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The Power of Discipline: How to Use Self Control and Mental Toughness to Achieve Your Goals
https://amzn.to/3bdYlR3
Have you spent weeks, months, or even years trying to achieve your goals but keep failing?
Have you given up on becoming successful because your futile efforts have led you to believe that success is only for the select few?
If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions—don’t worry, there is still hope for you!
Before you can achieve anything in life, you need a solid foundation of self-discipline. Talent, intelligence, and skill are only a part of the equation. Positive thinking, affirmations, and vision boards are only a part of the equation. If you want to turn your dreams into reality, you need self-discipline.
Self-discipline is what will keep you focused when all hell is breaking loose and it looks like you are one step away from failure. It will give you the mental toughness required to dismantle the limitations you have placed on yourself and break through all obstacles standing in the way of your goals.
How would you feel if I told you that your inability to achieve your goals does not arise because you are lazy or lack drive, but rather it’s a problem because you have never been taught how to practice self-discipline?
People are not born with self-discipline. Like driving or playing tennis, it’s a skill that you learn. In The Power of Discipline you will gain access to easy-to-read, scientific explanations about self-discipline including:
How to master self-discipline by targeting certain areas of the brain
The Navy SEALs’ secrets to self-discipline
The Zen Buddhists’ secrets to self-discipline
How to make hard-work exciting
How to ditch your bad habits and adopt the habits of successful people
Strategies to keep going when your motivation runs out
And much, much more
By applying the principles in this book, you will develop your self-discipline, bulldoze through toward your goals, become an unstoppable force of nature, and start living the life you know you deserve!
It’s impossible to buy back the time you have lost, but you can take control of your future.
Click the link below to view the book on Amazon!
https://amzn.to/3bdYlR3
Have you spent weeks, months, or even years trying to achieve your goals but keep failing?
Have you given up on becoming successful because your futile efforts have led you to believe that success is only for the select few?
If you have answered “yes” to any of these questions—don’t worry, there is still hope for you!
Before you can achieve anything in life, you need a solid foundation of self-discipline. Talent, intelligence, and skill are only a part of the equation. Positive thinking, affirmations, and vision boards are only a part of the equation. If you want to turn your dreams into reality, you need self-discipline.
Self-discipline is what will keep you focused when all hell is breaking loose and it looks like you are one step away from failure. It will give you the mental toughness required to dismantle the limitations you have placed on yourself and break through all obstacles standing in the way of your goals.
How would you feel if I told you that your inability to achieve your goals does not arise because you are lazy or lack drive, but rather it’s a problem because you have never been taught how to practice self-discipline?
People are not born with self-discipline. Like driving or playing tennis, it’s a skill that you learn. In The Power of Discipline you will gain access to easy-to-read, scientific explanations about self-discipline including:
How to master self-discipline by targeting certain areas of the brain
The Navy SEALs’ secrets to self-discipline
The Zen Buddhists’ secrets to self-discipline
How to make hard-work exciting
How to ditch your bad habits and adopt the habits of successful people
Strategies to keep going when your motivation runs out
And much, much more
By applying the principles in this book, you will develop your self-discipline, bulldoze through toward your goals, become an unstoppable force of nature, and start living the life you know you deserve!
It’s impossible to buy back the time you have lost, but you can take control of your future.
Click the link below to view the book on Amazon!
https://amzn.to/3bdYlR3
132 pages, Paperback
Published April 8, 2020
9594 people are currently reading
6591 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 524 reviews
June 15, 2022
This was a free book on an app so I didn't expect much from it. At first it seemed like another cheesy self help book but you can actually carve out a few practical tips from it and implement them in your everyday life.
November 13, 2023
A quick yet effective read
January 5, 2024
The start of this book reads like an advertisement for his other books and then it becomes a fairly predictable average self help book.
March 17, 2024
Not for me. The writing is more towards story telling than actual action oriented.
January 5, 2023
With the new year there is the setting of goals, some new and some renewed, and self-discipline is required to reach them. Walter’s book offers the usual self-help chapters on habits and mindsets but presents it in a different, palatable way, backed by research. Of particular interest to me were the sections on “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable” and why you should never “try and do” something. The latter explains how this attitude puts no pressure on you to do the work practically insuring you won’t reach your goal. 4.5 stars
December 9, 2020
A good book that could’ve been great with some solid editing. Contractions are a writer’s best friend!
May 5, 2020
As a bit of a junkie when it comes to self development books, I would have been happy to read a book that presents even information I already have if it is presented in a new and compelling way. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this book not only accomplishes that feat handily, it also had a fair bit of new information and research that I had yet to ever come across - a bonus that makes this book a worthy read.
