas, you will have a higher tendency to pay attention to the things in your life that really matter.

So, remove the mental distractions from your life. The more the merrier. And by doing this, you will get more done. And this will in turn, contribute greatly to your ability to become more self-disciplined.

Self-Discipline Benefit 2

The second benefit is that through the practice of meditation itself, you will be simultaneously improving your mental self-discipline.  We say this, because meditation is a practice, and it requires you to make and take the time to do it.  The great thing is, when you make time to do something as simple as this, on a consistent basis, you are in effect training your ‘self-discipline muscles’.

Self-discipline, like a muscle, can become stronger the more you use it. Similar to how we mentioned earlier, that being too casual with our self-disciplines can create a downward spiraling effect in our lives (where all other disciplines start to be negatively affected), the same cascading process can occur, but in the opposite direction when the smallest of disciplines (such as mediation) are practiced.

When you start your sessions they don’t have to take up much of your time either.  A quality session can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 20 minutes.  Of course, the duration is up to you.

Lastly, if you start this habit, there is a good chance you will also experience other great life enhancing benefits.  For instance, people who regularly meditate, have reduced levels of negative emotions, reduced levels of stress, improved immune responses, and an increase in overall mental and physical health.  Gaim.com has a terrific beginner’s guide to meditation , so if you are really curious about the ins and outs of this practice, we recommend checking it out.

4. Read Your Way to Self-Discipline

This last step is simple, but powerful. So don’t let it’s simplicity mislead you.  So here it is… reading.  That’s right, you can read your way to improved self-discipline.  Here’s how.

You see, for almost any area in our lives that we want to improve we must first become students of that subject.  And as students we must be open to learning as much about those subjects we wish to master.  And in this case, you want to master self-discipline.

As such, you should strive to get your hands on as many self-discipline books as you can.  Then become a student of those books.  Devour them, pick them apart, and put the self-discipline wisdom you find in each book to work for you.

Like we said, simple….but powerful!

If you’re looking for a good place to start, give this list of popular books on discipline a shot.

Self-discipline can Lead to Happiness

One of our favorite mentor’s once stated that the key to getting all we want in life is through self-discipline.  He stressed that for every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards.

We’ve taken this advice to mean, that every discipline affects all other disciplines. When we show discipline, even in the slightest thing, like waking up early, or eating less food, we build our ‘discipline muscles’.  These muscles, or rather, habits, start to carry over into other disciplines.

Before we know it, we find ourselves making our bed every morning, making it to meetings on time, actually finishing personal/professional projects we’ve been meaning to wrap up, doing more to help around the house, exercising more , etc., the list will go on and on.

Here’s a shocker, self-disciplined are happier because they eventually get their lives in order.

Related: The Link Between Self-Control and Success

Final Thoughts

The great news is this, you can start working on your increased happiness today .  You have a starting point.  The four steps we’ve included are not the end-all-be-all of habits to hone to improve your self-discipline.  These four steps are simply an ideal place to kick off your new journey towards becoming more self-disciplined.

We’ve given you these bite-sized steps to improve your discipline for a reason.  Our hope is that they will increase the likelihood that you will actually start following some of these steps.  The goal is that you find it easy to begin your new self-discipline project.

Put these four simple disciplines into action, and you’ll be effortlessly doing the bigger disciplines in no time at all.  Employ the disciplines that truly lead to significant life change, and consequently, significant happiness.

Thus, our last and final takeaway for you is this, that people with high self-discipline are happier than those without. Self-discipline can be your key to happiness .

So, if you are seeking ways to become happier, and if you are open to improving just about every aspect of your life in the process, it appears that there is no faster way to do both, than through the practice of self-discipline.

Till you reach your aims,

PS – Self-discipline is the key to happiness, and we have the key to self-discipline.  So, if you want to be more self-disciplined then you may want to take a look at this tool.

100+ SELF-DISCIPLINE QUOTES TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE UNLIMITED SUCCESS

Self-discipline is one of the world’s best kept secrets when it comes to success. Countless people who have accomplished many of their goals or have achieved meaningful success across a variety of different areas typically give credit to their self-discipline when asked, ‘how did they do it?’ As such, we’ve decided to pull together some of the absolute best self-discipline quotes of all-time.

“Discipline Is The Bridge Between Goals And Accomplishment.”

Our hope is that these discipline quotes will permeate your mind with one of the best kept secrets of some of the world’s highest achievers. We also hope that they’ll inspire you to believe, that with enough self-discipline, you too can achieve the impossible. So, if you’re ready for one of the most comprehensive lists of self-discipline quotes, then let’s dive in:

BEST 100+ SELF-DISCIPLINE QUOTES

1. “The great master key to riches is nothing more or less than the self-discipline necessary to help you take full and complete possession of your own mind.” – Napoleon Hill

2.  “With self-discipline, most anything is possible.” – Theodore Roosevelt

3. “We do today what they won’t, so tomorrow we can accomplish what they can’t.” – Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

4. “Winners embrace hard work.  They love the discipline of it, the trade-off they’re making to win.  Losers, on the other hand, see it as a punishment.  And that’s the difference.” –  Lou Holtz

5. “A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.” – Dalai Lama

6. “Discipline is the soul of an army.  It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” – George Washington

7. “The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don’t like to do. They don’t like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose.” – E.M. Gray  

8. “The only discipline that lasts is self-discipline.” – Bum Philips

9. “Success is a result of daily disciplines compounded over time.” – Darren Hardy

10.  “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

11.   “There is no easy way. There is only hard work, late nights, early mornings, practice, rehearsal, repetition, study, sweat, blood, toil, frustration, and discipline.” – Jocko Willink

12.  “We must all suffer one of two things:  the pain of discipline or the pain of regret and disappointment.” – Jim Rohn

13. “I could only achieve success in my life through self-discipline, and I applied it until my wish and my will became one.” – Nikola Tesla

14. “Self-command is the main discipline.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

15.  “Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period.” – Lou Holtz

16. “One discipline always leads to another discipline.” – Jim Rohn

17. “He who lives without discipline dies without honor.” Icelandic Proverb

18. “The price of excellence is discipline.  The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.” – William Arthur Ward

19. “You have power over your mind, not outside events.  Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius

20. “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” – Abraham Lincoln

21. “Confidence comes from discipline and training.” – Robert Kiyosaki

22. “Success is a matter of understanding and religiouly practicing specific simple habits that always lead to success.” – Robert J. Ringer

23.  “No man is fit to command another that cannot command himself.” – William Penn

24. “Most talk about ‘super-geniuses’ is nonsense. I have found that when ‘stars’ drop out, successors are usually at hand to fill their places, and the successors are merely men who have learned by application and self-discipline to get full production from an average, normal brain.”- Charles M. Schwab

25. “Success doesn’t just happen.  You have to be intentional about it, and that takes discipline.” – John C. Maxwell

26. “Discipline is the foundation of a successful and happy life.” – Anonymous

27. “True freedom is impossible without a mind made free by discipline.” – Mortimer J. Adler

28. “Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage.”  – Thucydides

29. “You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself…the height of a man’s success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. …And this law is the expression of eternal justice. He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others.”  – Leonardo da Vinci

30. “The first and greatest victory is to conquer self.” – Plato

31. “We must do our work for its own sake, not for fortune or attention or applause.” – Steven Pressfield

32. “One painful duty fulfilled makes the next plainer and easier.”  – Hellen Keller

33. “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.” – Abraham J. Heschel

34. “Do not consider painful what is good for you.” – Euripides

35. “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” – Jim Rohn

36. “Those who have nothing have only their discipline.”  – Alain Badiou

37. “It is time to reverse this prejudice against conscious effort and to see the powers we gain through practice and discipline as eminently inspiring and even miraculous.” – Robert Greene

38. “With this magic ingredient, you can accomplish anything and everything you want to, and it is called self-discipline.” – Brian Tracy

39.  “Do not bite at the bait of pleasure till you know there is no hook beneath it.”  – Thomas Jefferson

40.  “Great leaders always have self-discipline — without exception.” – John C. Maxwell

41. “Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It’s a state of mind-you could call it character in action.” – Vince Lombardi

42. “Respect your efforts, respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that’s real power.” – Clint Eastwood

43.  “Success is actually a short race – a sprint fueled by discipline just long enough for habit to kick in and take over.” – Gary Keller

44.  “By constant self-discipline and self-control you can develop greatness of character.” – Grenville Kleiser

45.   “Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.” – Seneca

46. “He who cannot obey himself will be commanded. That is the nature of living creatures.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

47. “It is not enough to have great qualities; We should also have the management of them.” – La Rochefoucauld

48. “Discipline really means our ability to get ourselves to do things when we don’t want to.” – Arden Mahlberg

49. “Your level of success is determined by your level of discipline and perseverance.” – Anonymous

50.  “That aim in life is highest which requires the highest and finest discipline.” – Henry David Thoreau

Ready To Go Out and Conquer The World Yet?

