DISCIPLINE LIKE A SOLDIER (3 TIPS YOU CAN USE NOW!)
1. Act, Don’t Think
What holds you back from acting is endless thinking and second-guessing.
It works like a defense mechanism: if I think about something long enough, I will always find a plausible reason to push it to “tomorrow.” But “tomorrow” quickly turns into a week, and even though we know better, the discipline is gone.
Tip: Act NOW, without thinking it to death.
Don’t rack your brain over why it might not work.
Just get up at 5:30 a.m. and let yourself get used to the new rhythm. Drive to the gym and start training.
Even if it isn’t perfect, even if it isn’t 100% pretty. Just do it. The rest comes with time.
2. A Vision Instead of Goals
What gets me straight out of bed every morning is my vision. The picture in my head of where I want to be in 10 years. There is nothing stronger.
And that can be anything you personally burn for.
A soldier on a 20+ km land navigation march across open country is certainly looking forward to the barracks, a hot shower and a soft bed. But those small rewards are not the real reason he keeps marching. He has the long-term vision in his head, the one that made him start in the first place. And that keeps him going.
As long as you keep your vision in sight, you won’t lose your discipline.
3. The Principle of Personal Responsibility
The army is one of the last institutions where you are held responsible for your actions at all times. And that includes discipline.
The usual excuses when something doesn’t work out:
“The alarm didn’t go off, my boss was mean to me, I have too much on my plate, my life is much harder than everyone else’s, the gym is packed anyway, and I haven’t had a proper meal today.”
The right mindset: I am responsible for everything in my life. And if I am responsible, it is on me to put things right. I am the only one who controls me and my discipline. There is nobody else I can blame for my situation.
Bonus Tip: The Right People
The power of the people around you is still massively underestimated.
Just as the wrong friends can drag you off track, the right mentors and role models help you find your discipline.
For me, that mentor was former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink. Without his videos, podcasts and books, I would not be where I am today.
Good luck out there!
Shughart
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