Self Discipline

 “…What kinda shit are you letting yourself get away with?”

Life becomes really fucking simple once you begin to understand that your rewards compound the longer you delay them. Delaying gratification requires discipline.  & discipline is hard because it's about doing hard things. 

It starts with waking up early & moving your body every single day. Making yourself stronger, faster, more mobile & healthier. It is eating the right foods to fuel your system correctly. It is maintaining control of your emotions to make good decisions & controlling your ego so it doesn't get out of hand & control you. It's about treating people the way that you'd want to be treated and doing tasks you don't want to do, but you know will help you. 

Discipline is about facing your fears so you can conquer them.

Taking the hard, uphill road- to do what is right for you & for others.
So often, the easy path calls us: to be weak in that moment.
To break down another time.
Giving in to desire & short term gratification.
Discipline does not allow that.
It will tolerate no breakdown. It accepts no weakness.

A disciplined life may seem dull to some…
Discipline can seem like your worst enemy.
But in reality it will take care of you like nothing else can.
Discipline will put you on the path to strength, health, intelligence & happiness.
Discipline will also KEEP you on that same path for ultimate freedom in your life.

Common Misperception of discipline

[Self Discipline vs Discipline]

As an adult- we get to make our own rules
…Which is both the best and worst thing we could wish for. It is true- in the Freudian sense that freedom is not actually something that most of us want, because it requires too heavy a responsibility. 

In the Marines we are issued a gun and treated like children.
Very obedient & disciplined children with guns; instantaneous in all of our actions.
We have strict bedtimes, we are told when we get to eat and drink & what clothes to wear every day. There was a mandatory standard that must be upheld; Always someone imposing discipline on us & holding us accountable. 

The problem as adults is that many of us lack any sort of life-standards to adhere to. 
…Nobody holds us accountable & we don't hold ourselves accountable.
I'd reckon that's why we wind up breaking our own rules & losing trust in ourselves entirely.

Sure, we can all have discipline imposed on us by going to SEALfit, or having badass coaches, trainers & gurus around us. But the reality is: that won't give you real discipline.
That sort of external discipline is not what you're looking for- it cannot stand on its own & it certainly does not lead to freedom.

This particular issue became painfully apparent to me transitioning from a life of having discipline imposed on me in the Marines; to a life where I got to wear white socks instead of brown if I wanted to. 

I started to see the importance (& difference) in SELF DISCIPLINE > DISCIPLINE

When you make the decision to be better [at anything in life]..Self discipline is a standard that you MUST hold yourself to in order to achieve it.
It comes down to asking yourself- “what kinda shit am i gonna let myself get away with today?” ...Drawing a hard line & not negotiating with yourself. 

If you think you lack discipline:
It is only because you haven't decided to be disciplined [yet]
...It is because you are lying to yourself.

They say the truth will set you free.
[Truth is] your absolute framework of discipline.
If you lie to yourself, you will NEVER have an oz of discipline in your body.

[Truth is] all of your excuses are lies.
So set your standard & hold the line.

Final thoughts…[Regret weighs tons]
“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
The difference is-
discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”
— Jim Rohn

The tasks you procrastinated again.
The workout you skipped.
The booze you drank,
the junk you allowed to enter your body.
The shit you said in anger & the opportunities missed because sitting on the couch was too comfortable. 

You acted against your better judgment & knowledge & now must suffer the consequences.

Your ego comes up with a million excuses if you don't slap it around enough.
“I deserve the treat.”
“I can do it tomorrow.”
“Just this one time.”
Remind yourself that no matter how bad it feels now, the regret will feel much worse. 

There is no worse feeling than “I-wish-I-had…”

Choose your pain.

- Nate