We don’t know about you, but after reading through these first 50 discipline quotes, we are about ready to go out and conquer the world.  But don’t stop reading just yet on our account. 

By all means, continue pounding your mind with these last 50 self-discipline quotes.  Let them saturate your mind so you can go forth and be victorious with your renewed levels of self-discipline !

51. “Self-discipline is about controlling your desires and impulses while staying focused on what needs to get done to achieve your goal.” – Adam Sicinski

52.  “Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, and the day will come when you will be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them.” – Zig Ziglar

53. “All successes begin with self-discipline.  It starts with you.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

54. “Self-discipline is that which, next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another.” – Joseph Addison

55. “The more disciplined you become, the easier life gets.” – Steve Pavlina

56. “The center of bringing any dream into fruition, is self-discipline.” – Will Smith

57. “Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.” – Elbert Hubbard

58. “In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves…self-discipline with all of them came first.” – Harry S. Truman

59. “If it were easy to walk the path of self-discipline, we wouldn’t gain much from it.” – Glenn C. Stewart

60.   “Discipline is built by consistently performing small acts of courage.” – Robin Sharma

61. “Discipline is the ability to control our conduct by principle rather than by social pressure.” – Glenn C. Stewart

62. “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.” – Abraham J. Heschel

63. “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”  – Jesse Owens

64. “Discipline is the silent force at work that breeds success.  It requires only one thing; that you sacrifice time in things you enjoy.” – Anonymous

65. “We don’t have to be smarter than the rest; we have to be more disciplined than the rest.” – Warren Buffett

66.  “Never believe a promise from a man or woman who has no discipline.  They have broken a thousand promises to themselves, and they break their promise for you.” – Matthew Kelly

67.  “If the self-discipline of the free cannot match the iron discipline of the mailed fist-in economic, political, scientific and all other kinds of struggles as well as the military-then the peril to freedom will continue to rise.” – John F. Kennedy

68.   “Self-discipline is the root quality that will improve every aspect of your life.” – Jocko Willink

69. “Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace.” – Mike Ditka

70. “ Self-control is strength, right thought is mastery, calmness is power.” – James Allen

71. “Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing.”  – John C. Maxwell

72. “Discipline without freedom is tyranny.  Freedom without discipline is chaos.” – Cullen Hightower

73. “By constant self-discipline and self-control you can develop greatness of character.” – Grenville Kleiser

74.  “Self-discipline is a self-enlarging process.” – M. Scott Peck

75.   “Self control is the key to self esteem and self confidence.” – Laurance McGraw V  

76. “Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.” – Michel De Montaigne

77. “Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” – John C. Maxwell

78. “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

79. “If you wish to be out front, then act as if you were behind.” – Lao Tzu

80.  “Self-discipline creates a brighter tomorrow.”   – Anonymous

81. “Success is created through the performance of a few small daily disciplines that stack up over time to produce achievements far beyond anything you could of ever planned for. Failure, on the other hand, is just as easy to slip into. Failure’s is nothing more than the inevitable outcome of a few small acts of daily neglect performed consistently over time so that they take you past the point of no return.” – Robin Sharma

82.  “Self-discipline is an act of cultivation.  It requires you to connect today’s actions to tomorrow’s results.  There’s a season for sowing a season for reaping .  Self-discipline helps you know which is which.” – Gary Ryan Blair

83.   “ Self-discipline begins with the mastery of thought. If you do not control your thoughts, you cannot control your needs. Self-discipline calls for a balancing of the emotions of your heart with the reasoning faculty of your head.” –  Napoleon Hill

84. “Trophies should go to the winners. Self-esteem does not lead to success in life. Self-discipline and self-control do, and sports can help teach those.” – Roy Baumeister

85.  “It’s all right letting yourself go, as long as you can get yourself back.” – Mick Jagger

86.  “The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might and force of habit. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him—and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires.” – J. Paul Getty

87. “It is better to conquer self than to win a thousand battles.” – Buddha

88.    “The good Lord gave you a body that can stand most anything. It’s your mind you have to convince.” – Vince Lombardi

89.   “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

90. “If we don’t discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us.” – William Feather

91. “When a man is sufficiently motivated, discipline will take care of itself.” – Albert Einstein

92. “No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined.” – Harry Emerson Fosdick

93. “It’s never crowded along the extra mile.” – Wayne Dyer

94. “I think self-discipline is something, it’s like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets.” Daniel Goldstein

95. “Self-discipline is the magic power that makes you virtually unstoppable.” – Dan Kennedy

96. “He conquers twice who conquers himself in victory.” – Jyrus

97.  “It doesn’t matter whether you are pursuing success in business, sports, the arts, or life in general: The bridge between wishing and accomplishing is discipline.” – Harvey Mackay

98. “I don’t count my sit-ups, I only start counting when it starts hurting, when I feel pain, that’s when I start counting, cause that’s when it really counts.” – Muhammad Ali

99.  “What it lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not do.” – Aristotle

100. “Mastering others is strength.  Mastering yourself is true power.” – Lao Tzu

101. “I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.” –  Aristotle

102. “Rule your mind or it will rule you.” – Horace

103 . “Self-discipline is the center of all material success.  You can’t win the war against the world if you can’t win the war against your own mind.”  –  Will Smith

104. “In this life there are countless trails to self-realization, though most demand intense discipline, so very few take them.” – David Goggins

105. “If I want to be great I have to win the victory over myself…self-discipline.” – Harry S. Truman

106. “What we do upon some great occasion will probably depend on what we already are: and what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline.” – H.P. Liddon

107. “The pain of discipline weighs ounces, but the pain of regret weighs tons.” – Darren Hardy

108. “Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.” – Roy L. Smith

109. “Self-discipline is when your conscience tells you to do something and you don’t talk back.” – W.K. Hope

110. “Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but nonetheless doing it like you love it.” – Mike Tyson

111. “There is no magic wand that can resolve our problems. The solution rests with our work and discipline.” – Jose Eduardo Dos Santos

112. “There is no luck except where there is discipline.” – Irish Proverb

113. “Discipline is consistency of action.” – James C. Collins

114. “Discipline is wisdom and vice versa.” – M. Scott Peck

115. “Self-discipline is the No.1 delineating factor between the rich, the middle class, and the poor.” – Robert Kiyosaki

116. “Self-Discipline means living your life the hard way: resisting temptations and instant gratification, in order to receive bigger and better rewards in the future.” – Martin Meadows

117. “The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” – Ryan Holiday

118. “Self-discipline is easy when you have a vision that pulls you.” – Nathan Lee Morales

119. “There are two disciplines in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of discipline, then you’ll never have to deal with the pain of disappointment.” – Nick Saban

120. “Self-discipline is the architect of accomplishment.” – The STRIVE

121. “The first step to getting rich requires discipline. If you really want to be rich, you need to find the discipline.” – Mark Cuban

122. “The habit of self-discipline virtually guarantees your success in life.” – Brian Tracy

Bonus Discipline Quote

Bonus: Alright, here is our last and final discipline quote which we decided to include as a bonus because it does such a good job hitting the nail on the head when it comes to self-discipline. Enjoy!

“Discipline Equals Freedom.” – Jocko Willink –

There you have it, some of the best discipline quotes of all time. We hope these quotes serve you in creating the habit of self-discipline.   Let them guide you towards becoming your very best so you can achieve the success you’re striving for.

PS – If you enjoyed this page and its self-discipline quotes, please consider helping us reach our goal if inspiring and uplifting a billion people by sharing our page or one of these discipline quotes with your inner circle. Lastly, i f you enjoyed these quotes, we have a hunch you’ll love these Quotes on Effort , and you may even enjoy these Affirmations For Discipline .

15+ BEST BOOKS TO BUILD SELF-DISCIPLINE AND MASTER SELF-CONTROL (2024)

Ahhh, self-discipline, that pain-in-the-butt success attribute that most of us wish were easier to wield.  If I told you there was a pill you could take to increase your self-discipline, would you want one?

Hahaha, so would I.

Unfortunately, there is no pill.

But, I do have something for you that is far better than some easy peasy pill.  In fact, I have 15 or so of them for you.

And I am confident you could benefit from them.

How can I be so sure?

Statistics.  Statistically speaking, 92%  of people who set goals at the beginning of each year, don’t achieve them (University of Scranton.)   That stat alone, says so much about the state of our collective self-discipline.

“92 % of people who set goals at the beginning of each year, don’t achieve them.” – University of Scranton

It reveals that most people can’t stick to a simple goal they set out to achieve.

How is it that so many people fail to achieve what they really want?

I mean, nobody sets a goal they don’t think they can achieve.

Nobody sets a goal around something they don’t sincerely want either.

Yet, so many still fail to reach the simple goals they set for themselves, year after year.

And what about the big goals?  Let’s not even go there.

