A 7-Step Guide To Being Disciplined That Leads To Happiness Guaranteed
Happiness requires discipline, that's a truth that can most certainly be validated. And, the understanding is simple. You cannot achieve your dreams or goals without taking the first and necessary steps to getting there, and most people aren't clear on what those necessary steps are that will lead to them to being disciplined in order to achieve success and ultimately, happiness guaranteed. With that, here are seven steps that I find to be of absolute importance to take in order to become self-disciplined, achieve success and subsequently attain happiness guaranteed:
1. MAKE A CLEAR DECISION
It's important to know what it is that you want to do. Be clear about it. Make sure that it is viable and one that is solution-oriented, meaning that it's a definite need that will be the answer to many people's prayers - a solution to what pains them. The most unfortunate thing you can do is begin a project or implement an idea that is of no value and therefore flops. So, to save yourself time, energy, money and heartache - DO MARKET RESEARCH, CONDUCT SURVEYS and make certain that your idea is one of value that will fill a need (a solution to a problem) in the lives of many.
2. SET A SCHEDULE
A schedule is an important tool to have to help you stay on task with the actions that you must do each day in order to achieve your dreams and goals. Each task performed is a step closer in that direction. On the contrary, a missed to-do is a step or two backwards away from achieving your goals and dreams. Therefore, it's important to schedule, each day, the tasks that are a must in order to set discipline in place for a successful outcome. Besides, being organized will set aside confusion and clear the clutter within your mind and life, making your daily life to-do(s) much easier and readily accessible to tackle at the start of each day.
3. TIME YOUR TASKS AND PRIORITIZE THEM TOO
The key to setting an effective schedule is to time your tasks. You don't want to spend too much time doing one thing and getting very little done each day, so it's best to prioritize your tasks via urgency and/or importance; set a time limit to each tasks so that you can achieve better time management and thus get more out of each day without feeling overwhelmed or like you've been ran over by a bus at the close of each day. Note that, poor time management and prioritizing skills are a surefire way to burnout and leave you feeling frustrated and discouraged to continue. So, it's best to set a timer for every goal-getting tasks that you do: checking emails, social media, writing an article, creating a graphic post, etc. And, if you're not sure how much time it will require at first, set the timer when you begin a task and end it in order to get an accurate timing of how long it will take you to complete it. Thereafter, time your tasks and stick to it, with minor adjustments along the way as needed. Yes, you are the keeper of your time. Prioritize it and use it wisely.
4. STAY CONSISTENT
Nothing worthwhile is accomplished overnight. Therefore, it's going to take a lot of patience to achieve your desired dream and goal. With that, it is wise to develop a persevering spirit. A positive attitude or outlook about life will help you do just that, as well as having the understanding that nothing good comes easy. It requires working smart, hard and consistently - having a NO-QUIT mentality will help see you through to success. So, raise your sails and stay the course. Yes, you are captain of your ship's ebbs and flow. Steer on captain! "Rest if you must but don't you quit".
5. BECOME PRECISION FOCUSED
Like me, you may be multi-passionate as I call it. You might have more than one iron in the fire so to speak, but that's certainly no way to achieve any one task. What happens in that situation, most likely than not, is that you wind up achieving nothing when your focus is divided among too many passions or ideas. It's like texting while driving. You simply cannot keep your eye on the road and text at the same time. There's bound to be a disaster. Therefore, it's one or the other. It's either Peter or Paul, Jane or Jill but there's certainly no way to fulfill them both at the same time (subsequently, yes). Moreover, that's an expensive way to spend your time doing a bunch of somethings that amount to nothing. Remember, it's about being productive, not busy doing a bunch of nothings that get you nowhere fast. True success is attained via singular focus. And, then once accomplished, now you can move on to the next thing to conquer if you so choose. Here are a few quotes that I find helpful regarding focus and that you might too:
- Focus is to "Follow One Course Until Successful".
- "You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks". ~wINSTON cHURCHILL
- "The successful warrior is an average man, with laser-like focus". ~ bRUCE LEE
6. AVOID DISTRACTIONS AND DELAY
There are too many distractions in the world to list them all, but the more popular ones are social media overload, cluttered email inboxes, too much television, giving your time to people who waste your time, participating in negativity and the likes; the list goes on. But, the good news is that you can control those nuances by minimizing the time spent on them or eliminating them from your life altogether and instead, spend your time more wisely doing the things that really matters and that will move you closer, each day, to achieving your dreams and goals. Secondly, to add, delay lengthens the distant run that one must take to get to your desired destination. Therefore, "Never put off doing tomorrow what you can do today". It may not be your favorite task to do, but putting it off for another day and another day will only set you back, not move you forward. The understanding to have is that some tasks are not fun, but they are absolutely necessary. If you can delegate it, go head and do so. But, if not, put the pedal to metal and get where you're going already, sooner rather than later should be the aim.
7. BE PROACTIVE
No one ever got somewhere by being a couch potato, doubting Thomas, negative Nelly or a wishful thinker. Getting there, wherever or whatever there is, requires taking the initiative to getting up and doing what you must each day. It takes being self-motivated, driven and passionate as can be to make your dreams come true. No one's going to do it for you. No one can make you do or want it. You have to be passionate and want it badly enough to get up, dress up and go get it - you, goal-getter you! Be a professional. Be active each day in order to achieve your dreams and goals!
I leave you with this - there's no limit to the sky only that which you believe in your mind. The Universe is wide open with unlimited possibilities. The question is, are you ready to claim it? Are you willing to do all that it takes as outlined above to achieve your dreams and goals? If so, I bid you good luck and God-speed! Remember, where there's discipline, happiness is guaranteed.
With love and to your happiness,
Sanyo