The book is well written - easy to read and covers a fair bit of ground. The tone is pleasant and avoids the potential trap of being hectoring - an easy fallback position when the primary concept is about self discipline. Instead, Daniel Walter focuses on the benefits of self control, and interprets "discipline" as mental toughness - a worthy goal in its own right.
I was also impressed to learn that Daniel Wallter graduated from Yale University in Cognitive Neuroscience. So he brings substantial academic chops to his analysis. While that explains why his research is so thorough, it's impressive to see how well he manages to take academic research and translate it into everyday language, easy for everyone to benefit from.
Walter is supportive in his approach - and helps you overcome self criticism with explanations of why we all resist change, and helping you identify what may be hindering your own sense of self discipline.
Overall, he sells us on why self discipline is in our own best interest and how mental toughness can be harnessed to support our goals.
I think he did a good selling job, and provided me with some good new tips on how to improve my approach to goals.
Worth the read.
The book is well written - easy to read and covers a fair bit of ground. The tone is pleasant and avoids the potential trap of being hectoring - an easy fallback position when the primary concept is about self discipline. Instead, Daniel Walter focuses on the benefits of self control, and interprets "discipline" as mental toughness - a worthy goal in its own right.
I was also impressed to learn that Daniel Wallter graduated from Yale University in Cognitive Neuroscience. So he brings substantial academic chops to his analysis. While that explains why his research is so thorough, it's impressive to see how well he manages to take academic research and translate it into everyday language, easy for everyone to benefit from.
Walter is supportive in his approach - and helps you overcome self criticism with explanations of why we all resist change, and helping you identify what may be hindering your own sense of self discipline.
Overall, he sells us on why self discipline is in our own best interest and how mental toughness can be harnessed to support our goals.
I think he did a good selling job, and provided me with some good new tips on how to improve my approach to goals.
Worth the read.
January 23, 2021
Lots of good information. If you're in the market to improve your habits, look at reading "Atomic Habits".
February 25, 2023
It is a basic self-help book. For the people who want inspiration, it may be a good book for them, however, for the people who are seeking for something practical, I don't recommend this book. When I was reading it, I found there are some logic fallacy in the book. For example, the suggestion the author recommended is more for the people who already have self discipline instead of introducing the way to be self-disciplined. I would say a few suggestions (around 3) from the author are good inspiration for me.
July 25, 2024
A lot of this book is common sense; people who don’t do drugs are more disciplined, we as people hate losing things etcetera. At the beginning, this book felt very condescending; there is no one right way to do things and instead of suggesting options this book just shut down other ways of doing things differing from the one they provide. I was not interested in this book at all until Chapter 8: Get Comfortable with being Uncomfortable, which is something I work on every single day as I feel like fundamental growth comes from discomfort and stepping out of your comfort zone. Really piggybacked on Atomic Habits without doing much building on to the concepts in that book. Almost seems like Walter took the entire book as synopses from other inspirational and self-help books. Also, this is nitpicking but you do not have to end every chapter with “in the next chapter, I will discuss…”
August 9, 2022
Inspirational
I read this book because I wanted to know the necessary steps to take towards a brighter future. This has certainly helped me and the best thing about it is… it wasn’t hard at all to apply the methods talked about in this book. Most of these things I was already doing but it was the inconsistency that held me back. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to reach their goals but may have been fearful.
I read this book because I wanted to know the necessary steps to take towards a brighter future. This has certainly helped me and the best thing about it is… it wasn’t hard at all to apply the methods talked about in this book. Most of these things I was already doing but it was the inconsistency that held me back. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to reach their goals but may have been fearful.
May 26, 2020
Wanted to like this but it has an over-reliance on studies which have been shown to be poorly handled, the findings impossible to recreate. It also reads other studies in too limited a way, ignoring the other factors at play beyond just discipline and willpower. If you are new to the topic, it sure sounds lovely. But it doesn't hold up to a deeper examination.
July 25, 2024
This book is perfect for readers seeking a quick and efficient read. Despite its brevity, it is full of valuable information to inspire and motivate. It covers a wide range of topics.
April 10, 2025
felt like i was being mansplained common sense
February 29, 2024
“Life isn’t about making single accomplishments, it’s about continuous improvement and ultimately, it’s your dedication to the process that will determine the extent of your progress.”
Self discipline is something I’ve always craved to master and I feel like this book is a great starting point. It’s quick and effective. I found myself highlighting many sentences and really taking them in. Anyone can master self discipline. Action and consistency is key. It’s up to the individual to put in the work if you want to achieve your goals. Want something you’ve never had? Then you have to do something you’ve never done. Self discipline is the key to success. Take responsibility of your life and make it one you’re proud of.
