There are many aspects to starting a business.
People will quickly teach you about the importance of marketing, different sales techniques, and everything you need to know about marketing a product.
In fact, without proper discipline, all information becomes less important. However, discipline is not something you are born with. It takes hard work and dedication, but the results are significantly more success and better handling of obstacles.
Here we’ll look at six ways you can improve your self-discipline and give yourself all the skills you need to become a productive entrepreneur.
Is time running out? Here are the keynotes
- Reconsider the concept of “discipline”: Many people see discipline as punishment. Reframing it will help you build it.
- Start small: Elite-level discipline doesn’t happen overnight.
- Set clear (and reasonable) expectations: Expectations are great to wish for, but only if possible.
- Create a list: Nothing beats a good to-do list!
- Take conscious steps to distract yourself: Eliminating distractions is a great way to help lay the groundwork for self-discipline.
- Technology is your friend: When used correctly, technology can greatly aid your journey to self-discipline.
- Every challenge is an opportunity to get stronger: Discipline is something you always have to work on.
The importance of discipline for founders
Founder’s world is definitely a rollercoaster ride! There are days when the business is booming and others you face problems that you never thought of.
However, with the help of discipline, founders can ensure consistent progress even in the face of adversity.
I often encounter distractions or unexpected situations that need to be resolved. But it is discipline that ensures that these situations do not derail you. Remember that building a business is not a sprint. It’s a marathon that requires structure and focus, two things that discipline can provide.
Entrepreneurship is full of obstacles and a disciplined mindset will enable you to stay under pressure, assess situations and make pragmatic decisions.
6 ways to be more disciplined
Reconsider the concept of “discipline”.
First, it is important to address the term discipline. Have you ever heard of a child being “disciplined” for misbehaving?
Or is it a teenager who portrays a lack of discipline when people misbehave? Growing up, there are countless examples of this interaction, and so we often see discipline as a response to bad behavior or something we don’t want to do.
But self-discipline shouldn’t make you do things you don’t want to do. Instead, they should be viewed as positive changes for future success.
For example, if you try to be more helpful, you will be more successful if you choose healthy habits that you enjoy. The same can be said for business. To help instill self-discipline as an ingrained habit, first choose habits and goals that you are truly passionate about.
Start small
It’s also important to start small and not try to do everything at once. Back to our health and exercise example from earlier, if you’ve ever tried to increase your exercise, improve your diet and cut back on alcohol, you’ll know how difficult it can be!
Sure, you can keep at it for a while, but eventually an aspect will slip away and demotivate you to the point where you give up.
Instead, you’ll want to have more success by focusing on one of these aspects first, making it a habit, and then moving on to the other.
The same can be said for business. Rather than aiming to run the perfect business overnight, focus on small gains. Begin by consistently working on your project at the same time every morning. A small achievement like this is great for setting the tone and showing immediate progress.
Make a list
Next on the list? Make a list!
One of the most important aspects of self-discipline is understanding what needs to be done. There’s nothing more satisfying than checking something off your to-do list, and the act alone can add valuable motivation as you continue to work on it.
If you’re not used to self-discipline, you might be scratching your head trying to figure out what to do next.
The best way to overcome this is to start the day by writing down everything you want to accomplish. When you’re more disciplined, you can even expand your to-do list to cover a week or a month in advance.
There are several tools that can help you create such a list, but my personal preference is a simple Google Sheet, where I list my plans by the hour, day, week, and month.
It’s not a perfect system, but neither is any list building system! Importantly, it gives a great reference point to know that you are productive and disciplined.
Take conscious steps to minimize distractions
I don’t know about you, but I often look at the clock on my phone and see that it’s been 20 minutes since I started scrolling through social media.
Cell phones aren’t the only distraction for founders, but they can be huge. If you’re not waiting for a call or working on your social channels, try to leave your phone out of your office while you’re at work. Small steps like these can significantly reduce your distractions and focus your attention on the issues at hand.
Another solution is to set alarms for certain projects during the day; this will prevent your entire day from being wiped out by someone over the limit.
Technology is your friend
While some technology can be a distraction, other technology tools can benefit you on your journey to self-discipline. Platforms like Trello are great for organizing your tasks, ChatGPT can be a brilliant tool for content idea and brand brainstorming, and there are many other platforms that can help you speed up your productivity and motivate you to stay disciplined. When tasks take time, it can lead to distractions that seem more appealing, but the right technology can help get tasks done quickly, allowing you to move on to the next project without unnecessary interruptions.
Every challenge is an opportunity to get stronger
Finally, remember that self-discipline is not easy. After all, if it were, everyone would practice it!
That is, every trial you avoid helps you exercise your discipline muscle and makes it easier to avoid the next trial.
Eliminating the distractions you can do in life will make a huge difference in the effort you can put into your business ventures and help you turn your startup idea into a huge success.
You have the discipline, now get the resources you need
Looking for advice on how to attract customers to your website? Or would you like a one-on-one coach to guide you through proven business strategies to grow your brand? Foundr+ can help. For just $1, you’ll get access to over 30 courses and 1,000 lessons led by top industry experts. You’ll also join a growing community of like-minded founders. Sign up today to get started.