Seven ways to improve your self-discipline

Finding success – be it professionally or personally – requires discipline. This is the actual personal disciplines of self-control, correctness, values, ethics, courage, character and purpose.

Personal discipline is the path to improving our own performance. Self-discipline develops self-control and character, resulting in an orderly and efficient work and home life. It is discipline, not just desire, which determines success.

Discipline is necessary to set and achieve goals. If we have the discipline to do, to act, to listen and to constantly seek ways to improve, we will achieve far greater success in our lives.

Focused goal setting on results you really want to achieve is the key. Achieving your clarified and specific goals through being disciplined will give you a more orderly, confident and stress-free work life.

As a bonus, productivity will improve and you will also demonstrate a positive impact on others. Attitudes are caught, not taught!

1 Determine and prioritise your work goals. Know what you want to achieve. Write it down. Be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely.

2 List your reasons for the goal. What am I doing and why am I doing this? What will I possibly gain from achieving this goal? Why is it important?

3 Identify any issues or obstacles. Anticipate road blocks that might work against you.

4 Develop new behaviours. Put in place new behaviours such as using your Outlook as a contact planner. Drink plenty of water every day. Practise reflection.

5 Have courage – courage to commit to the goals and their achievement.

6 Be ethical. Treat others as you want to be treated. Use strength based language. Praise publicly and criticise privately.

7 Stay focussed. Read and review your goals daily. Don’t be despondent if you miss one or two. Just reset them and refocus. Don’t give up! Be persistent and diligent.

The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret.