I knew of a friend who was very adept at soccer, let’s call him Lucy. I could only dream of attaining his level. Besides his talents, Lucy loves playing and talking about soccer. He wouldn’t miss a game for the world. I couldn’t help but ask myself what it would require for him to make more of his skills.
He had the perfect blend of talent, passion, and ambition to reach higher levels. What was missing? A look into his routines was very telling: self-discipline was absent.
Sleeping late; skipping practices; bragging about his abilities; criticizing those who are less brilliant than him. Lucy was lacking the self-discipline to focus.
Of course, what we can achieve in life is unknown and unknowable until we’ve achieved them. But I can predict he would be much further if he were more disciplined.
My friend’s story highlights the belief that ambition, passion, and talents aren’t all we need to reach success.
Self-discipline is our ability to follow through with our plans until we reach our goals. Self-discipline involves prioritizing and making sacrifices over a sustained period.
Bachir Bastien
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But, What Is Self-Discipline?

I define self-discipline as our ability to follow through with our plans until we reach our goals. Self-discipline involves prioritizing and making sacrifices over a sustained period.
Angela Duckworth defines self-discipline as “the effortful regulation of the self by the self.” Duckworth and Seligman also define self-discipline as “the ability to suppress prepotent responses in the service of a higher goal… and that such a choice is not automatic but requires conscious effort.”
Self-discipline means forgoing our favorite ball game, our weekend out, or that video game of ours to study for a major exam. Self-discipline is the ability to spend long hours reading, practicing, and consulting with a mentor to get our dream venture off the ground.
We can’t control whether we were born with perfect pitch, the right muscle structure, or a great capacity to jump. But we can decide to work relentlessly to reach a goal we’ve set our mind to. That is the power of self-discipline.
How Important Is Self-Discipline?

Having realized the hardships my single mother was going through every day to provide for our family, I decided I would get my schoolwork done without supervision.
Every day after school, I would finish all my assignments before I did anything else, even if this meant delaying watching a favorite TV show or a play date.
Back in the classroom, I would witness my classmates scrambling to get their homework done. Most would play so much the night before they would forget to complete their assignments. Those who didn’t turn in their assignments on time would have to spend the entire afternoon after class completing their schoolwork.
Spending extra time at school finishing work that they should have finished the previous day affects their playtime, grades, and peace of mind.
Regardless of occupation, talents, and age, developing the self-discipline to make plans, resist distractions, and stick to them until the end will increase our productivity, which, in turn, will boost our self-esteem and make us happier.
Remember the famous Aesop’s Fable: The Tortoise and the Hare? When the tortoise challenged the hare to a race, the hare didn’t doubt for a second he could lose.
He was so confident in his abilities to win the race that he stopped mid-race to ridicule the tortoise. As a result, the tortoise won because, unlike the hare, possessed the self-discipline to resist distractions and focus until the finish line.
Moral of the fable? Discipline is the single rule that applies equally to the swift and sluggish.
Self-Discipline and Ego Depletion
Daniel Kahneman, in his best-selling book Thinking, Fast and Slow, gives a detailed peek into the workings of the mind using the analogy of two systems, one automatic (System 1) and one conscious (System 2). System 2 is closely related to self-discipline because, according to Daniel Kahneman, it’s the seat of will or self-control.
We know system 2 has limitations through a phenomenon called ego depletion. When we have spent a day focusing on a topic, we become “cognitively loaded” or “cognitively fatigued.” We’re more prone to temptations following a workday or after making a big decision.
Jeff Bezos is aware of this phenomenon. He claims he makes his big-bet decisions in the morning, and won’t get into any high-stake meetings until the next day.
What Does Science Say about Self-Discipline?
A groundbreaking research by Martin E. P. Seligman and Angela L. Duckworth among school children seems to hold the answer to this question.
In a longitudinal study of 140 school children, their self-discipline as measured by themselves, their parents, and teachers predicted final grades on standardized achievement scores and selection in a top school.
They replicated the study with a group of 164 eighth-graders, and they found that self-discipline accounted for more than IQ in school attendance, grades, and high school selection.
They concluded that a lack of self-discipline is a major reason students fall short of their intellectual capabilities. Do you see the contrast? Whether you have a high IQ or a low IQ, you need discipline.
How to Develop Self-Discipline?

