World class performers don't have superpowers. But they've crafted rules that make it look that way. — Tim Ferris
Any goal in life could be achieved through proper discipline.
I started trading again today. The most important factor for a trader to succeed is to be disciplined. If you are not disciplined, you will fomo, and lose more money than you make. Additionally, you will lose your confidence, and you will never trust on your instincts.
So, discipline is the first thing you need to win as a trader.
Similarly, I have been writing daily for the last two months. In these two months, I have learned more about myself than in the last two years combined. And it was possible because I was disciplined enough to write everyday.
Whatever you think, most goal are achievable. But to achieve something, you need to be disciplined enough to sit down every day and make progress consistently.
In June, I challenged myself to write daily. And I did. In July, I challenged myself to not watch youtube anymore, and I didn't watch youtube anymore.
It's not the end goal that makes me as much happy as the power of pursuing something daily.
What I learned in these two months is being self-disciplined is empowering. And if we take small steps every day, big goals can be achieved in a long period of time.
So, when do you start?
You don't need to wait. Just start now. Because now is the best time to start anything.
I have been trying to improve my writing skills from the last 2-3 years. I was never serious about it. However, in the last two months, I didn't wait for something. I didn't wait for the right moment to come.
I just started. I didn't even care how shitty my posts were. Or if anyone reads them.
I just started. And continued.
Always remember that the right time to start anything is right now. Not two years later, but right now.
You initiate action! And you go!
How will you handle those days when you are not feeling it?
Just a simple trick will work.
Surround yourself with the disciplined people. You are the reflection of five people you spend the most time with. If you spend time with disciplined people, you would value the power of discipline.
I would have quit 20 times in last two months. But , being surrounded with sidwrites, who I know would write daily no matter what, pushed me to another level.
And whenever I felt like not writing, as I was surrounded with just one well disciplined person, I became bound to work each day.
I just wonder what will happen if I surround myself with five disciplined people. My growth will be enormous.
Never count on motivation but on discipline.
It may be possible that motivation to do your job comes only once a week. Or once a year( the day you get your bonus) but you still go out everyday. Work everyday. And as a result get paid for each day.
Similarly, when I don't feel like writing. When I don't want to write. It's the best day to write.
Only look at the next few moments
Sometimes, you want to do your work, but don't want to start. Sometimes, you want to complete things but don't want to continue. It looks like a heap of work.
So, like a zen master, or a stoic. Only look at the next few moments. If you pass them, then look at the next few moments. And in this way, you complete your task. Step by step.
The question
Jeff Bezos once shared a story. The day he quit his job to start a company online, he asked himself— when he will be 80 and look back at his life, what would he regret the most?
Well, he would never regret leaving a full time wall street job to start a company.
Similarly, Steve Jobs questioned— if this is the last day of your life, would you still do what you are doing?
If the answer is yes, then go ahead and do it.
When I think about myself being 80( if I live up to that age), what would I regret about, at that age?
My answer is— I wish I should have done better. Tried a little bit more.
Even at the age of 26, I think that I should have done a lot more in the last 2 years. My progress was dead slow. What should have taken months, took years.
And, I don't want to feel like that when I am 80. Time won't be my friend anymore.
So, the solution is to be discipined. Work everyday.
In this way, at least I won't feel that I should have done more. If I put my 100% everyday, I am sure I won't feel that I should have done something more.
Whatever I want from my life— to become stronger, healthier, happier, the only way to achieve any of it is to be more disciplined. To wake up everyday and get after it.
Breaking the limits
Great power lies in doing the absurd
It will take both emotion and logic to reach your maximum potential and to go beyond your limits.
When it doesn't make any sense to go on, that's when you use your emotions, anger and frustration. That's when you use your fears to push yourself further.
A simple emotion of you telling yourself that no matter what, I don't stop, can push you further to your limits and beyond.
When your inner self is screaming— you had enough, that's when you say to your inner self that I don't stop at any cost.
Discipline starts with waking up early. And then working every day. Making yourself smarter, stronger and happier. Even if it is a small step towards your progress. You just repeat it and keep repeating it till you achieve your end goal.
For me, discipline is writing every day. Even if I have to come up with the shittiest post. And the next day I might write even worse post. But I will write daily. Because I don't stop.
Discipline is facing your fears, so you conquer them. Discipline means the hard road. The actual growth road.
Usually the easy path will attract us. To make us weak. To make us collapse at the first sight of trouble.
At that time, discipline is the hero we don't want but the one we need. It won't accept weakness, it won't tolerate laziness.
Hesitation is the enemy
To win, all you have to do is overcome that one moment. The one where you hesitate, lose confidence on your abilities. Hesitation is when you give up.
Don't hesitate, be strong and overcome the moment of weakness.