“Your life is a reflection of the decisions you have made, and if you want a better future, it’s essential that you start making better decisions.”
Self discipline is something I’ve always craved to master and I feel like this book is a great starting point. It’s quick and effective. I found myself highlighting many sentences and really taking them in. Anyone can master self discipline. Action and consistency is key. It’s up to the individual to put in the work if you want to achieve your goals. Want something you’ve never had? Then you have to do something you’ve never done. Self discipline is the key to success. Take responsibility of your life and make it one you’re proud of.
“Your life is a reflection of the decisions you have made, and if you want a better future, it’s essential that you start making better decisions.”
September 8, 2024
honestly, bro had some solid points, but he just cannot write 😭 this was terribly subjective and entirely excluded points of view or lifestyles that aren't similar to the author's. i do think there is good advice in this book, but it desperately needed an editor (or a better one, lol) and some more structure for his "research". there are a ton of blanket statements and hasty generalizations. two stars because there were some solid one liners 🤷♀️
Read
April 14, 2023Improve your self-discipline and achieve your goals.
If you’re like most people, at some point in your life you’ve set yourself goals with the hope of improving yourself. Most likely, having done that, you’ve gone on to fail to reach those goals – consistently. You should take cold comfort from the fact that this is something most of us struggle with.
Setting goals is relatively easy, but achieving them can be quite difficult. You probably quit when you realize how much effort it’ll take you to get there – especially when that effort is mentally, emotionally, and physically straining.
It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the goals you’re setting but there is something wrong with the system you’re using to try to achieve them. So what exactly is it that’s holding you back from achieving your goals? Your self-discipline – or rather, the lack of it.
In this book of Daniel Walter’s The Power of Discipline, you’ll discover the power that self-discipline has in making you a more productive individual. If you want to change your life, you first need to learn how to take responsibility. That responsibility requires you to look at where you are now and where you want to be in the future.
Others may be able to help motivate you, but ultimately it’s up to you. You – and only you – have the power to change your life. So let’s find out how.
---
Self-discipline
Your first step to success is knowing what your goals are and what you want to accomplish. Take a moment to think about what you want to achieve and then what you’ll need to do to achieve that. You’re going to need to put in some real effort if you really want to achieve those goals, right?
To stay on track and push yourself forward, what you need is great self-discipline. That self-discipline requires you to take full responsibility for your actions and persevere against any obstacles that might come your way.
Actually, having great self-discipline will help you to be successful in every area of your life – from helping you build better relationships to increasing your work productivity, and even to managing your finances.
Conversely, if you’re lacking self-discipline, you’re more likely to suffer from low self-esteem, have difficulty understanding what you need to be successful, and be unable to control your desires.
Self-disciplined people are more confident in themselves, too. They believe that they can achieve their goals. After all, if you lack confidence, how can you expect to accomplish anything?
So let’s look at how can you go about strengthening your self-discipline.
The part of your brain known as the prefrontal cortex is responsible for your cognitive behavior including cognitive flexibility, adaptability, memory, impulse control, and social behavior. This also includes self-disciplinary functions like prioritizing tasks, setting goals, and filtering distractions.
Studies have shown that activity levels in your prefrontal cortex are higher when you’re making beneficial long-term decisions rather than ones which would provide you with instant gratification. This is particularly interesting because, effectively, it means that self-discipline is an acquired skill.
When you focus on the cognitive functions we mentioned you exercise this part of your brain and strengthen your self-disciplinary skills. When you make better decisions and continue to do so, your self-discipline strengthens. But when you continually make poor decisions it diminishes.
It’s also possible there’s something else holding you back. We’ll find out what in the next section.
---
Your Status Quo Bias
Do you ever feel like there’s some invisible force holding you back from reaching your goals? Well, actually, there is – your status quo bias.
Your status quo bias is a collection of negative factors that affect your psychology and prevent you from achieving, or even pursuing, your goals in the first place.
The first of these factors is the sunk cost fallacy. This describes why people often continue to remain in a situation simply because it’s what they’re familiar with – an unhealthy relationship or a poor employment environment, for instance. They might desire change but their fear of the unknown catches up with them.
The second factor is loss aversion. Often people are afraid of making a change because they don’t know if ultimately that change will benefit them. It’s easier to perceive that a change will harm them than improve their lot in life.
The third is the fear of regret which goes hand-in-hand with the sunk cost fallacy and the loss aversion theory. A person might know exactly what they want to achieve but they’re afraid they’ll end up regretting it.