Self-discipline is simply learning to set goals and developing our willpower. Without a well-defined goal, it’s impossible to resist temptations. The following article will give you a detailed explanation of how to build self-discipline and willpower.
Make Self-Discipline a Lifelong Habit
Do you know how you tie your shoelace? We are habit-driven individuals. Most of what we do every day is automatic. We get dressed, eat, and walk with no conscious awareness. That ability allows us to complete tasks much faster than we would if we had to attend to every detail of our actions.
However, we must not let our habits drive us. Our awareness of our habitual actions is the key to building good habits and eliminating destructive ones. We hear expressions like this; “she is so good at this, that it has become second nature.” If habits are our secondary nature, then what is our first?
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With so many choices and so little time, the best weapon we have is our ability to concentrate. If you can’t focus, you will waste time and energy on unimportant tasks. A self-disciplined individual knows when it’s time to play games. They know when to hang out with friends. They recognize when to focus their energy on work.
I love this article, Bastien! 🙂
This post comes in handy because I’ve set a new health standard for myself, which includes daily workouts, eating healthier, drinking healthy smoothies, and generally getting out of my comfort zone.
What you said about kids in school and how they finish homework before classes brought back some memories for me. I almost always completed my schoolwork and on occasion helped a few colleagues along the way.
The real challenge happens when you’re out of school when you’ve left mommy and daddy’s house and have to fend for yourself when you have to determine which path you’ll choose. And while courage and willpower might help, a lack of self-discipline will cause you to fall short in the long run, just like the hare you’ve mentioned.
Thanks for posting and have a great weekend!
Thank you Katherine for you sharing your experience candidly. I totally agree with you being far away from our parents makes life more challenging, but it is also a great opportunity to learn self-discipline. As a kid raised by a single mom who had to work multiple jobs to provide for us, I know the challenge. Looking back, those moments shape me into the person I am today. Thank you again for stopping by 🙂
Of course! ☺
That is correct, it is a fantastic opportunity to spread our wings and fly. I don’t believe God gave us more than we could handle; everything happens for a reason.
I am happy to see you are a believer too. God will always show us the way.
You can’t possibly go a high way in life without God and faith. It shall always be true🤍
Amen to that!
I believe that ‘self discipline’ = Freedom’
As a working artist for more than fifty years, I know that all you say is true.
I have known some brilliant artists….who simply cannot string two days together…..who become easily distracted and are constantly beginning projects which are not completed….. Self Discipline is often the ‘missing link’ in achieving success in any field.
When I was about 25 I wrote to my parents and thanked them for the gift of ‘self discipline’:)
Thank you for writing this post.
Janet
Exactly, self-discipline keeps many people from reaching their dreams. It’s hard to head to the gym, lift weight when it rains…but that’s the price we must pay if we want to be fit and be healthy. There is no way around it. Thank you Janet for sharing your insights with us.
Thank you for thos great post. Being extremely disciplined is what I need but I find it very difficult to sustain. 😬
We all do! Take it one step at a time. Hopefully, you will find something that can help you in this article. Thank you for your comment 🙂
Good post. Self-discipline for me is a battle. It is good to have a reminder.
It is a battle for me too. Let’s do our best and continue working on ourselves.
Great share
Thank you so much Dr. Prakash.
Useful article!
Indeed. Thank you for commenting:)
Oh Bastien…. This article is just what I need right now. Bookmarked to read some more.
Amazing piece
Thanks for commenting! I am glad you found my article insightful.
I really needed this! self-discipline is something I think we all should learn.
Glad you like it 🙂
Well encapsulated Bashir. Enjoyed reading this.
Thanks a bunch Savvy! I am glad you enough my article.