Discipline is freedom. You may disagree with this statement, and if you do you are certainly not alone. For many people discipline is a dirty word that is equated with the absence of freedom. In fact the opposite is true. As Stephen R. Covey once wrote, "the undisciplined are slaves to moods, appetites and passions". And in the longer term, the undisciplined lack the freedom that comes with possessing particular skills and abilities - e.g. to play a musical instrument or speak a foreign language.

    Self-discipline involves acting according to what you think instead of how you feel in the moment. Often it involves sacrificing the pleasure and thrill of the moment for what matters most in life. Therefore it is self-discipline that drives you to:

    Work on an idea or project after the initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away

    Go to the gym when all you want to do is lie on the couch and watch TV

    Wake early to work on yourself

    Say "no" when tempted to break your diet

    Only check your email a few of times per day at particular times

    In the past self-discipline has been a weakness of mine, and as a result today I find myself lacking the ability to do a number of things which I would like - e.g. to play the guitar. But I have improved, and I can say that it is self-discipline that got me out of bed this morning at 5am to run and then write this article. Believe me, I would love to be curled up in bed right now, but this desire is subordinated by my inner sense of purpose.

    If you struggle with self-discipline, the good news is that it can be developed. For example, it is only in the past two years that I have trained myself to wake early. The following are what I have found to be the five traits of self-discipline:

    1. Self-Knowledge

    Discipline means behaving according to what you have decided is best, regardless of how you feel in the moment. Therefore the first trait of discipline is self-knowledge. You need to decide what behavior best reflects your goals and values. This process requires introspection and self-analysis, and is most effective when tied to written expression. I highly recommend taking the time to write out your goals, dreams and ambitions. Even better, write out a personal mission statement. I found that writing such a statement gave me a greater understanding of who I am, what I am about and what I value. Dr. Covey has an excellent Mission Statement Builder on his site.

    2. Conscious Awareness

    Self-discipline depends upon conscious awareness as to both what you are doing and what you are not doing. Think about it. If you aren't aware your behavior is undisciplined, how will you know to act otherwise?

    As you begin to build self-discipline, you may catch yourself being in the act of being undisciplined - e.g. biting your nails, avoiding the gym, eating a piece of cake or checking your email constantly. Developing self-discipline takes time, and the key here is you are aware of your undisciplined behavior. With time this awareness will come earlier, meaning rather than catching yourself in the act of being undisciplined you will have awareness before you act in this way. This gives you the opportunity to make a decision that is in better alignment with your goals and values.

    3. Commitment to Self-Discipline

    It is not enough to simply write out your goals and values. You must make an internal commitment to them. Otherwise when your alarm clock goes off at 5am you will see no harm in hitting the snooze button for "just another 5 minutes…" Or, when initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away from a project you will struggle to see it through to completion.

    If you struggle with commitment, start by making a conscious decision to follow through on what you say you're going to do - both when you said you would do it and how you said you would do it. Then, I highly recommend putting in place a system to track these commitments. As the saying goes, "What gets measured gets improved".

    4. Courage

    Did you notice the sweat dripping from the man in the picture at the start of this article? Make no mistake, self-discipline is often extremely difficult. Moods, appetites and passions can be powerful forces to go against. Therefore self-discipline is highly dependent on courage. Don't pretend something is easy for you to do when it is in fact very difficult and/ or painful. Instead, find the courage to face this pain and difficulty. As you begin to accumulate small private victories, your self-confidence will grow and the courage that underpins self-discipline will come more naturally.

    5. Internal Coaching

    Self-talk is often harmful, but it can also be extremely beneficial if you have control of it. When you find yourself being tested, I suggest you talk to yourself, encourage yourself and reassure yourself. After all, it is self-talk that has the ability to remind you of your goals, call up courage, reinforce your commitment and keep you conscious of the task at hand. When I find my discipline being tested, I always recall the following quote: "The price of discipline is always less than the pain of regret". Burn this quote into your memory, and recall in whenever you find yourself being tested. It may change your life.