The final one is the mere exposure effect. This explains the phenomenon of why the more you experience something, the more you’re likely to accept and like it.
Your status quo bias might well keep you safe and risk-free, but effectively, it’ll also stop you from achieving your goals. So look out for when your status quo bias is holding you back, and use your critical thinking skills to overcome it.
---
Building Habits
What is it that sets apart successful people from less successful ones? The answer is actually simpler than you might think: the habits that they follow each and every day.
But if you want to change your habits, you first have to recognize that your current habits aren’t working. You might not even realize that your habits or behavioral patterns are affecting you negatively. So it’s important to train your mind to recognize what is and isn’t working for you. When you do that, you can throw out the bad, old habits and develop new, good ones.
In particular there are at least three practices that successful, self-disciplined people adopt including gratitude, self-control, and daily routines.
Gratitude and self-control have a strong relationship with one another. In one study, for example, participants were offered a choice: they could accept a small amount of money immediately after completing a task or a larger sum of money at a later date. The more grateful the participant was, the more self-control they had in waiting to accept the larger sum of money.
But what does gratitude actually mean? Well, put simply, it means being thankful and appreciative – something we should all practice more often. It’s easy for us to take the simple things in life for granted but we need to be more appreciative of those small things. Why not start a new habit of writing down five things that you’re grateful for every night before you go to bed and reflecting on them?
When it comes to changing your habits, you don’t have to do anything too drastic. At first, you can simply start changing your habits by getting yourself into a daily routine – especially a morning and evening routine. A good morning routine can boost your productivity levels during the day while a good evening routine will help you get a good night’s sleep which, in turn, reduces the stress that you’ll carry with you through to the next morning.
Why not try incorporating these two suggestions into your evening routine? First, eliminate caffeine after a certain time in the evening, and second, turn off all your electronic devices an hour before bedtime. Both of these are likely to help you get a more restful night of sleep and the next morning, you’ll wake up more refreshed and ready to go.
When it comes to the morning, successful people like Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey have incorporated two specific habits into their routines: reading, and prayer and/or meditation. We’ll take a more indepth look at meditation in the next section.
---
Zen and Meditation
Zen originates from the teachings of Buddha. It’s a great foundation for a life of self-discipline.
Zen Buddhists believe that it’s important to focus on the present rather than the past or future. The past has already happened and we can’t change that, they reason. It’s just a collection of our perceptions and memories. And the future? Well, it hasn’t happened yet and we shouldn’t self-restrict our present activities by worrying about what it may bring. When we focus on the negative possibilities of the future we allow fear to consume and restrict us in the present.
Zen teaches that we can control our thoughts and use them to appreciate what’s going on in the present moment. This doesn’t mean getting what you want right away; it’s about delaying gratification so you can enjoy the long-term results.
Practicing Zen meditation helps reduce stress, enhances calmness, and promotes better decisions-making. Breathing techniques associated with it will also help you remain calm in anxious moments. And understanding your thoughts will allow you to acknowledge them and redirect them to what’s important to you. When you practice consistently, you’ll be able to achieve inner peace.
Now, you might be thinking that meditation is just sitting down with your legs crossed and trying to think of nothing – but there’s much more to it than that.
If you’ve never meditated before, or tried and failed, why not try what’s called the “just sitting” technique. First, sit upright however you’d like; in a chair, on the floor, or in the lotus position. Don’t use this technique in bed, though, because you want to make sure you stay awake – sleeping isn’t meditation!
Next, allow your mouth to relax and keep your eyes open. Keep your back straight but not rigid and focus your eyes on a spot two feet in front of you. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe from your stomach, allowing it to rise and fall. Allow your mind to relax through your breathing. Breathing this way will also help you bring your anxiety levels under control when you need to.
You can also explore what’s called the Shikantanza technique. It’s similar physically to the “just sitting” technique but a bit more complex mentally. Focus on the thoughts flowing through your head and sift through the information. Don’t judge yourself for what’s on your mind but focus on what each of your thoughts mean. Eventually, this will enable you not to let any negative thoughts affect you. Instead, you can simply let those thoughts go and redirect your energy elsewhere.
Regular meditation will increase your concentration and prevent your thoughts from wandering. Expect to see the benefits within seven days!
---
Utilizing Your Negative Emotions
While you’re pursuing your goals, you’ll inevitably feel a flood of emotions like sadness, pride, anger, courage, and frustration. But there’s some good news: you can use these negative emotions to harness your self-discipline. Yes, really, those negative emotions can actually help you!
