ROBERT J.R. GRAHAM: Using Self Discipline To Achieve Your Goals

Self Discipline – There Is Only Do Or Do Not

by: Chris Mohritz

The word “try” is considerably more powerful than people typically give it credit for. Though you may think that trying to do something is positive, it may actually be hindering your progress. If you take a moment to actually think about the word for a moment, it basically means you will attempt to: earn more money, get a promotion or achieve a specific goal. The problem is that the very act of trying takes the pressure off when it comes to actually achieving your goal because you have already given yourself permission to fail. If you quit before you achieve the goal you have still “tried” so you have succeeded in some small way and do not have to exercise any self-discipline.

Staying Motivated – Needless to say, the word try could be your biggest enemy when you need to stay motivated. Most success coaches highly recommend that you make your goals concrete instead of flexible, so you never have to use the word try again, this is the key to self-discipline. That is definitely easier said than done in most instances, so here are a few tips to help stay motivated and on task.

Expectations – There is a lot of truth in the statement that you will get out of life what you expect, expectations are very powerful motivators. Look at any goal you want to achieve, for instance a bigger house, and begin to tell yourself “I will live in a bigger home in 90 days”. Do you notice the difference in how you feel? Compare that to saying, “I will try to buy a bigger house”, are you beginning to see? Whatever it is that you want to achieve tomorrow, next week or even next year, you have to begin believing that you will do it as opposed to simply trying.

Self Confidence – But perhaps the problem is rooted in self-confidence, and you have difficulty truly believing in yourself. If you do not believe in yourself, it is going to be difficult to accomplish anything significant in your life. If you have trouble in this area, you could try some confidence building tips such as:

Set Realistic Goals – Do not expect to make a million dollars if you are barely clearing $30,000 now. Set out to increase your income in smaller increments, such as $5,000-$10,000 per year. Now break that down into even smaller pieces, monthly, weekly, daily and then hourly. Not only will this build confidence but it will also force you to use self-discipline. Chunking is a powerful tool in helping to achieve large goals.

Write Down Goals – If you only have a fuzzy idea of what you would like to achieve and nothing written down, how will you ever know when you have reached the goal? Track completed goals; each one will be a boost to your esteem. There are plenty of great software applications available today that will help you plan out goals, or there’s always the trusty pen and paper.

Learn From Mistakes – Too many people want to beat themselves up when they fail, when they should simply learn from the mistake and move on. Any time you can take away a lesson from a failure you can feel better about it and not repeat the mistake!

Conclusion – There is no try, only do or do not; this should be the motto of everyone who wants to achieve goals in their life. Do not leave yourself the option of failing to meet your goals and you will be utterly amazed by the transformations. In the beginning, it may be hard to exercise the type of self-discipline that is required, but isn’t your family’s well-being worth the effort?

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