    jilvjiushiziyou。niyexubutongyizhejuhua。dangranniyebushiweiyiyigebutongyideren。duihenduorenlaishuo，jilvshigejihuideci，qihanyijiudengtongyuziyoudequeshi。qishi，jilvcaishihuodezhenzhengdeziyou。sidifen。kangweizengjingxieguo："沒有紀律的人隻是情緒
、欲望以及激情的奴隸。"從長遠來看，沒有紀律的人缺乏掌握具體的技能所帶來的自由
，比如，演奏一項樂器
，或者講一門外語。

    自(zi)律(lv)是(shi)指(zhi)按(an)你(ni)此(ci)刻(ke)所(suo)思(si)考(kao)的(de)內(nei)容(rong)來(lai)行(xing)動(dong)，而(er)不(bu)是(shi)隨(sui)心(xin)所(suo)欲(yu)。通(tong)常(chang)，自(zi)律(lv)包(bao)含(han)了(le)為(wei)了(le)影(ying)響(xiang)人(ren)生(sheng)的(de)重(zhong)大(da)事(shi)情(qing)而(er)犧(xi)牲(sheng)此(ci)刻(ke)的(de)愉(yu)悅(yue)和(he)刺(ci)激(ji)。因(yin)此(ci)，自(zi)律(lv)會(hui)驅(qu)使(shi)你(ni)去(qu)做(zuo)：

    當最初的激情退卻後
，仍繼續努力於一個主意或項目；

    當你隻想躺在沙發上看電視時，起身去健身館；

    早起想想自身的問題；

    節食時，對誘惑說"不";

    每天隻在特定的幾個時刻查看一下郵箱。

    guoqu
，zilvyizhishiwodeyigeruoxiang，yizhiyujintianwobuhuizuohenduowozengjingxiangzuodeshi，biru，danzoujita。danwoyeyijinggaishanhenduole。wokeyishuozhengshizilvrangwozaiwudianqichuangqupaobu，ranhouxiexiazhepianwenzhang。xiangxinwo，wofeichangxihuanxianzaijiuquansuozaibeiwoli。danzhezhongyuwangyijingfucongyuwodeneizaiyishi。

    如果你正在和自律掙紮
，那麼好消息是它是可以培養的。比如，我隻是過去兩年裏在訓練自己早起。下列五點是我發現的自律的特點：

    1, 自覺

    自(zi)律(lv)意(yi)味(wei)著(zhe)按(an)照(zhao)你(ni)所(suo)認(ren)定(ding)是(shi)最(zui)好(hao)的(de)行(xing)動(dong)，而(er)不(bu)顧(gu)及(ji)此(ci)刻(ke)你(ni)的(de)感(gan)受(shou)。所(suo)以(yi)，自(zi)律(lv)的(de)第(di)一(yi)個(ge)特(te)點(dian)就(jiu)是(shi)自(zi)覺(jiao)。你(ni)需(xu)要(yao)決(jue)定(ding)哪(na)些(xie)行(xing)為(wei)能(neng)最(zui)好(hao)的(de)達(da)到(dao)你(ni)的(de)目(mu)標(biao)和(he)實(shi)現(xian)你(ni)的(de)價(jia)值(zhi)。這(zhe)個(ge)過(guo)程(cheng)要(yao)求(qiu)自(zi)我(wo)反(fan)省(sheng)和(he)自(zi)我(wo)分(fen)析(xi)。最(zui)有(you)效(xiao)的(de)是(shi)和(he)寫(xie)下(xia)來(lai)的(de)描(miao)述(shu)相(xiang)聯(lian)係(xi)。我(wo)強(qiang)烈(lie)推(tui)薦(jian)你(ni)花(hua)點(dian)時(shi)間(jian)寫(xie)下(xia)你(ni)的(de)目(mu)標(biao)、夢想和野心。更好的，是寫出個人的使命宣言。我發現寫下這樣一個宣言讓我能更好的了解我是誰，我能怎樣以及什麼是我的價值。Covey博士在他的網頁上有一篇很好的文章《任務建立者》。

