Read more at http://lwww.thecareertimes.com/why-you-need-to-master-the-art-of-self-discipline/

If you asked every person you met over the next one week if they have a goal, a dream or a vision for their life, the answer would most likely be an overwhelming “yes!”. Most people have dreams and goals – a picture of how they would like their lives to become. Yet, only few people ever actualise their dreams. Very often, the difference between those who reach their goals and those who don’t, boils down to one thing: self-discipline, which goes hand in hand with tenacity and hard-work.

Self-discipline is the ability to do what is required, in order to achieve results – whether or not it’s convenient. Self-discipline is not a one-day activity. It is a conscious, continuous process which ultimately becomes a lifestyle.

Successful people didn’t get there by chance, nor did they become successful overnight. Think of world-class athletes, musicians, entrepreneurs, successful academics and spiritual leaders. They have each had to pay a price to achieve the level of success that they have. World-class athletes have to put in several hours of practice, often while the rest of the world is asleep, to reach and maintain #1 position in their sport. Musicians have to consistently practice, to train their voices and to be the best at their game. Entrepreneurs often have to work longer hours than most, postponing leisure till they have met their goals. Successful academics invest time in studying and performing research into their specific fields, to gain valuable insights. Spiritual leaders often live a fasted life, denying themselves of many of life’s pleasures, to achieve and maintain spiritual strength.

Without self-discipline, it is next to impossible to become successful at anything. With self-discipline, there is hardly a goal you cannot reach.

Key steps to achieving self-discipline:

Spend some time to think, and then to write out your vision for your life, your goals, and the steps required to accomplish those goals

It’s hard to achieve the level of motivation required to be disciplined if you don’t know where your life is headed or what you’re working towards. Think about your life as it is today, and then think about it as you would like it to be in the future. Write down your vision and your goals, and identify the things that you can start to do in order to get there. Your goals don’t have to be long-term ones initially. You could decide, for example, to learn a new skill over the next 3 months, which will increase your value in the eyes of potential employers or investors.

From this point on, each day, review every decision you make and ever activity you carry out, against your vision and your goals. Stick to those activities that align with your goals and ditch those that don’t.

Review your habits

Your habits ultimately determine your destination. Are you the sort of person who eats between meals? Wakes up late or sleeps late because you’ve been browsing the web or talking all evening? Arrives late for work, church, or meetings? Struggles to keep promises? Watches TV all day long? Cannot control your tongue or your thoughts? Cannot be trusted with money? The first step to achieving self-discipline is understanding what areas you need to work on. Conduct an honest self-analysis and make a commitment to yourself today, to work on each of these areas.

Consciously cultivate habits that positively impact your physical, emotional, mental, financial and spiritual well-being

Self-discipline is a conscious process. This means that it is only likely to be achieved if you deliberately go out of your way to take steps to get your life on track.

A step towards achieving self-discipline is to cultivate the right habits, consciously. Think about eating right (i.e. healthy), saving as much money as you can (e.g. spending less on eating out, partying, clothes); spending less time on social media or unproductive habits and instead investing time in increasing your knowledge and your value; exercising (even if it’s just jugging in your room or living room for 20-30 minutes each day); reflecting daily on what areas in your life can be improved upon. These seemingly insignificant things are the things that will ultimately shape your future.

Set boundaries for yourself

A very helpful tip for cultivating self-discipline is to master the art of saying ‘NO’, to yourself and to others. Say ‘no’ to the temptation to check your Facebook profile first thing in the morning. Say ‘no’ to the temptation to eat between meals or to eat unhealthy food. Say ‘no’ to that friend who is accustomed to calling and speaking for hours on end, without contributing much value to your life. Say ‘no’ to the temptation to watch TV when you could be learning and improving your skills and your value.

Self-discipline is the fuel that keeps you going when you are discouraged, or when your desired outcome seems too far away. It does not come overnight, nor is it restricted to only a fortunate few. It is a choice – one which can drastically alter the course of your life.

Good points. Yeah, whether pre-existing knowlege or not there are lots of truth in this post. I've experienced it personally. Its never easy at first, but a conscious decision and determination to succeed can make a lot of difference. You will feel more confident and enthusiastic about life and forgive yourself of past mistakes. Thanks for sharing.