Here’s the most likely culprit.  When the results we go after don’t come fast enough, and we realize what we’re chasing seems like more of a hassle than we first imagined, we second-guess ourselves.  And as we continue to pursue our goals, we slowly begin making up our minds that the pain of consistent self-discipline is a cost we aren’t willing to pay.  The pain bests us.

So, what do we do?

We stop striving for our goal.

If that scenario sounds familiar, then you’ve had your own struggles with self-discipline.  In short, self-discipline is likely hard for you.

But, you don’t have to feel too bad about it (just a little bad), because you are not alone.   Self-discipline is painful for just about everyone.  But just because it’s painful, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to find more of it.

Truth is, self-discipline is a pain that is good for you.  It’s so good for you that it really shouldn’t be seen as pain at all.

Like Euripides said…. “Do not consider painful what is good for you.”

NO PAIN NO GAIN

My friend, self-discipline is a worthy characteristic to improve.  It’s worthy because it has the power to lead you from where you are now, to where you want to be, faster than any other human quality.

Self-discipline is a force to be reckoned with.  When it is strong, it will keep you moving forward, progressing towards your goals till you hit them.

On the flip side, self-discipline is also something everyone struggles with at some point in their lives.  And when it’s weak your achievements will be meek.

So go big, keep going for those big goals, but make sure your self-discipline is strong before you do so.

Why?  Because trying to achieve a goal without self-discipline, is like trying to ride a bicycle across a hilly countryside and expecting to get up the harder, steeper hills without peddling.

It’s just not going to happen.  Which is why goal achievement without self-discipline is impossible.

Fortunately, you can build and craft your self-discipline to your liking.  And you can do it in a short amount of time.

The more you build it, the more and more achievements you’re likely to see in your life.

And I have just the thing to help you begin building your self-discipline.

Here are 14 self-discipline books you should read to help you fortify your self-discipline.

You’ll strengthen your discipline just by reading them, because it takes discipline to read books.

But, you’ll also gain powerful self-discipline mindset insights, insights that will help you become the master over your very own.

So here you go my friends, a handful of stepping stones to higher and better levels of self-discipline.

BEST BOOKS ON DISCIPLINE

Note:  We’re reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

1. The Compound Effect

‘ The Compound Effect’ is like a manifesto for self-discipline.  The author of this book is Darren Hardy, who is the former publisher of SUCCESS Magazine, a serial entrepreneur, mutli-millionaire,  and the author of a few other books.  And you know what?  This guy knows a thing or two about success and self-discipline.

Darren sums it up well in his book when he gives the formula for how to create radical change in our lives.  The formula is this: “Small smart choices + Consistency + Time = RADICAL DIFFERENCE”

Small smart choices come down to small daily self-disciplines.

This book is worth the read because it will help you realize that it is the small everyday choices you make, not the big disciplines, that determine the size of your achievements.

After reading this, self-discipline will seem less daunting, more manageable, and perhaps even a bit attractive.  Get this book, and let Darren sell you on the power of self-discipline and it can do to transform the outcome of your life.

‘ Mastery ’ is a masterpiece.   This book was authored by Robert Greene, and it covers a wide spectrum of ideas that coalesces around what it takes to become a master.  A master of your craft, your profession, a master of your life.

Much of the material in the book is pulled from the author’s vast knowledge of historical and modern masters to help you realize what it takes to become a master, the likes of Mozart, Leonardo Da Vinci, Goethe, John Coltrane, Marcel Proust, and many others.

He demonstrates that Mastery is a simple process that is accessible to anyone who is willing to put in the time, effort, dedication and sacrifice to create masterful work.

His reference to Leonardo Da Vinci’s motto, Ostinato Rigore , meaning stubborn rigor sums up what kind of self-discipline is required to achieve your life’s task (your purpose).

To strengthen your self-discipline and learn what it takes to become the master of your fate, this is definitely book you should digest.

3. The Willpower Instinct

‘ The Willpower Instinct ‘ approaches self-discipline and self-control from a more academic stand point.  It’s a good self discipline book, but if I am honest, it’s quite boring to read.

If you are true student of self-discipline and self-control though, it will be worth it.

It’s worth your time because it will help you gain clarity on why self-discipline seems so challenging to master for so many people.  The clarity gained from this book can lead to better decisions, and better decisions always leads to better results.

4. The Master Key to Riches

This book is a powerful book for building self-discpline.  Every chapter provides insight upon insight on the habits and types of efforts that are required for you to achieve more in life.

The most important chapter though, is chapter 12, because it deals solely with self-discipline.  Chapter 12 makes a strong case for why you should work on becoming self-disciplined, especially if wealth, success, and riches are things you are striving for.

And let’s be honest, money, success, and power are things we’re all striving for.  So give this one a read, and learn why self-discipline is the master key to riches .  Then put what you learn to use, and build the rich and abundant life you deserve for yourself.

5. The War of Art

In my opinion, out of all of the best books on discipline, this one is the best.  However, this book is listed and #5 because it was primarily written for creative types who know the self-sabotaging challenges that come with trying to create great work consistently.

Even if you are not an artist, author, or entrepreneur, this book will help you realize the struggle to create is real, but that it can be conquered.

I believe this book is for everyone because we are all creators, creators and designers of our own lives.

Now the author doesn’t call out self-discipline directly through the book, rather, he positions it as “Resistance”.  But, through his concept of “Resistance” clearly communicates how you must commit to your work, to becoming a pro, and how when you do, you’ll be applying the self-discipline you’ve needed to do what you’ve always wanted.

It’s a good kick in the pants that will help you deal with your self-discipline challenges in an effective way. So give it read .

6. The Practicing Mind

  If you are looking for a new perspective on how to build your self-discipline, then this book is for you.   Thomas M. Sterner makes a strong case for the importance mindset plays on how self-disciplined we are.  He does a good job relating his personal experiences with mastering golf, piano lessons, and book writing, using the practicing mind process.

You’ll learn that with the right awareness and mindset, you can better master just about anything.  His biggest urging is to learn to love the process of whatever it is you are seeking to accomplish, to do so, is to develop a practicing mind.

And when you’ve developed a practicing mind, the self-discipline and focus we all struggle with, becomes easier to wield.

A slow read, but it has some gems in it for sure.

7. Willpower:  Rediscovering The Greatest Human Strength

Roy Baumeister is highly admired psychologists who teamed up with the renowned New York Times science writer, John Tierney, to create what is in a sense a self-control manifesto .  Both authors do a great job of taking their vast knowledge of people and human psychology, to effectively sum up the power of willpower.

They give great examples of how we can refuel our willpower, and create effective habits that can actually make it easier for us to control ourselves.  In short, you’ll learn the science behind self-control and many new and unique methods to help you master yours.

All in all, it’s a great book to read and an excellent building block to help you level up your self-discipline.

8. Think and Grow Rich

This book belongs in almost every self-improvement category, but it really shines when it comes to self-discipline.

When you read this book, you’ll gain a new awareness to success, gaining riches, and all that other achievement jazz.   But most importantly, it will drill the point home, that no success, no great riches, no high achievements can be made if you have not mastered your thoughts.

And sure enough, the mastery of your thoughts comes down to your ability to discipline your mind on how to think, what to allow into your mind, and what kind of thoughts you should consistently be focusing on to achieve your goals.

This book is a must-read for the true seeker of success and self-discipline.

9. No Excuses: The Power of Self-Discipline

Brian Tracy has been around for a very long time, but his book on discipline, ‘ No Excuses ’ is still a great starting place if you are ambitious, just finishing up your schooling, or about to get started in the working world.

He’s a pretty much a ‘self-development guru’, since he’s been at this for so long.  He covers many success maxims you’ve probably already heard, but he does a good job of tying them all together around the subject of self-discipline.

Reading this book will help you realize the value self-discipline plays in just about every area of our life.

10.  The Power of Habit

Charles Duhigg does a great job illuminating the complexity of the science behind our habits and breaking it down into digestible insights.

You’ll learn that the bulk of what we does is governed by our habits, and how with a little bit of disciplined awareness, you can master the art of turning bad habits into good ones.

So, if you are have some bad habits you need to change, or some new habits you need to create, and want to ensure you have the discipline to see them through, get this book , it is the ultimate cheat sheet for mastering your habits.

11. The Warrior Ethos

This book not your typical book on discipline. It’s about an approach to life, it’s about an ethos.

It’s about an ethos that has become less and less apart of modern-day culture, yet, is the exact ethos most fit to help you embrace the struggles and toil of your every aspiration.

The tenets of the Warrior Ethos, directed inward, can inspire you to fight against and conquer the enemies that can be found within our own hearts and minds.

I highly recommend this book.  It’s not a book 100% dedicated to self-discipline, so don’t expect a bunch of science and data.  But, you can expect to be inspired and fired up to gain the discipline of a Spartan.

Read this book and gain the mental toughness you’ll need, if you want to have the self-discipline of a champion.