When negative emotions arise, you probably feel like shutting down or quitting and using them as an excuse to get out of situations that make you feel uncomfortable. Don’t just ignore your negative emotions – that’s not healthy. Instead, use them to help ignite a positive change. Try to understand why you’re feeling them.
Remember that it’s totally normal to feel discouraged when something that you’ve put your time and energy into isn’t working out. But never think of your time as wasted because even if the results aren’t what you expected, you’re still doing something productive.
So whenever you start feeling any negative emotions, write down what it is you’re feeling and think about whether you need to reevaluate your goals. If you’re experiencing jealousy, ask yourself why. If you’re anxious, sit down and take deep breaths; in through your nose and out through your mouth. Don’t focus on the worst-case scenario, instead, think about the subtle steps you can take to solve your difficult situation.
---
If you’ve noticed that fear, low self-esteem, and poor habits are holding you back from accomplishing your goals, it’s most likely that you lack self-discipline. Self-discipline is a critical skill that can be acquired by targeting your prefrontal cortex through continuous practice. It can help you learn to prioritize tasks, filter distractions, and build better habits by getting in touch with your inner thoughts through deep focus and meditation.
If you’re like most people, at some point in your life you’ve set yourself goals with the hope of improving yourself. Most likely, having done that, you’ve gone on to fail to reach those goals – consistently. You should take cold comfort from the fact that this is something most of us struggle with.
Setting goals is relatively easy, but achieving them can be quite difficult. You probably quit when you realize how much effort it’ll take you to get there – especially when that effort is mentally, emotionally, and physically straining.
It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the goals you’re setting but there is something wrong with the system you’re using to try to achieve them. So what exactly is it that’s holding you back from achieving your goals? Your self-discipline – or rather, the lack of it.
In this book of Daniel Walter’s The Power of Discipline, you’ll discover the power that self-discipline has in making you a more productive individual. If you want to change your life, you first need to learn how to take responsibility. That responsibility requires you to look at where you are now and where you want to be in the future.
Others may be able to help motivate you, but ultimately it’s up to you. You – and only you – have the power to change your life. So let’s find out how.
---
Self-discipline
Your first step to success is knowing what your goals are and what you want to accomplish. Take a moment to think about what you want to achieve and then what you’ll need to do to achieve that. You’re going to need to put in some real effort if you really want to achieve those goals, right?
To stay on track and push yourself forward, what you need is great self-discipline. That self-discipline requires you to take full responsibility for your actions and persevere against any obstacles that might come your way.
Actually, having great self-discipline will help you to be successful in every area of your life – from helping you build better relationships to increasing your work productivity, and even to managing your finances.
Conversely, if you’re lacking self-discipline, you’re more likely to suffer from low self-esteem, have difficulty understanding what you need to be successful, and be unable to control your desires.
Self-disciplined people are more confident in themselves, too. They believe that they can achieve their goals. After all, if you lack confidence, how can you expect to accomplish anything?
So let’s look at how can you go about strengthening your self-discipline.
The part of your brain known as the prefrontal cortex is responsible for your cognitive behavior including cognitive flexibility, adaptability, memory, impulse control, and social behavior. This also includes self-disciplinary functions like prioritizing tasks, setting goals, and filtering distractions.
Studies have shown that activity levels in your prefrontal cortex are higher when you’re making beneficial long-term decisions rather than ones which would provide you with instant gratification. This is particularly interesting because, effectively, it means that self-discipline is an acquired skill.
When you focus on the cognitive functions we mentioned you exercise this part of your brain and strengthen your self-disciplinary skills. When you make better decisions and continue to do so, your self-discipline strengthens. But when you continually make poor decisions it diminishes.
It’s also possible there’s something else holding you back. We’ll find out what in the next section.
---
Your Status Quo Bias
Do you ever feel like there’s some invisible force holding you back from reaching your goals? Well, actually, there is – your status quo bias.
Your status quo bias is a collection of negative factors that affect your psychology and prevent you from achieving, or even pursuing, your goals in the first place.
The first of these factors is the sunk cost fallacy. This describes why people often continue to remain in a situation simply because it’s what they’re familiar with – an unhealthy relationship or a poor employment environment, for instance. They might desire change but their fear of the unknown catches up with them.
The second factor is loss aversion. Often people are afraid of making a change because they don’t know if ultimately that change will benefit them. It’s easier to perceive that a change will harm them than improve their lot in life.
The third is the fear of regret which goes hand-in-hand with the sunk cost fallacy and the loss aversion theory. A person might know exactly what they want to achieve but they’re afraid they’ll end up regretting it.
