I’ve dedicated the month of February to investing in self-discipline. Somewhere along the lines, I slipped up and lost my way. My gym closed back in October so I stopped exercising consistently, started using nicotine again, and bogged myself down with laziness and apathy. The gradual erosion of my physical fitness, mental health, and overall attitude signalled it was time to tighten my grip on the reigns of life and practice self-discipline.
Let’s get some shit straight real quick. Blaming the pandemic, gym closures, cold weather, or anything else is an easy copout. Those are excuses, justified by the little bitch that lives inside all our heads. That tiny voice tells you it’s okay to skip the gym, to sleep in a little longer, to avoid folding that pile of laundry in the corner of your room, to watch that next episode on Netflix. Self-discipline is having authority over that voice and willing yourself to do what needs to be done.
Toward the end of January, I elected to take on simple daily tasks that would cumulatively put me in a better position by the end of the month. Don’t get it twisted, developing a behavior and molding a mindset doesn’t come from 28 days of repetition. Discipline spawns from familiarity with discomfort, self-control, and action. All of these tasks are easy to accomplish on an individual basis; the real challenge is being disciplined enough to stick with it during the shortest month of the year.
For February, I’ll be:
- Eating the carnivore diet (animal products only)
- Exercising a minimum of 30 minutes daily (running, plyometrics, kettlebell lifts, Jiu Jitsu)
- Reading and/or writing
- Meditating a minimum of 30 minutes daily
- Prioritizing my sleep
- Abstaining from alcohol and nicotine
- Abstaining from sweets, processed sugars, and junk food
- Abstaining from video games
- Setting specific goals for each day
- Completing menial chores that I detest (folding laundry is the bane of my existence)
My approach is a treatment not a cure. Discipline is an impermanent state of mind that requires consistent self-control, willpower, and tenacity. When March 1st rolls around, falling off the wagon would be the antithesis of all I’m trying to accomplish. The key is maintaining the majority of these practices like exercising, cleaner eating, reading, writing, and limiting indulgence to appropriate occasions. BUT, when March 1st rolls around I’m gonna EAT. Ice cream, cookie dough, gnocchi, boneless wings with ranch. I’m too much of a glutton to abstain from the earthly pleasures of life.
So far, February has been a magnifying glass to my weaknesses. I’ve become well-acquainted with discomfort as I fight off hunger pangs every waking hour of my day. No matter how much chicken, beef, bison, sausage, egg, or jerky I put down, I’m satiated only for a brief moment. I’m now accustomed to pushing myself to do things I don’t want to, like running 7 miles when it’s 20°F outside. I’m actively working against the little voice at the back of my mind. I’m leaning into discomfort and experiencing greater joy from life. I feel more present, more productive, and clearer. I’m more selective with how and whom I spend my time. Overall, I feel really good.
I’ve meditated on what I did to slip into that negative state of mind prior to February. There isn’t a singular reason, but the overarching theme is best described as letting off the gas and getting too comfortable being comfortable. Everyone wants to be comfortable because it makes us feel safe and secure, providing a false sense of stability. Too often, we navigate through life coasting on momentum. Instead of jumping behind the helm in the cognitive captain’s seat, most tend to assume a passive approach to life allowing sequences of events to dictate their feelings and influence their behavior. Comfort comes at a price, the caveat being self-destructive behaviors and apathy. If you take anything away from this, let it be this: INSULATION FROM ADVERSITY BREEDS COMPLACENCY. Complacency then festers into discontentment, manifesting in maladies of the mind like depression, anxiety, and negative self speak.
My advice is to craft a conqueror’s mindset. Like a muscle, discipline needs to be exercised consistently to gain strength and power. Identify your weaknesses, confront them, and overcome. When something sucks, embrace the struggle. You are in control of how you think, feel, and behave. This style of thinking grants you explicit authority over your own life. Armed with the power of choice, you can choose to invite varying degrees of suffering into your life rather than hiding behind the cushioned walls of your comfort zone. When you lean into discomfort and elect your own challenges, you’re better equipped to rise to the occasion when real suffering comes along.
To quote the great and powerful David Goggins, “STAY HARD!”
Read my mind. 