When we were kids, our parents restricted us in many ways. They decided what clothes we would wear, what food we would eat, and how much time we would spend playing computer games. Nowadays we are on our own.
The sad part is that we are prone to succumb to various temptations. Nothing stops me from turning on my computer and watching funny videos on YouTube for three hours in a row. I have no difficulty of buying a bucket of vanilla ice cream and eating it in one sitting. A single click will allow me to spend $100 on a shiny trinket. Thanks to eBay and PayPal. No one will blame me for being lazy at work. There is a great chance I say an elaborate excuse for not hitting the gym today. You get my point.
It’s all available! The power of choosing makes us vulnerable. Bad behaviors are often the addictive ones.
Decide from this very moment to use your computer for educational and working purposes. Commit yourself to lifting heavy weights three or four times a week. Make a ritual of reading a book every single morning. Limit your choices to scheduled activities. Too much pleasure turns into pain.
A very successful man once gave me a great advice. “Become your own father to yourself,” — he said. Self-discipline matters.
I use the rule of 5 minutes. Every time I’m about to do a stupid thing I pause, acknowledge my urge, and murmur: “I’ll wait for 5 minutes and then I’ll indulge myself.” I will repeat the same process over and over again. It works. However, sometimes I fall off a wagon. The best way of dealing with setbacks is just to stand up and to continue going.
People deceive themselves by justifying their inappropriate behavior. They believe tomorrow will be different. The reality is far from those idealistic views. There is little or no chance you stop craving chocolate or a cheeseburger. I doubt the idea of me suddenly liking lifting a barbell while experiencing pain in my muscles. English grammar is very captivating, but who wants to study it willingly on his or her spare time?
We live in the age of endless entertainment. We have so much going on around us, so we cannot imagine how people lived before without the Internet, cell phones, cars, mp3 players, etc. Stores are full of goods. Cities are always busy. All this give us great opportunities to improve our lives while at the same time drain our energy and shift our focus.
Every one of us has to filter a tremendous amount of information on a daily basis. A human brain quickly loses the ability of being on its peak performance. When we deprive ourselves of enough hours of sleep and sustain the energy of our bodies on taking too much caffeine, we tend to blame ourselves for the lack of willpower.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” You’ve heard the phrase many times. It doesn’t matter how small the steps are as long as you’re not standing still. It seems that restrictions will negatively influence our lives. On the contrary, self-discipline cuts off unnecessary stuff and gives you a real chance to make a breakthrough in each area of your life.
Think long-term and step up boldly! The rest will follow.