The final one is the mere exposure effect. This explains the phenomenon of why the more you experience something, the more you’re likely to accept and like it.
Your status quo bias might well keep you safe and risk-free, but effectively, it’ll also stop you from achieving your goals. So look out for when your status quo bias is holding you back, and use your critical thinking skills to overcome it.
---
Building Habits
What is it that sets apart successful people from less successful ones? The answer is actually simpler than you might think: the habits that they follow each and every day.
But if you want to change your habits, you first have to recognize that your current habits aren’t working. You might not even realize that your habits or behavioral patterns are affecting you negatively. So it’s important to train your mind to recognize what is and isn’t working for you. When you do that, you can throw out the bad, old habits and develop new, good ones.
In particular there are at least three practices that successful, self-disciplined people adopt including gratitude, self-control, and daily routines.
Gratitude and self-control have a strong relationship with one another. In one study, for example, participants were offered a choice: they could accept a small amount of money immediately after completing a task or a larger sum of money at a later date. The more grateful the participant was, the more self-control they had in waiting to accept the larger sum of money.
But what does gratitude actually mean? Well, put simply, it means being thankful and appreciative – something we should all practice more often. It’s easy for us to take the simple things in life for granted but we need to be more appreciative of those small things. Why not start a new habit of writing down five things that you’re grateful for every night before you go to bed and reflecting on them?
When it comes to changing your habits, you don’t have to do anything too drastic. At first, you can simply start changing your habits by getting yourself into a daily routine – especially a morning and evening routine. A good morning routine can boost your productivity levels during the day while a good evening routine will help you get a good night’s sleep which, in turn, reduces the stress that you’ll carry with you through to the next morning.
Why not try incorporating these two suggestions into your evening routine? First, eliminate caffeine after a certain time in the evening, and second, turn off all your electronic devices an hour before bedtime. Both of these are likely to help you get a more restful night of sleep and the next morning, you’ll wake up more refreshed and ready to go.
When it comes to the morning, successful people like Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey have incorporated two specific habits into their routines: reading, and prayer and/or meditation. We’ll take a more indepth look at meditation in the next section.
---
Zen and Meditation
Zen originates from the teachings of Buddha. It’s a great foundation for a life of self-discipline.
Zen Buddhists believe that it’s important to focus on the present rather than the past or future. The past has already happened and we can’t change that, they reason. It’s just a collection of our perceptions and memories. And the future? Well, it hasn’t happened yet and we shouldn’t self-restrict our present activities by worrying about what it may bring. When we focus on the negative possibilities of the future we allow fear to consume and restrict us in the present.
Zen teaches that we can control our thoughts and use them to appreciate what’s going on in the present moment. This doesn’t mean getting what you want right away; it’s about delaying gratification so you can enjoy the long-term results.
Practicing Zen meditation helps reduce stress, enhances calmness, and promotes better decisions-making. Breathing techniques associated with it will also help you remain calm in anxious moments. And understanding your thoughts will allow you to acknowledge them and redirect them to what’s important to you. When you practice consistently, you’ll be able to achieve inner peace.
Now, you might be thinking that meditation is just sitting down with your legs crossed and trying to think of nothing – but there’s much more to it than that.
If you’ve never meditated before, or tried and failed, why not try what’s called the “just sitting” technique. First, sit upright however you’d like; in a chair, on the floor, or in the lotus position. Don’t use this technique in bed, though, because you want to make sure you stay awake – sleeping isn’t meditation!
Next, allow your mouth to relax and keep your eyes open. Keep your back straight but not rigid and focus your eyes on a spot two feet in front of you. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe from your stomach, allowing it to rise and fall. Allow your mind to relax through your breathing. Breathing this way will also help you bring your anxiety levels under control when you need to.
You can also explore what’s called the Shikantanza technique. It’s similar physically to the “just sitting” technique but a bit more complex mentally. Focus on the thoughts flowing through your head and sift through the information. Don’t judge yourself for what’s on your mind but focus on what each of your thoughts mean. Eventually, this will enable you not to let any negative thoughts affect you. Instead, you can simply let those thoughts go and redirect your energy elsewhere.
Regular meditation will increase your concentration and prevent your thoughts from wandering. Expect to see the benefits within seven days!
---
Utilizing Your Negative Emotions
While you’re pursuing your goals, you’ll inevitably feel a flood of emotions like sadness, pride, anger, courage, and frustration. But there’s some good news: you can use these negative emotions to harness your self-discipline. Yes, really, those negative emotions can actually help you!