12. Self-Discipline

Coming in at number 12 on our list of books for building self-discipline is aptly named… ‘Self-Discipline’.  This is a newer self-discipline book, but it deserves mentioning as it is jam packed with powerful principles that can help you build the mental toughness and tightened mental focus that lead to achievement.  It is truly a simple and easy read, and gets right to the point on what self-discipline is and how anyone can get more of it.

Out of all of our best books on self-discipline, this book has been listed because it does a phenomenal job helping the reader learn that self-discipline is more than just a skillset, it is a lifestyle.  And in my opinion, once you’ve accepted this fact and truly understand it… your ability to become the master of yourself and by extension, your fate will be transformed .

13. Make Your Bed

Make Your Bed is by far one of the more popular books on self-discipline and life improvement in general. It’s has garnered the prestigious title of a NY Times Best Seller, which we believe is a well deserved title. The author of Make Your Bed is Admiral William H. McRaven. And he wrote this book after giving a commencement speech that went viral. The message he conveyed it that commencement speech, and what he lays forth in this book, is about how the little things make a big difference in how our life turns out.

It’s is certainly not an academic book as it contains various short stories and anecdotes for life. However, it is a book that will at the very least inspire you to do the little things a little bit better and a little more consistently. And this will ultimately help you change your life. After all, that’s what self-discipline is all about, isn’t it? Consistently doing the little things.

14. The Science of Self-Discipline

Best-selling author and human psychology researcher Peter Hollins has created a one-of-a-kind resource with his book The Science of Self-Discipline. As someone who has studied high performance individuals for over a decade, Hollins really nails the psychology and science behind behind self-discipline in this book.

His book provides an 11 chapter road map that will help you understand everything from how your biology, habits, mindset, and environment can and will impact your discipline levels. As such, this discipline book comes highly recommended and should be added to your reading list as well, if you have yet to read it .

15. The Marshmallow Test

Walter Mischel is one of the world’s leading experts on self-control. His groundbreaking work on self-control (a.k.a. the famous marshmallow test) has helped him get cited more than any other psychologist when it comes to self-control, as he’s shown better than anybody else, the direct link that exists between delayed gratification and one’s ability to create a successful life for themselves.

With that said, this is a great book to study if you’re looking to master self-discipline and self-control, as Mischel provides countless antidotes and strategies that just about anyone can implement to gain mastery of both .

16. The Power of Self-Discipline

In 2021 Peter Hollins published The Power of Self-Discipline . And while it’s not one of the most popular books on discipline, it is one of the most effective.

Why? Because it helps you get right to the heart of what deteriorates discipline, and it provides tangible methods to overcome those things. In fact, The Power of Self-Discipline is one of the few books that actually gives you small exercises that you can use to slowly and methodically build your self-discipline, habits, and self-control.

So if you’re looking for effective tools to reshape how well you can stay focused, disciplined, and get more more done with less effort, then this book is for you.

Bonus Self-Discipline Book: Discipline Equals Freedom

Sometimes, what we all really need to get the discipline we want is the cold hard truth. And that is exactly what Jocko Willink lays down for us in his book Discipline Equals Freedom . Hands down this is one of the best books on discipline.

This book is a must have for every discipline seeking individual, because Jocko speaks truth. No doubt, you may find what he has to say abrasive, maybe even a bit too straight-forward. But if you are truly seeking discipline, then you should be okay with his methods. Why? Because the ends justify the means.

This is a self-help book we all need to read in this day and age. And at the moment out of all of these books on discipline, this one is currently my favorite. It’s a book that will help you discipline your thoughts, which will then help you discipline your actions. So, if you’re ready to learn the simple truths about self-discipline, truths that will lead to disciplined action, then this book is for you .

“With self-discipline, most anything is possible.” – Theodore Roosevelt

GO FORTH AND BUILD YOUR SELF-DISCIPLINE

There you have it friends, the 15 best books on self-discipline that can help you improve your self-discipline and self-control.  But don’t just let your learning lead to knowledge, let your learning lead to action. And for some bonus methods to discipline your thoughts, be sure to check out these highly effective discipline affirmations , and our highly popular discipline quotes .

Remember, all successful people are highly disciplined people.  All unsuccessful people are usually un disciplined and unable to control their actions and appetites.

So, read these self discipline books, leverage your resources, and put what you learn into action, so when they talk about the 8% of people who follow through on their goals, they’ll be talking about you.

PS – These are the best books on discipline, no doubt about it!  But if you’re looking for something to truly help you BE self-disciplined NOW, self-disciplined enough to actually achieve the big harry audacious goals you’ve set for yourself, then this is for you .

THE ONE THING EVERY AMBITIOUS PERSON NEEDS: A MOTIVATION JOURNAL

If you’re seeking out motivational journals then this article is for you. We provide the reasons every person needs a motivation journal, along with a few of the top journals to use. However, before we reveal everything, here is what you need to know about motivation.

Every obstacle seems to move aside for the person who is truly motivated.  For the truly ambitious and highly motivated, just about every goal is conquerable.

Yet, motivation can also be extremely elusive, even for the most ambitious among us.

“Ambition Without The Motivation to Act, is Called Day-Dreaming.”

Truth is, there are times when motivation seems to avoid even the best of us, appearing as something slippery, difficult to grasp, and hard to maintain.  Unfortunately, when our motivation eludes us, we can feel trapped in a vicious cycle of procrastination and idleness.

But you know what?  It doesn’t have to be this way.  Motivation and goal achievement don’t have to be such a challenge for us.  In fact, you can kill your procrastination woes forever and it’s simpler than you think.

If you consider yourself ambitious, or you’d like to… and the idea of “staying motivated” 24/7/365 interests you, then keep reading.

The Truth About Motivation and Achievement

They say motivation is the driving force by which humans achieve their goals.  But oddly, way too many people struggle these days to find the motivation needed to reach their aims.

Why do they struggle?  They struggle because they sit around and wait for motivation to come to them.  If they’re not feeling “motivated”, they don’t act.

Sure, they act to get started on a big goal or dream when it’s new and the passion to achieve it is red hot.  But, most people stop taking action on their goals when the fire and newness surrounding them fizzles out.

When most people have a bad day, or a day where they feel less than inspired to take action on their goals, they tend to not do much towards accomplishing them.

They let themselves get distracted or decide to consciously do everything except what they originally committed themselves to doing.

No doubt this is a problem, and it’s one we’ve all faced before. Unfortunately, less motivation leads to less action, and less action leads to less achievement.

But, there is a solution! And believe it or not, is this….

Believe it or not, ritual is the little known secret that most accomplished achievers in the world use to motivate themselves.

Study any high performer closely and you’ll notice they don’t depend on motivation to strike before they get their work done.

Nope, they do the work they set out to do, motivated or not.  Why?  Because they’ve ritualized the process of motivation.  Some create early morning routines , and others late night rituals .  But it really doesn’t matter what time of day it occurs, so longs as they have a ritual to move their needle forward.

You see, what high achievers have figured out, is that goal accomplishment is easier to come by when habits have been created that force them to take action daily.

High achievers know that motivation never lasts, and so they find a way to ritualize their motivation.

And can you guess what one of the best ways to ritualize motivation is?

Use a Motivation Journal

If you guessed journaling, you’re right.  Every ambitious person needs a motivation journal to help them create a ritual that motivates.

Create a ritual that motivates, and you’ll end up conquering goals like you never thought you could. Why?

Because when you discover a way to improve your motivation simultaneously increase your chances of taking more action. And more action leads to better results and more achievement.

So if you can get in the habit of using a journal, you may just end up conquering goals like some of the greats.

In fact, here are a some of those great people who have used the ritual of journaling to propel themselves to achieve some pretty extraordinary things.

Notable Journal Users

Check them out:

• The well-known productivity expert, author, and entrepreneur, Tim Ferriss is known to have a daily journaling ritual that he does every morning. He spends at least five to ten minutes jotting down his ideas and plans, which he states helps him “push the ball forward”.
• Jim Rohn , the world-renowned business philosopher journaled constantly. In fact, keeping a journal was one of his best recommendations for life change and getting on the right track for goal achievement.  If you’ve ever studied or listened to any of Jim Rohn’s famous lectures, you’d hear him zealously encourage everyone to get into the habit of keeping a journal.
• Benjamin Franklin , one of America’s most famous founding fathers was a consummate journal keeper.   He was known to keep methodical records of his ideas and musings on life, politics, his ideas, and business.  But, most importantly, he would use his journals for the habitual learning, reflection, and accountability that lead him to become the highly accomplished renaissance man we’ve come to revere.
• One of the most talented individuals to have ever lived, Leonardo Da Vinci , was known to have filled tens of thousands of pages with note taking and planning. And look what that did for him, it helped him become one of the best innovators and artists the world has ever known.  Journaling has something truly magical about it, especially when you use it as a mechanism to make progress on your ideas and goals.
• Albert Einstein wrote more than 80,000 pages in his journals. And well, he was one of the most accomplished physicists to have ever lived.  Was it the journals that lead him to his great achievements?  Probably not 100%, but, the journaling certainly helped him gain clarity around his ideas and improved his thinking; two things that did lead to many of his greatest theoretical accomplishments.

