A Note on Discipline In this video, we’re going to be talking about five actionable strategies that you can apply to your life right now to have more self-discipline.
Before we get started, I have to say upfront that I think the lionization of discipline is a little bit of a scam. We have been told by the hustle bros that if you’re not disciplined, there’s something wrong with you and that the solution to all your problems in life is just to be more disciplined. They say you need to develop an armor for your mind, lock in, and do the work whether you feel like it or not.
Now, I think that does have some merit, but it’s not the whole story. The way I think of discipline is that it’s about getting yourself to do something even when you don’t feel like doing it. If you felt like doing it, you would be motivated. But if you do it even when you don’t feel like it, that’s discipline.
Imagine trying to do something, like working on an assignment or making a presentation, when you really don’t feel like it. One way of applying discipline is by forcing yourself through the entire process, visualizing it like rolling a boulder up a hill. You don’t like doing it, but you keep pushing the boulder up. However, this approach is exhausting and often ineffective, as the boulder may roll back down, requiring you to start all over again.
Instead, the goal should be to make the work feel enjoyable so that it doesn’t feel like you’re rolling the boulder uphill but rather letting it roll down on its own. Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible, as some things are inherently difficult or boring. However, there’s often a small hump that requires just a little push before the momentum carries you forward. The key is to use discipline to get past that initial resistance, making it easier to continue.
Over the last couple of years, I have interviewed many people and met inspiring individuals like Ryan Holiday, the best-selling author of Discipline is Destiny. Ryan has written multiple books on stoicism, maintains a successful career, is a father, and seems to enjoy his life. His ability to balance discipline and enjoyment is something I wanted to learn from.
Here are five actionable tips for self-discipline that I found helpful from my conversation with Ryan:
- The Main Thing You have to know what your main thing is. We live in a world full of distractions, and while many activities may seem important, they are not necessarily essential. As the philosopher Seneca famously said, “If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable.”
Most people struggling with discipline are simply trying to do too many things. It is incredibly hard to maintain self-discipline when you are juggling a dozen different tasks. Authors like Cal Newport (Slow Productivity) and Greg McKeown (Essentialism) emphasize the importance of focusing on fewer things.
If you ever feel inconsistent or undisciplined, zoom out and check if you are trying to do too much. Often, the problem isn’t a lack of discipline but rather overcommitment. Productivity expert Oliver Burkeman, in 4,000 Weeks, argues that we are all attempting to do too much, and sometimes, we must strategically let go of certain things.
A few prompts to help with this:
Limit yourself to three to four main goals per year. Ask yourself: If I only had two hours a week to work, what would I focus on? What about four or eight hours? Identify the tasks that truly move the needle and focus on those. By doing less, you make it easier to stay disciplined.
- Progress, Not Immediate Success You might have heard of Wim Hof, also known as the Iceman, for his extreme cold endurance. He has been practicing this since he was 17. If I compare myself to him and feel bad for not lasting more than a few seconds in a cold shower, that would be an unfair expectation.
The key to self-discipline is focusing on progress rather than immediate success. This applies to anything—fitness, studying, content creation, or learning a new skill.
Ryan Holiday emphasizes that transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not about reading a 300-page book in a month but absorbing its lessons over a longer period.
Many people struggle with discipline because their standards are too high. They aim to be perfect right away, which leads to frustration and inaction. The solution is to lower the bar and take small, consistent actions.
BJ Fogg, in Tiny Habits, explains that motivation, ability, and prompts (MAP) determine whether we take action. If something is too difficult, even with high motivation, we are unlikely to do it. The trick is to make the task as easy as possible, so it requires minimal effort to get started.
For example, if studying for hours feels overwhelming, commit to studying for just five minutes. Once you start, it often leads to longer sessions. By doing this repeatedly, you build trust in the process and make discipline easier over time.
- The Lower Self & Higher Self We all have two sides within us: the higher self (which seeks long-term growth and discipline) and the lower self (which seeks instant gratification).
For example, I recently got a PS5 and started playing Horizon Forbidden West. At night, my higher self knows I should sleep early, but my lower self convinces me to play for “just one more hour.” This tension exists in all of us.
Instead of suppressing the lower self, a better approach is to negotiate with it. Psychologist Dr. Alok Kanojia (HealthyGamerGG) teaches a concept called Internal Family Systems, where different parts of our personality have their own needs and should be acknowledged rather than ignored.
For example, I tell my video gamer self that we can watch YouTube videos about the game while brushing our teeth. This satisfies both the higher and lower selves. Finding such middle ground makes discipline easier.
- Flexible Routine One of the least disciplined times in my life was after I quit my job as a doctor. With no structure, I procrastinated more than when I was working 60 hours a week.
Ryan Holiday points out that people struggle with self-published books because there are no deadlines or constraints. Having a routine provides necessary structure, but it must be flexible.
Being too rigid with a routine can be unsustainable. Instead, Ryan suggests structured flexibility:
“Write most days” rather than “write every day.” The two-day rule: You can skip one day at the gym, but never two in a row. A, B, and C goals: If you can’t do an A-level workout (full session), do a B-level (shorter session) or a C-level (simple walk). By setting flexible but structured rules, you maintain momentum even on difficult days.
- Stick, Don’t Switch The biggest secret to success is not quitting.
Ryan Holiday has been using the same note card system for writing for 20 years. Even if a slightly better system exists, sticking to one method is more valuable than constantly switching.
People who jump from one productivity app or business idea to another produce far less than those who stick with a single system. Constantly looking for “the perfect method” is a distraction. The best system is the one you consistently follow.
Seneca calls this Tranquility—sticking to your chosen path without being distracted by others.
Final Thoughts These five tips—focusing on the main thing, prioritizing progress over perfection, managing the higher and lower self, maintaining a flexible routine, and sticking to a system—are key to mastering self-discipline.
If you found this useful, check out my other video on five evidence-based strategies for discipline, which covers implementation intentions and mental contrasting.
Thank you for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!