Through discipline I’m able to get things done.

In 2020 I set myself the goal of living disciplined by cultivating good habits to replace bad habits. I defined good habits as behaviour that would drive me towards the vision I had for my life and bad habits as behaviour patterns that were taking me away from that vision. It was imperative that I developed a crystal clear vision of what I wanted my life to look like in 10 years time.

Michael Jordan had a crystal clear vision – to be the greatest basketball player that ever lived – at all costs. He was prepared to put in the hard work, make the sacrifices and face his demons in order to achieve his vision for his life. Through my research into the great people of our age – Bill Gates, Steve Jobs etc. and reflection on my own very obvious shortcomings, I was able highlight 10 habits that I wanted to manifest over the course of 2020:

• Waking up Early – Some of my most productive hours are in the morning as soon as I’ve woken up. My mind is clear, the troubles of the day haven’t piled up yet and my focus is at its peak. If there’s a critical task that I need to get done that day I do it in the first few hours of the day. Waking up early means I go to sleep earlier and avoid late night nonsense (e.g. social media scrolling, Netflix binging etc.).  The snooze button will become your worst enemy if you befriend it, never use the snooze button. I had developed a bad habit of always hitting the snooze button so I had to spend a couple of weeks overcoming this aversion.
• Sleeping 8 hours a day – To perform at peak performance you need time for rest and rejuvenation. Studies have shown the optimal duration of sleep for an adult is 6-8 hours a day. Being well rested has made me a more patient relaxed individual and extended my sleep has helped with my memory formation and mood regulation. Don’t sell yourself short, at an absolute minimum get 6 hours sleep a night.
• Healthy Diet – I’m slowly moving towards a plant based diet. I’ve drastically cut down on the amount of processed food I consume along with refined sugars and chocolate. I’ve cut out caffeine and alcohol and replaced them with protein shakes and natural yoghurt. I’m eating more fruit than I ever have before. I see my body as a temple and a machine. I need to treat it with reverence and can’t pour rubbish into my body. If I want to function like a formula one car I need that high octane fuel.
• Staying Hydrated – I’m not sold on the drink 4L a day storyline, I believe you start to loose essential electrolytes one you urine becomes as clear as water. I personally drink 2L a day and that’s by conscientiously drinking a lot when I feel thirsty. My skin glows, my mind feel sharp and I’m ready for war when hydrated.
• Meditating – I try to meditate and pray every day. Prayer time varies but I try to mediate for 10 minutes a day using the ‘Calm’ app. I highly recommend guided meditation if you’re new to mediation it has helped me so much. Meditation quietens the negative voice inside my head and stills my ruminations. Through meditation I am able to become the observer of my thoughts and appreciate that my thoughts aren’t me and I can chose to hold on to them or let them go. Meditation freed me from anxiety and comparison.
• Praying – I often pray before meditating to help set my intentions and still myself. I thank the higher powers of existence for the gift of my life, the amazing people in my life and the blessings that have come my way. I use prayer to humble myself and connect with higher realms in order to seek spiritual guidance.
• Yoga – I try to fit in yoga stretches whenever I can. This can be from every day in a week to once a week depending on my schedule. Through yoga exercises I’ve become more flexible which has helped my running and gym workouts. I’m able to lift more and run further and recover faster. I swear by yoga.
• Running – I try to fit in a couple of runs a week, 5km runs. I’m currently targeting a sub 20 minute 5km, averaging about 22 minutes right now. Running is very therapeutic for my mind and body. After running my restless mind and body becomes silent and still.
• Working out – I have a gym membership and dumbbells at home. My body is a temple and I need to make sure I’m in peak physical condition. A strong body houses a strong mind. Plus the additional self-confidence I gain from knowing I’m lean is amazing.
• Reading – Ideally I would like to read a book for at least half an hour a day before bed to relax and drift off to sleep. I listen to audiobooks and read paperbacks. I’ve learnt so much from daily reading and manage to get through 30-40 books a year.

Discipline is the key to a successful life. A successful life being one in which a person is relationally, emotionally, financially and physically stable:

Relationally – Having a variety of healthy interpersonal relationships like a significant other and close friends you can be vulnerable with.

Emotionally – Having peace of mind, free of depression and anxiety or any other neuroses.

Financially – Having the financial capability to support yourself and anyone who may be in need or dependent on you to the best of your abilities and being debt free.

Physically – Being in good physical standing, free of major bodily ailments.

These four domains form my understanding and define my standard of a successful life. I believe the cornerstone of a successful life is discipline in all four of these domains.

 “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. 

Discipline must be exercised in thoughts and actions. Discipline your thoughts because your thoughts shape your character and character shapes actions. I try not to think defeatist thoughts; I try to turn negative situations into positive ones e.g. I made a mistake, fine, there are lessons can I take from this. I used to be caught up in cycles of rumination and regret; I was my own worst critic. The human soul can’t thrive in a mental environment like this. Live and let go.

Discipline and self-control are closely related. Self-control is the ability to regulate and alter responses in order to avoid undesirable behaviours, increase desirable ones and achieve long term goals. Possessing self-control will lead to health and well-being.