There’s a good reason so many others have also documented why many of the world’s most successful people kept journals. 

The reason is because journals are a great way to create a ritual around planning your day, brainstorming your big ideas, visualizing your success, and recording your gratitude… all things some of the most successful people do on the daily.

So, now you know what many of the greats have done to stay motivated to achieve. They used a journal.

Now, all you have to do is get out there and get yourself a journal, and then get to work.

If you don’t know where to start don’t worry. We will take care of you. We know a thing or two about motivational journals, as such, we’ll be listing our top rated motivational journals below.

Whichever journal you choose, we believe you can’t go wrong with any of the choices below.

Don’t Know Where to Start? Try These Motivational Journals

Note:  We’re reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

1. The Freedom Journal

Our first recommendation is The Freedom Journal. John Lee Dumas of the hit Podcast ‘Entrepreneur On Fire’ created the high-quality product known as The Freedom Journal.

This motivational journal acts as a personal accountability partner, and does a good job helping people stay motivated to accomplish their #1 goal in 100 days.

With that said, we think you’ll like the product. And if you don’t, they have a 100% money-back, 1-year guarantee. So, if you’ve yet to employ this journal, give it a look.

2. Best Self Motivational Journal

Our next suggestion is the Best Life journal. This journal is both a week life planner and a motivational journal tied into one. The Best Life Journal has a daily progress tracker to help you outperform your prior goals.

It also includes a section for cultivating daily gratitude and improving your positivity levels. This is important, because we are more inclined to take action on our goals when we feel good about our lives and about ourselves.

No doubt, it is a motivational journal worthy of your consideration.

3. The Strive Journal

In case you didn’t already know, one of the best journals designed specifically to help you stay motivated long enough to achieve your goals is The Strive Journal.   The Strive Journal is a motivation journal that helps you persist long enough on your goals to see them through.

The components of the journal have been pulled together based off years of journaling and accomplishing goals, and it includes various aspects which are effective for creating feelings of accomplishment, which in turn can motivate you to keep making progress towards goals.

By and large, this motivational journal is terrific for helping you make move forward on your goals and not quit too soon. So, give it a try if you’re struggle with persistence.

“Set goals for the day, the week, the month, the year, and my life.  Just as the rain must fall before the wheat will crack its shell and sprout, so must I have objectives before my life will crystallize. – Og Mandino

There you have it, if you you’re looking to journal for motivation, then you can’t go wrong with the motivational journals recommended.

With that being said, the only thing standing between you and the achievement of your goals is the consistent and motivated action needed to bridge the gap.

So, go get yourself a journal and bridge that gap!

That said, if you enjoyed this page on motivation journals, then you may also find value in the following resources:

Best Motivational Books | Top Motivational Videos | Motivational Audiobooks

Obviously, there are other standard journals and even other motivation journals out there for you to use to help you ritualize your motivation.  So by all means, do further research if you need to, and choose whatever works best for you.

SELF-DISCIPLINE TIPS: THE BEST 7 WAYS TO IMPROVE SELF-DISCIPLINE

Just about every single person on earth has in some way, shape, or form struggled with self-discipline. Most people wish there was an easy pill, or wish there was some type of shortcut that would allow them to bypass the discipline required to achieve their goals, but, there isn’t one. Goals, and by extension, success, requires self-discipline. So, while there’s no shortcuts to success, the next best thing is a handful of highly effective self-discipline tips.

“Discipline Is The Bridge Between Goals And Accomplishment.”

That said, the more self-discipline you have, the more success you’ll have. It’s that simple. The hard part of course, is in the becoming. Becoming self-discipline is a challenge. But, challenges are meant to be overcome, and it’s why we’ve decided to pull together this list of the top 7 ways to improve self-discipline.

Our hope is that you’ll learn a thing or two from this short but powerful collection of self-discipline tips, and find more success in your life as you put them to work for you. So, if you’re ready to discover some of the absolute best way to improve your self-discipline levels, then let’s dive right in:

BEST 7 WAYS TO IMPROVE SELF-DISCIPLINE

1. Set Realistic Goals

Believe it or not, setting a goal is one of the most powerful self-discipline tips you could employ. [1] A goal well set can get even the most sluggish person among us moving, grooving, and on track.

However, you can’t just set any goal, it has to be a realistic one.

Certainly, when we have a critical mission it seems wise to take care of the larger tasks first. However, larger goals are harder to reach, which makes self-discipline more challenging.

For instance, you may want to lose a significant amount of weight; however, after training hard for a few weeks and seeing meager results, you may want to give up.

Therefore, it’s far better to commit to an intermediary goal like dropping a few inches a month, rather than choosing one that overwhelms you and causes you to throw in the towel too soon. Sure you can aim high, but aim for realistic intermediary goals first.

And as you reach those goals, then simply raise the bar a little higher. This one self-discipline tip alone will level-up just about anyone’s self-discipline.

Related: Keys to Accomplishing Your Goals

2. Avoid Temptation

When it comes to self-discipline, it’s best that we stay away from things that can take us away from our goal. If we are trying to quit something, like smoking for instance. Then it’s important to stay away from people who regularly smoke cigarettes.

By doing this, we won’t be tempted to partake in the temptation.

Similarly, if you’re trying to lose weight, get the junk food out of your pantry. Having easy access to the things that will get you off course will weaken your resolve faster than almost any other thing.

Of course, this tip can be one of the hardest tips to improve your self discipline if you don’t proactively remove those temptations first. So, be sure to keep those vices out of reach and out of sight.

Just remember, that when our vices are out of our reach, it’s so much easier to focus on other things, like our goals.

3. Do a Countdown

We’ve all had those pesky “I’ll do it later” moments; A.K.A. procrastination . Now, believe it or not, procrastinating is one of self-discipline’s greatest rivals. In a sense, they are antithetical to each other, meaning they are each other’s opposites.

Fortunately, there is a way to defeat self-discipline’s arch nemesis. Jus do this; when you’re feeling lazy or hesitant to follow through with your goal, conduct a simple countdown. Seriously, doing a simple count can help defeat procrastination.

Counting down from ten can get you out of bed for a jog or to get you off of the couch to cook dinner for your family. The countdown provides a bumper before springing into action. If necessary, you can yourself as much as a minute and work our way down, or you can go with just five seconds like motivational coach Mel Robbins suggests.

4. Reward Good Behavior

Unfortunately, we’re usually better at punishing ourselves for poor behavior than rewarding good behavior. From now on, we need to start giving ourselves praise when we stay on track to meet our goals.

Now, the rewards don’t have to be large or extravagant. In fact, your reward can be as simple as allowing yourself a cheat dessert after eating healthy six days of the week.

In some cases, rewards can be a break. it’s possible to overextend ourselves with little to no rest, especially with physical goals. Keep in mind, we don’t want to go overboard with rewards. Rewarding ourselves with every minor goal we meet, we can become counterproductive and even stagnant in our ability to self-regulate.

5. Recruit Someone to Help with Accountability

Having someone to support our efforts is great for a number of reasons. For one, there’s someone there to encourage and motivate us to move forward. It’s also great to have someone there to hold us accountable when we begin to slack.

Say we’re trying to go into business for ourselves. There’s a lot of work that goes into entrepreneurship, and procrastination can make or break our chances of success. If a friend or partner helps us stay focused, we’ll have an easier time getting to the finish line. [2]

Even when times are hard, they can give us the motivation we need as opposed to giving up.

6. Understand Your Weaknesses

Before you start your self-discipline journey, it’s important that you are honest about your shortcomings prior to setting any goals. Once you identify what you struggle with, you can work on overcoming and moving closer to what it is you are trying to achieve.

For example, you may have a hard time saying no to people you love, even if it gets in the way of accomplishing your personal goals. Or you may have enjoy having a few drinks every weekend to relieve stress; which is okay, but if you love doing it, and it gets in the way of your goals, then making a mental not of this weakness is key.

When you improve your clarity, you’ll improve your results. Overtime, you’ll learn how to turn your weaknesses into strengths.

Related: Self-Discipline Affirmations

7. Prioritize Wellness

This is easily one of the most important tips to improve self discipline. All of the hard work is irrelevant if we’re not taking care of our physical, mental, and emotional health.

When it comes to discipline, to get optimal results, we need to maintain healthy diets, get enough rest, and keep our stress levels at bay. Once we start prioritize wellness and our well-being, we’ll have an easier time and more energy to actionize our goals.

As a result, our ability to be more disciplined with improve across the board and almost effortlessly.

