This is something I’ve been thinking about this week, since watching Kiana Docherty (one of my favourite health/habits-focused YouTubers) talk about self-discipline. She broke down the key points from “The Anatomy of Discipline,” written by Major Kevin S. Donohue, for the United States Army Command in 1993. Want to watch? (You absolutely should!) I’ll link at the end.
According to Major Kevin, the formula for self-discipline is this:
1. Decide what your standards are.
2. Uphold said standards. Keep these promises at all costs.
3. Build up to a disciplined lifestyle.
I’m interested. As a lazy, timid, people-pleasing rule-follower, I’ve always been more motivated by sticks than carrots. And as much as I might prefer the softly-softly approach, no one gets me to work out harder than a Gillian Michael’s type drill instructor.
Having said that, I felt a need to be cautious. Phrases like ‘at all costs’ and ‘without compromise’ turn my stomach a little. My notion of a military drill-instructor is someone who barks orders, sets impossible goals and uses shame/name-calling as a means of motivation…. Sounds a lot like the inner-critic, who’s lived in my mind for the past 4 decades; a guy I’m working hard to put in his place.
Luckily, Kiana set my mind at rest here because she talked about the importance of starting small. Keeping a promise to myself doesn’t sound so bad, when the standards are as simple as making your bed on a morning. The urge to pile on more rules is curved by the knowledge that I can add more, once I’m meeting the first few standards with a degree of consistency. Brick by brick, instead of the whole wall at once.
I like the idea of being both the soldier and the sergeant, especially when the sergeant sets realistic goals (and isn’t demonically evil.) I want to be a person who does what they’ll say they will, to build up self-trust and a sense of credibility.
Maybe I can motivate myself, if I really commit to something small and if the person I’m trying to please is actually worth pleasing.
I’m pretty good at making my own bed, but what I’ve really been missing lately is a consistent exercise routine in the morning. It’s a gamechanger. So that’s my new standard: I move my body for ten minutes or more, as soon as I’ve got up and had a glass of water.
I’ll update you in a month or so and let you know how it goes! x
Anxious-Ambition.com 