When negative emotions arise, you probably feel like shutting down or quitting and using them as an excuse to get out of situations that make you feel uncomfortable. Don’t just ignore your negative emotions – that’s not healthy. Instead, use them to help ignite a positive change. Try to understand why you’re feeling them.
Remember that it’s totally normal to feel discouraged when something that you’ve put your time and energy into isn’t working out. But never think of your time as wasted because even if the results aren’t what you expected, you’re still doing something productive.
So whenever you start feeling any negative emotions, write down what it is you’re feeling and think about whether you need to reevaluate your goals. If you’re experiencing jealousy, ask yourself why. If you’re anxious, sit down and take deep breaths; in through your nose and out through your mouth. Don’t focus on the worst-case scenario, instead, think about the subtle steps you can take to solve your difficult situation.
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If you’ve noticed that fear, low self-esteem, and poor habits are holding you back from accomplishing your goals, it’s most likely that you lack self-discipline. Self-discipline is a critical skill that can be acquired by targeting your prefrontal cortex through continuous practice. It can help you learn to prioritize tasks, filter distractions, and build better habits by getting in touch with your inner thoughts through deep focus and meditation.
February 11, 2025
*This was a tandem read with Power of Action. The books have a lot of overlap so I might be confusing some things that were said in each, and my reviews will be similar.
Disclaimer: If you enjoyed this book and it changed your life, I’m so happy for you! It’s incredible that you’re taking steps to better yourself! :) Also, maybe don’t read any further.
Now for my review:
This one was only slightly better. I can admit there were a SMALL handful of sentences that were worth reading in this one. Out of the whole book.
For a so-called self help book, the ratio of pages to useful advice for changing your life was ABYSMAL. Author is genuinely so full of himself (and full of sh*t) it’s unbelievable. Like when Lightning McQueen does that ad, “With a little Rust-eez (and a little luck), you too can look like me!”, the author paints himself the ideal, and that all you have to do is follow his easy steps to become exactly like that! Author discovered personal growth and tries to claim the concept for himself, like the Christopher Columbus of self-help principles. Hours of my life I can’t get back, thank god these were both found through KU so I didn’t pay for them…
Disclaimer: If you enjoyed this book and it changed your life, I’m so happy for you! It’s incredible that you’re taking steps to better yourself! :) Also, maybe don’t read any further.
Now for my review:
This one was only slightly better. I can admit there were a SMALL handful of sentences that were worth reading in this one. Out of the whole book.
For a so-called self help book, the ratio of pages to useful advice for changing your life was ABYSMAL. Author is genuinely so full of himself (and full of sh*t) it’s unbelievable. Like when Lightning McQueen does that ad, “With a little Rust-eez (and a little luck), you too can look like me!”, the author paints himself the ideal, and that all you have to do is follow his easy steps to become exactly like that! Author discovered personal growth and tries to claim the concept for himself, like the Christopher Columbus of self-help principles. Hours of my life I can’t get back, thank god these were both found through KU so I didn’t pay for them…
May 5, 2020
The author presents us with well-written, extensively researched and documented information. He provides quite a few URLs (web-links) for further personal research.
He shows you the benefits and potential drawbacks of being self disciplined, with how to set, develop, and improve upon daily habits using various philosophies and meditations. He recommends the reader to just "take action, take some time out, reassess your life, and decide how you’re going to start this journey. Don’t make life difficult and give yourself an unrealistic target."
If you don't mind fighting the frustration of the research side-tracks, and stay disciplined, then this is an excellent book. Remember that will power is not enough, as it's easy to reach decision fatigue. With self-discipline and good habits, the reader can reset their life and continue to grow.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
He shows you the benefits and potential drawbacks of being self disciplined, with how to set, develop, and improve upon daily habits using various philosophies and meditations. He recommends the reader to just "take action, take some time out, reassess your life, and decide how you’re going to start this journey. Don’t make life difficult and give yourself an unrealistic target."
If you don't mind fighting the frustration of the research side-tracks, and stay disciplined, then this is an excellent book. Remember that will power is not enough, as it's easy to reach decision fatigue. With self-discipline and good habits, the reader can reset their life and continue to grow.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 6, 2021
The Power of Discipline/ Daniel Walter
هل فكرت يوما لماذا لا تستطيع الإلتزام بأهدافك التي تضعها رغم وعودك لتحقيقها؟
وماذا عن العادات السيئة التي ترغب بتغييرها؟
الكتاب يتحدث عن أهمية الإنضباط لتحقيق الأهداف، وعن الأسباب التي تمنعنا من تحقيقها، والبعد الفلسفي خلف مفهوم الإنضباط، ولماذا يلتزم البعض والبعض الآخر لا!