Bonus Self-Discipline Tip

Here’s our final self-discipline tip, and it’s one that all too many people over look. Most people likely overlook this tip because most people don’t like to read or study. But, learning and seeking mastery over any topic, is the best to ensure you become good at a thing.

When people want to get good at managing their money, they study money. When people want to improve their cooking skills, they research cooking techniques. And striving to improve your self-discipline is no different. It’s why you are on this page.

So, if you really want to improve your self-discipline, and take it to the next level by giving serious effort and time towards studying the various self-discipline books that are out there, and then practicing what you learned. Do this, and there’s no way you can’t but improve your discipline.

Repetition is the mother of skill, so here’s a final recap of the 7 best ways to improve self-discipline to find more success in everything you do:

• Set Realistic Goals
• Avoid/Remove Temptations
• Do A Countdown
• Reward Good Behavior
• Recruit An Accountability Partner
• Understand Your Weaknesses
• Prioritize Your Wellness
• Study Self-Discipline

We all can benefit from perfecting our self discipline. Using these tips for self-discipline will not only help with productivity, it will also benefit your overall wellness, your ability to connect with others, and most importantly, they’ll help you become more successful.

Best of all, you don’t have to do it alone. By reaching out to others, we can help each other fortify our levels of self-discipline, reach our goals, and avoid giving up on our dreams .

PS – If you enjoyed these self-discipline tips, then you’ll love this article on how to build self-discipline as well.

HOW TO DEVELOP DISCIPLINE THE EASY WAY

Discipline is one of the most important factors for achieving success. Many people already know this, but unfortunately many of them perceive the consistent application of discipline to be too hard. As a result, many people never take those first steps towards their big goals.

They assume they don’t have what it takes to succeed, so never try. But we are here to tell you that being disciplined doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, there is an easy way to develop discipline. So, if you want to know how to develop discipline the easy way, then this article is for you.

We aim to share with you one of the easiest, yet effective ways to develop the discipline you’ll need to start achieving more of what you truly want in life. That being said, if you’re ready to learn about the easiest and most effective ways to develop discipline, let’s get started.

HOW TO DEVELOP DISCIPLINE

1. Start With Little Disciplines

One of the most simple ways to develop your self-discipline muscles is to start small. When you start executing on those seemingly small disciplines, you’ll begin noticing that you are in fact slowly progressing on a larger discipline.

Large disciplines are basically the accumulation of many smaller disciplines. And after you’ve tackled enough of those small disciplines, to your amazement, you’ll have executed on a big one.

On top of this, every discipline executed, regardless of size, impacts your ability to execute on other disciplines. And the more you practice exercising your discipline, the stronger it will become over time.

So start small, and never forget that inch by inch everything is a cinch.

“Inch by inch everything is a cinch.” – Robert Schuller –

2. Create a Goal That Inspires

A person who has a strong enough “WHY” never has to worry about the “HOW”. Too many people shrug off the power of goal-setting , but when it’s done correctly, a person can anoint themselves with seemingly god-like levels of discipline.

By creating a goal that inspires, and by reviewing that goal daily, you position yourself to be pulled by your goals. This “pulling effect”, will lead to you taking action day in and day out towards your goals, even on days when you’re not 100% up to putting in the work.

So, be extra vigilant in your goal-setting, and you’ll cultivate the extreme self-discipline needed to accomplish great things.

“People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals – that is, goals that do not inspire them.” – Anthony Robbins –

3. Toss Out The Temptations

Getting off-track is so easy to do. One slight slip up typically leads to another one, and then another, until we get so off track that we choose to throw in the towel on our goals.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can take control of the situation and set yourself up for success by outsmarting your environment. And all it requires of you, is a little pre-emptive work to rid your environment of the distractions and temptations that will get you off your game.

If your goal requires losing weight, toss out the junk food in your cupboard. If your goal requires less distractions like binge watching YouTube or FB scrolling, remove those apps from your phone.

You get the picture, if there is a temptation or distraction that can potentially hinder taking the actions necessary to reach your goals, toss them.

“Temptation usually comes in through a door that has deliberately been left open.” – Arnold H. Glasow –

4. Hold Yourself Accountable

Self-discipline is all about self-regulation, self-direction, and getting yourself to do what you said you were going to do. As such, you also need to hold yourself accountable.

By holding yourself accountable, you’ll be able to get yourself to do more. You’ll remember, that if you don’t do what you said you were going to do, there will be a consequence.

So, to hold yourself accountable, all you have to do is choose a consequence for yourself, if you don’t follow through. Yes, this will be hard. And it should be.

The consequence you set for yourself, will help drive you to act when you are suppose. And it can be something simple, like saying to yourself, ‘Okay, if don’t go to the gym at least 4 times this week, then I don’t get to have any ice cream this weekend.’

It’s simple accountability, but it’s effective.

“If we don’t discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us.” – william feather –

Final Thoughts Developing Discipline The Easy Way

Anyone can develop discipline, and it is especially easy if the steps outlined are followed. Remember, discipline is not as difficult as it seems, and once you master it, your whole world will change. You’ll achieve more goals, and in so doing, you’ll begin getting more of what you want in life.

Once again, the easy way for you to develop discipline is to practice these three simple steps:

• Start With Small Disciplines
• Create a Goal That Pulls You Into Action
• Toss Out Temptations
• Hold Yourself Accountable

Lastly, if you enjoyed this article and tips mentioned above, then you’ll love these handful of articles created to support you in developing the discipline needed to achieve all your goals:

Books for Building Self-Discipline

How to Build Self-Discipline

Discipline Affirmations That Actually Work

Self-Discipline: The Key to Happiness

Follow the simple steps outlined in this article, use the recommended resources above, and then leverage your new found discipline to create the life you want. Easy peasy.

PS – If you enjoyed this article on how to develop self-discipline, then you’ll likely enjoy this article on why discipline is the key to success .

25+INSPIRING SYLVESTER STALLONE QUOTES FOR SUCCESS

RUDY RUETTIGER NET WORTH

25 AFFIRMATIONS FOR CONFIDENCE THAT ACTUALLY WORK

RYAN PINEDA NET WORTH AND HOW HE GOT SO RICH

ANDREW CARNEGIE’S NET WORTH + MIND-BLOWING EARNING POWER

TOP 35 RAY DALIO QUOTES FOR SUCCESS AND RICHES

47+ INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES ABOUT FREEDOM

100+ INSPIRING EFFORT QUOTES TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR POTENTIAL

100+ HARD WORK QUOTES TO HELP YOU OUTWORK EVERYONE

100+ INSPIRING QUOTES ABOUT FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS

100+ MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES TO HELP YOU NEVER GIVE UP

Essay on Self Discipline and its Importance in English for Children and Students

Table of Contents

A disciplined person is far more productive and successful compared to someone who lacks this quality. Self-discipline is important but not easy to achieve. However, once you achieve it, you can do wonders.

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Long and Short Essays on Self Discipline and its Importance in English

Here are Essay on Self Discipline and its Importance of varying lengths to help you with the topic in your exams and competitions. You can choose any Self Discipline and its Importance Essay as per your need and requirement.

All the essays are well written using easy language to fulfil the purpose of all users across India. All the points, related to Self Discipline and its Importance, are covered in these essays to help you to get all the related information at one place.

Short Essay on Self Discipline and its Importance (200 Words) – Essay 1

Self-discipline is a term commonly used. Our parents as well as teachers stress upon its importance time and again. This is because practicing self-discipline helps in leading a wholesome life. Self-discipline is essential for every person irrespective of his age, class or profession. It helps in making optimal use of the available time. This results in increased productivity and enhanced efficiency.

Some of the most successful people around the world practice self-discipline. They claim that one of the main reasons they have been able to attain high stature is because of self-discipline. They did not start big but made the most of the small things they had and have reached high positions.

Small changes in routine life such as sleeping and waking up at the same time each day, eating healthy food, exercising and setting goals can help in achieving self-discipline. These small changes in life can bring about a huge difference and encourage a person to lead a life of self-discipline.

Self-discipline shows a person’s character and shapes his relationship with those around him. Not giving into temptations and distractions is a virtue people admire. Those who practice self-discipline are always looked up to in society. People seek their advice. So, they do not only improve their lives but also aid in enhancing the life of those around them.

Essay on Self Discipline and its Importance (300 Words) – Essay 2

‘Benefits of Self-Discipline’

Introduction

Self-discipline is the ability to stay in control, resist temptations, stay away from distractions, overcome procrastination and addictions and stay determined to achieve the set goals. Everyone should practice self-discipline in order to lead a good life.

Self Discipline for a Healthy and Wealthy Life

Self-discipline is one of the key ingredients for leading a healthy and wealthy life. A person who is self-disciplined does not indulge in addictions such as smoking, drinking, etc. He also resists the temptation to have junk food. He sticks to healthy eating habits. He does not procrastinate when it comes to exercising, meditating, and completing his work. Thus, he does not just dream about leading a healthy and wealthy life he works hard to make it happen.