    2, 自我意識

    自我意識從兩方麵決定了自律：你正在做的事情和你沒有在做的事情。想一想。如果你沒有意識到你的行為是無紀律的
，那你又怎麼知道用另外的方式來行動呢
？

    當你開始培養自律時，你可能會注意到自己正進行著不自律的行為--比(bi)如(ru)，咬(yao)指(zhi)甲(jia)，不(bu)去(qu)健(jian)身(shen)，吃(chi)蛋(dan)糕(gao)或(huo)者(zhe)經(jing)常(chang)性(xing)的(de)檢(jian)查(zha)你(ni)的(de)郵(you)箱(xiang)。培(pei)養(yang)自(zi)律(lv)需(xu)要(yao)時(shi)間(jian)。關(guan)鍵(jian)就(jiu)在(zai)於(yu)你(ni)對(dui)自(zi)己(ji)的(de)不(bu)自(zi)律(lv)行(xing)為(wei)保(bao)持(chi)警(jing)覺(jiao)。漸(jian)漸(jian)的(de)
，這(zhe)種(zhong)警(jing)覺(jiao)性(xing)會(hui)在(zai)你(ni)不(bu)自(zi)律(lv)的(de)行(xing)為(wei)之(zhi)前(qian)就(jiu)提(ti)醒(xing)你(ni)。這(zhe)讓(rang)你(ni)在(zai)做(zuo)決(jue)定(ding)時(shi)
，更(geng)好(hao)的(de)靠(kao)近(jin)你(ni)的(de)目(mu)標(biao)和(he)價(jia)值(zhi)。

    3, 自律的承諾

    僅是簡單的寫出你的目標和價值是不夠的。你必須對它們做出承諾。否則，當你的鬧鍾在早上5點響起時，你會按下暫停鍵
，想著再睡5分鍾吧，也沒太大關係的；或者當最初的熱情褪去後，你的項目就進入了跌跌撞撞走向完成的過程。

    當dang你ni和he承cheng諾nuo掙zheng紮zha時shi
，按an照zhao你ni講jiang過guo的de你ni要yao去qu做zuo的de事shi情qing
，包bao括kuo你ni講jiang過guo的de要yao做zuo的de事shi情qing以yi及ji做zuo的de方fang法fa
，做zuo一yi個ge清qing醒xing的de決jue定ding。這zhe裏li
，我wo強qiang烈lie推tui薦jian你ni建jian立li一yi個ge係xi統tong來lai追zhui蹤zong這zhe些xie承cheng諾nuo。有you句ju話hua是shi這zhe樣yang說shuo的de：當事物被評估的時候，它就會改進的。

    4, 勇氣

    在文章開始的圖片裏，你有沒有注意到從男人臉上留下的那滴汗水？不錯，自律通常是非常困難的。情緒、欲yu望wang以yi及ji激ji情qing都dou是shi強qiang勁jin的de對dui手shou。所suo以yi，自zi律lv需xu要yao很hen大da的de勇yong氣qi。當dang事shi情qing其qi實shi很hen難nan的de時shi候hou，不bu要yao假jia裝zhuang它ta對dui你ni而er言yan是shi很hen簡jian單dan的de。相xiang反fan，找zhao到dao勇yong氣qi來lai麵mian對dui辛xin苦ku和he困kun難nan。當dang你ni慢man慢man累lei積ji小xiao小xiao的de勝sheng利li時shi，你ni的de自zi信xin會hui增zeng長chang
，支zhi持chi你ni自zi律lv的de勇yong氣qi也ye會hui源yuan源yuan不bu斷duan。

    5, 自我指導

    自zi我wo對dui話hua通tong常chang是shi有you害hai的de
，但dan當dang你ni掌zhang控kong它ta的de時shi候hou
，又you是shi極ji其qi有you用yong的de。在zai你ni被bei測ce試shi的de時shi候hou
，我wo建jian議yi你ni跟gen自zi己ji對dui話hua
，鼓gu勵li自zi己ji
，肯ken定ding自zi己ji。畢bi竟jing，自zi我wo對dui話hua有you能neng力li向xiang你ni提ti醒xing你ni的de目mu標biao，喚huan起qi你ni的de勇yong氣qi
，加jia強qiang你ni的de承cheng諾nuo，以yi及ji對dui你ni手shou邊bian的de任ren務wu保bao持chi清qing醒xing。當dang我wo發fa現xian自zi律lv被bei測ce試shi時shi
，我wo常chang會hui想xiang起qi這zhe句ju話hua："紀律的代價通常都小於後悔的痛苦。"把這句話融進你的記憶裏
，每次當你被測試時
，想一想它。這會改變你的人生。