كتاب لطيف يتحدث عن الإنضباط الذاتي، وكيف أن العصر الرقمي الذي نعيشه يحتاج منا الإلتزام أكثر بالأولويات للوصول للمآرب. والحال العامة التي تمنعنا من ذاك الإلتزام بسبب المؤثرات والمشتتات الخارجية من السوشال ميديا، لمغريات الواقع الإفتراضي، وتأثيره السلبي على الواقع.
كتاب مهم لمن يرغب بفهم الأسس العلمية التي تحول دون الإنضباط لتحويلها لقوة للتغيير.
فكما يقال: فهم الداء نصف الطريق للعلاج.
بنظري يستحق القراءة والاحتفاظ به في مكتبة المنزل، فهو يصف الداء بشكل حرافي جميل وبسيط.
لغة الكتاب حديثة، يستطيع المعظم قراءتها، لم يترجم بعد للعربية لأنه نشر عام 2020.
هل فكرت يوما لماذا لا تستطيع الإلتزام بأهدافك التي تضعها رغم وعودك لتحقيقها؟
وماذا عن العادات السيئة التي ترغب بتغييرها؟
الكتاب يتحدث عن أهمية الإنضباط لتحقيق الأهداف، وعن الأسباب التي تمنعنا من تحقيقها، والبعد الفلسفي خلف مفهوم الإنضباط، ولماذا يلتزم البعض والبعض الآخر لا!
كتاب لطيف يتحدث عن الإنضباط الذاتي، وكيف أن العصر الرقمي الذي نعيشه يحتاج منا الإلتزام أكثر بالأولويات للوصول للمآرب. والحال العامة التي تمنعنا من ذاك الإلتزام بسبب المؤثرات والمشتتات الخارجية من السوشال ميديا، لمغريات الواقع الإفتراضي، وتأثيره السلبي على الواقع.
كتاب مهم لمن يرغب بفهم الأسس العلمية التي تحول دون الإنضباط لتحويلها لقوة للتغيير.
فكما يقال: فهم الداء نصف الطريق للعلاج.
بنظري يستحق القراءة والاحتفاظ به في مكتبة المنزل، فهو يصف الداء بشكل حرافي جميل وبسيط.
لغة الكتاب حديثة، يستطيع المعظم قراءتها، لم يترجم بعد للعربية لأنه نشر عام 2020.
May 5, 2023
Same old advise from other books
This book did not spark a light within me its not inspiring to get me going. It does have some good suggestions and coaching mentoring guidance tips that's we face daily in our lives.
Overall an ok of a book, but I won't be in a rush to reread it again.
This book did not spark a light within me its not inspiring to get me going. It does have some good suggestions and coaching mentoring guidance tips that's we face daily in our lives.
Overall an ok of a book, but I won't be in a rush to reread it again.
June 3, 2023
Nothing new in this slim edition on the power of discipline. I got the impression the author started his own publishing model and just regurgitates self help books. If it lands for you great but The power of habit or atomic habits land alot better for me in terms of how and why to introduce discipline and self control into your daily round.
October 30, 2021
started off good and interesting, talked about neuroscience and some studies but then just became a self help book and had 2 chapters on Zen and Buddhism and meditation jddbxjz
this is the last time I read a book that starts with "how to"
this is the last time I read a book that starts with "how to"
February 18, 2024
Covers lots of ideas in very little detail. Many of the discussed topics are contradictory to one another. Some useful tips amongst it all, but doesn’t feel like it’s written with any expertise. Ok for a quick read (if it’s still free).
April 10, 2024
This book points out obvious yet forgotten principles of how to live our life the better way. This book is a good refresher of the points, like, utilizing every emotion to our benefit, rewarding a habit, being persistent etc.
September 2, 2024
This book didn't offer anything new for me. The content felt disjointed, almost like a salad of ideas! The author frequently referenced other books but didn't provide any supporting data to back up the claims.
November 2, 2020
Decent book
I enjoyed reading this book. The practical advice within can serve as a good reminder or as a starting point for your self improvement journey.
I enjoyed reading this book. The practical advice within can serve as a good reminder or as a starting point for your self improvement journey.
March 2, 2024
Superficial and trite.
September 3, 2024
I enjoyed this book. Had a few good pointers/ realizations that I took from it. I would recommend this book for someone who needs a little motivation!
November 21, 2024
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up
Decent book with a lot of practical tips to help you keep on track and stay focused with your goals. I liked the actionable items and references to other self-help books I’ve already read.
Decent book with a lot of practical tips to help you keep on track and stay focused with your goals. I liked the actionable items and references to other self-help books I’ve already read.
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