Benefits of Self Discipline

Self-discipline helps us practice the following:

• Work hard to achieve the set goals
• Finish work on time
• Resist impulsive actions and reactions
• Overcome procrastination and laziness
• Stick to the schedule
• Wake up early
• Connect with the inner self
• Bond better with those around
• Attain success at work

Self-discipline Programs

While people understand the importance of self-discipline they are unable to inculcate it mainly because they keep procrastinating. Many lack the will power to achieve it. This is the reason why many self-discipline programs have been introduced. It is a good idea to enrol for one such program and try incorporating this habit along with others who are struggling hard to inculcate it.

These programs are easy to follow and make use of interesting exercises to achieve self-discipline. Since it is a group activity it does not seem like a task.

Self Discipline is certainly helpful in leading a healthy and wealthy life. However, there is no doubt about the fact that it is difficult to inculcate. This is the reason why self-discipline programs have been initiated. It is much easier to learn this virtue by enrolling in one such program.

Essay on Self Discipline and its Importance (400 Words) – Essay 3

‘Self Discipline: Important for a Healthy Life’

Self-discipline is a skill that can be achieved with practice and patience. If one is determined to inculcate self-discipline, he can do it with some effort. It may seem difficult initially and one may be tempted to quit but the key is to try a little harder and achieve it. Self-discipline is important to lead a healthy life.

Self Discipline Furthers Healthy Habits

Many people understand and acknowledge the importance of self-discipline but are not ready to make efforts to achieve it. Some try and give up too early. Others feel it is overrated and does not make any effort to achieve it. Self-discipline is very important. It would not be wrong to say that self-discipline promotes good health.

People who lead a disciplined life make sure they sleep on time each day and have adequate sleep. They wake up fresh and can take better charge of their day. They understand the importance of exercise and indulge in the same regularly. They have complete self-control and do not give in to temptations. They can very well control the urge to have junk food.

On the other hand, those who lack self-discipline procrastinate and avoid exercise. They do not have self-control and give in to temptations easily. They often end up eating junk food in large quantities only to regret later.

Correlation between Self Discipline and Healthy Eating Habits

Self-discipline helps in inculcating healthy eating habits. Healthy eating habits help in promoting self-discipline. The two are correlated. A person who is self-disciplined understands the importance of eating healthy and has enough self- control to let go of the urge to eat junk food. So, self-discipline helps in inculcating healthy eating habits that in turn aids in keeping fit.

Likewise, a person who eats healthy food is able to take better charge of his day and feel in control. He stays energized throughout the day and stands a better chance to accomplish his goals. On the other hand, someone who consumes oily and sugary food feels lethargic and out of control. He feels too low on energy and even as he wants to accomplish his goals he is too tired to do so.

Self-discipline is essential for leading a healthy life. People struggling to quit addictions such as smoking and drinking should try to practice self-discipline. This will give them the power to take control of their life and get rid of these habits.

Essay on Self Discipline and its Importance (500 Words) – Essay 4

‘Self Discipline Promotes Wholesome Living’

Self-discipline is essential for leading a wholesome life. A person who imbibes this quality enhances his chances of success at work. He also leads a more fulfilling personal life. This quality is rare but essential.

Success at Work

Procrastination is one of the biggest hindrances in achieving success at work. A self-disciplined person does not procrastinate. He practices self- control and concentrates on work instead of just whiling away time. He does not give in to distractions and temptations. He knows that work comes first and other things can wait. He does not hesitate to put his mobile phone aside as he sits to work.

He also resists the temptation of being a part of unnecessary office gossip. He indulges in productive tasks that can help him achieve success at work. He is particular about the deadlines as well as the quality of work. He completes and submits his work on time and ensures good quality.

A person who practices self-discipline does not waste much time viewing television or chit chatting on his mobile. He rather prefers reading a book or joining a part-time course to enhance his skills and knowledge. All this helps in moving up the success ladder.

Family Bonding

A person who practices self-discipline can maintain work- life balance. This is because he makes good use of his time. Working without any distractions helps in completing the tasks quickly. So, he can devote enough time to his family too. He also understands that when he is with his family, he does not just have to be present physically but also mentally.

Unlike, most people who are engrossed in their mobiles or television sets even as they sit with their close ones; a self-disciplined person puts these distractions aside. He focuses on one thing at a time. When he is with his family he makes sure he gives his undivided attention to them. Such a person is thus able to bond well with his family members. He builds happier and healthier relationships.

Time for Self

A self-disciplined person understands the importance of spending time with himself. He takes out time to practice meditation. This helps him connect with his inner self. It is possible to bond well with others and perform well at work only when one is connected to his inner self. It also helps in combating unnecessary stress and aids in making better decisions.

A self-disciplined person never procrastinates or hesitates when it comes to putting efforts to maintain good physical and mental health. He indulges in exercise regularly. He also eats healthy food and dons a positive attitude.

Everyone around us lays stress upon leading a life of discipline. We often hear about the benefits of self-discipline. But unfortunately, no one teaches us how to inculcate self-discipline and lead a disciplined life. There should be an exclusive period in schools where students should be taught how to imbibe self-discipline to lead a better life. Likewise, parents must also help their kids attain self-discipline.

Long Essay on Self Discipline and its Importance (600 Words) – Essay 5

‘Ways to Inculcate Self Discipline’

Self-discipline comes naturally to some people while others can achieve it with some effort. The effort made is worth it as it changes life for the better. Self-discipline doesn’t mean one has to be too harsh towards himself/herself. It just means exercising self- control. A person who stays in control has the ability to take charge of his/her actions and reactions.

The below mentioned points can be helpful in inculcating self-discipline:

The first step towards leading a disciplined life is to set goals. Goals give you a clear idea about what needs to be achieved. You must always set a timeline for your goals. This serves as a driving force and motivates you to work hard. It is a good idea to set both short term and long term goals and create a well thought out plan to achieve them.

• Get Rid of Distractions

In this technology- driven world, there are numerous things that can distract us and take charge of our lives. Our mobile phones, television, and chatting apps are some of the new age things that are a big hindrance in practicing self-discipline. No matter how determined we are to study, work or sleep on time, we tend to get distracted at the beep of our phone.

Social media platforms, chatting apps and web series are extremely addictive and hamper work. In order to practice self-discipline, it is important to stay away from these distractions. Put your phone on silent or keep it at a distance when you sit to study or work. Similarly, just put your phone away at bedtime and instead pick a book to read.

Meditation is one of the best ways to channel our energy in the right direction. It helps maintain focus, acquaints us with our inner self and furthers better self- control. It is the stepping stone for a disciplined life. Meditating for half an hour every day can help in inculcating self-discipline.

• Keep a Check on Your Eating Habits

No matter how hard pressed you are to follow your to-do list and accomplish your goals, you may not be able to do so if you are not eating right. Oily, fried and sugary food can drain your energy and make you feel lethargic. Junk food is a hindrance to leading a disciplined life. It is important to eat healthy food to inculcate self-discipline.

• Reward Yourself

Reward yourself for every goal you achieve. This will motivate you to work harder to achieve more. The reward can be anything from watching your favourite movie to going out with your friends. This is a good way to trick your brain to inculcate self-discipline.

• Set a Routine

Those who set a routine and follow it daily lead a more disciplined life. It is suggested to list all the tasks that you require accomplishing in a given day. Write them in the order of their priority, set a timeline for each and act accordingly. This is a good way to lead an organized and disciplined life.

You can inculcate self-discipline only when you are well rested. So, it is essential to sleep for eight hours each night. Maintaining a good sleep cycle is also essential. This means that you should try sleeping and waking up at the same time each day. A power nap during the afternoon can help further.

• Stay Positive

Many people want to inculcate self-discipline but are unable to because they somehow believe that it is difficult to achieve. They feel that it is too much to ask for and that they shall not be able to practice it. This is the wrong approach. You can achieve anything in life if you stay positive and believe in yourself. So, you should stay positive. It is a pre-requisite for inculcating self-discipline.

Achieving self-discipline may be difficult but it is important to lead a healthy personal and professional life. We must thus make some effort to achieve it. The above mentioned points can help in this direction.

Related Information:

• Essay on Discipline
• Paragraph on Discipline
• Speech on Value of Discipline in Student Life
• Speech on Discipline
• Speech on Self-Discipline and its Importance
• Essay on Good Manners

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How to write the perfect discipline essay?

Essay writing is a fundamental task that can improve your language skills. discipline is a key contributor to ensuring you achieve all your set objectives. combine both and you have an essay topic that is guaranteed to inspire and enlighten your readers. here is how to write the perfect discipline essay, table of contents, what concepts should i cover in my discipline essay , what pointers should i keep in mind when drafting the introduction of my discipline essay, how do i write the body of my discipline essay , how do i effectively conclude my discipline essay , interesting quotes to conclude your discipline essay, key takeaways .

Discipline is ‌one of the most crucial personality traits in your life. This term refers to a set of rules that are followed while undergoing any activity or task. 

Practicing discipline is an excellent way to remain motivated and encouraged when setting out to accomplish a goal. A discipline essay is, therefore, a wonderful way to gather and share information that will eventually also improve your writing skills.  Here are some pointers to keep in mind when writing the perfect discipline essay!

Before you write your discipline essay, consider creating a structure for your piece. The structure should include an introduction, body, and conclusion that effectively covers all important points regarding the topic. 

The points you will use to describe the topic should encompass all relevant information that a reader needs to know. This includes a brief description of discipline, the role that discipline plays in accomplishing goals, the importance of discipline in everyday life, and the advantages of a disciplined lifestyle.

The introductory paragraph of an essay is an essential part of the piece. Your discipline essay’s introduction should be able to accomplish the following objectives – 

• Catch your readers’ attention 
• Provide a simple background on the topic 
• Present a one-line summary of what the reader can expect to learn from the essay 

The first sentence of your introduction is fundamental to setting the tone for the whole discipline essay. 

Here is an easy example to start your piece with – 

The fields of psychology and philosophy have discussed the art and skill of discipline for thousands of years. Ancient Greek philosophers describe discipline as a ‘sophrosyne’, an ideal of the soundness of mind and an excellent character that births self-control, balance, and moderation. 

Your introduction should also be able to provide a historical, geographical, and social context (when required). If presenting an argument, an outline of your debate is crucial to establishing the baseline for your reader.

The body of your discipline essay should contain paragraphs that organize your thoughts and themes. Body paragraphs play an essential role in proving the thesis of your essay (which is presented in the introduction). 

Each paragraph of the essay should logically relate to the one immediately before and after it. A single paragraph should also focus on one topic or idea. 

At this point, it is important to note that readers absorb information in short increments, taking mental breaks at the end of a paragraph. Lengthy paragraphs in your discipline essay are better off avoided. 

The body of your discipline essay also provides an opportunity to expand on the claims established in the introductory paragraph. Use short and concise sentences supported with quotations, data, and facts from reputable sources to create an impression on the reader.  If presenting evidence, never leave the paragraph hanging. As an essay writer, your key responsibility includes linking work and connecting your evidence on discipline to the main ideas of the paragraph. You can accomplish this by interpreting, expanding, and commentating on the evidence described in the body.

The conclusion of your discipline essay is the last paragraph you need to write. A good conclusion will – 

• Tie together the main points of the essay 
• Present why your argument is relevant 
• Leave a strong and lasting impression on the reader

The conclusion of your essay is the best place to review your main points and remind the reader of your arguments. Try not to simply summarize each paragraph and repeat each point explained in the body of your discipline essay. 

The conclusion needs to bring together all of your points on the topic of discipline in a manner that clearly illustrates the connection between the different concepts. 

Wrap your conclusion with a broader view of the topic and implications of your argument. The conclusion should be able to – 

• Provide the reader with a new understanding of ‌’discipline’ 
• Raise new questions on how the topic can be implemented in everyday life 
• Create opportunities for the concept of discipline to be applied to different contexts 
• Allow the reader to connect the concept to a broader theme or debate
• Create room for practical predictions and suggestions

You can even consider ending your discipline essay with a strong & decisive sentence, or even a quote!

• “Sucess isn’t measured by money or power or social rank. Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace.” – Mike Ditka. 
• “Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel 
• “Confidence comes from discipline and training.” – Robert Kiyosaki
• “Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.” – George Washington 
• “With faith, discipline, and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.” – Muhammad Ali Jinnah
• Essay writing is an essential component of language learning and development. Writing on topics of interest can be an excellent way to facilitate the understanding of new concepts and themes. 
• Learning how to structure and write a discipline essay with the above points can help you create prose that is compelling, informative, and engaging. 
• Dividing your essay into a clean structure that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion can help you put your thoughts across as neatly and concisely as possible. 
• The conclusion of your essay can leave a lasting impression on the reader. You can consider ending your essay with the quotes listed above for maximum effect. 

Did you enjoy this blog? If yes, please share your thoughts in the comments below. Click here to reach out to us for more information on how to write the perfect discipline essay. We would be happy to assist you with your queries!

Liked this blog? Read next: Global warming essay | Create the best essay with these 10 pointers!

Q1. What are the benefits of writing essays? 

Answer – With essays, you can gain significant research skills and increase your knowledge of different concepts and develop your writing abilities. 

Q2. Does discipline contribute to effective decision-making? 

Answer – Absolutely! Individuals who are disciplined are also mentally and physically focused. They are, therefore, able to align their body & mind with their ideas & goals to make excellent decisions. 

Q3. What sort of writing tone should I employ for an essay on discipline? 

Answer – This depends on what you are attempting to accomplish with your essay. For example, a conversational tone for a discipline essay can be a great way to initiate discussion on the concept amongst your readers.

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Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.

What's the meaning of this quote?

Quote Meaning: The quote "Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself" speaks to the importance of self-discipline and self-control in cultivating a sense of self-worth and dignity. It suggests that the ability to resist temptation and delay gratification is a key component of building self-respect and a strong sense of personal values. The quote encourages us to prioritize our long-term goals and values over short-term desires, in order to build a stronger sense of self and a greater sense of personal fulfillment.

Who said the quote?

The quote "Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself." was said by Abraham Joshua Heschel ( Bio / Quotes ) . Abraham Joshua Heschel was a Polish-born American rabbi, philosopher, and theologian known for his work on Jewish mysticism and social justice.

What's the quote's message?

The quote delves into the intricate relationship between self-discipline, self-respect, and personal dignity. It suggests that our ability to respect ourselves is closely tied to our ability to exercise self-control and restraint. This might seem counterintuitive in a culture that often equates freedom with the ability to do whatever one wants, whenever one wants. However, the quote argues that true freedom and dignity come not from indulging every whim, but from making conscious choices, setting personal boundaries, and holding ourselves accountable. Saying 'no' to oneself isn't about self-denial or punishment, but about recognizing our long-term goals and values, and making decisions that align with them, even when it's difficult or uncomfortable. This ability to choose what is best for us in the long run, rather than what is most satisfying in the moment, is a powerful form of self-respect. It shows that we value ourselves enough to make hard choices and that we trust ourselves to handle the consequences. This deep sense of self-respect, cultivated through discipline, inevitably fosters a sense of dignity and worthiness that is immune to external validation or criticism.

Is there a historical example that illustrates the message of the quote?

One historical figure that perfectly embodies the message of this quote is Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi, a major political and spiritual leader in India, is well-known for his philosophy of nonviolence and his commitment to truth, which he termed as 'Satyagraha'.

Gandhi's life was marked by a rigorous commitment to self-discipline and self-control. He followed a life of simplicity, self-restraint, and austerity, which included practices like fasting, meditation, and celibacy. He famously practiced a strict vegetarian diet and was known to deny himself food for long periods. This was an extreme form of discipline and self-control, where he was regularly saying "no" to himself, to his bodily needs and desires.

Throughout his life, Gandhi carried a sense of self-respect and dignity that was deeply intertwined with his discipline and self-control. He believed that his commitment to discipline and self-control, his ability to deny his own desires and needs, was a source of his moral strength and influence. This commitment was also central to his philosophy of nonviolence; he believed that the ability to endure suffering without responding with violence required a high degree of self-control and self-discipline.

Gandhi's principles of discipline and self-control played a crucial role in India's struggle for independence. His approach of nonviolent resistance against the British Rule relied heavily on the idea of maintaining dignity and self-respect in the face of oppression and injustice. Through his self-discipline and ability to say no to himself, he inspired millions to follow his lead, ultimately leading to India's independence in 1947.

How can the quote be applied in a real-life scenario?

This quote emphasizes the significance of self-discipline and the power of self-denial in building self-respect. In essence, the quote is about making choices that are beneficial for us in the long term, even if they require denying short-term desires.

For instance, consider the case of a university student, Maria. She's been invited by her friends to a party the night before a critical examination. Maria loves to socialize and she would usually jump at the chance to join them. However, she knows that if she goes to the party, she won't be able to perform at her best in the examination, and that will negatively impact her grades.

In this scenario, applying the quote means Maria would respectfully decline the party invitation and focus on preparing for her examination instead. Doing so might require substantial self-control, as she's effectively saying no to her immediate desires. However, it's this very act of self-denial — choosing to prioritize her academics over immediate gratification — that builds her self-respect. She demonstrates to herself that she has the discipline to make tough decisions that are in her best interest, which in turn strengthens her self-respect.

The more Maria and others exercise this discipline, the more their sense of dignity grows. This dignity isn't dependent on external validation but is instead an inner sense of worth and respect for oneself, cultivated through making disciplined choices.

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