Since the famous Marshmallow test was done in 1970 and numerous studies have proven how mental toughness is the most common trait among successful people. It`s self-discipline that differentiates between the average and the most successful among us. Disciplined people can regulate bad emotions, overcome difficult times and achieve difficult goals. To be like them, you can start today by building these seven habits.
1. Improve patience with fasting
If you can fast voluntarily then you will have enough patience to succeed. Habits are contagious, this is why people who exercise regularly are often more successful than people who eat junk food all day. In fact, many celebrities like Terry Crews, and Andrew Wittman have already incorporated fasting in their lifestyle.
I have been fasting for over a year now and I`m pretty much certain that he who can stay without food for +16 hours every day can tolerate anything. Fasting will teach you discipline, help you lose weight and improve your life in many other ways like repairing damaged cells and raising both your Testosterone and Growth Hormone Levels.
2. Build discipline through running
Build a morning routine around running and life will get better and easier. Will Smith laid it well when he said the key to life is running and reading.
When you run, there`s a voice in your head that says: "˜You`re tired, you can`t continue and you have to quit'. When you learn how to push past this nagging voice, you will learn how to persist when life gets hard.
3. Master fear by taking cold showers
Cold showers are short rehearsals for what it`s like to feel the fear and do it anyway. If you are able to move from warm to cold, and hold on until you`re accustomed to this new temperature, then you will literally become an unstoppable badass. Also, and according to studies, a five-minute cold shower, taken twice a week, can lessen depression by increasing the production of endorphins.
4. Ease stress through expressive writing
The first step to change a bad behavior is to understand the motives behind it. These motives are usually hard to find unless you write them down.
A recent study found that expressive writing — -a fancy term for journaling– – reduces anger and distress. At the same time, researchers from Michigan State University found that documenting your thoughts and feelings before a stressful event will make you perform better while consuming less mental energy.
5. Learn time management by having a fixed bed time
This is especially important for people who work from home or run their own businesses. Your day should have a fixed start and end time just like any sport game. Ever saw a basketball game delayed because the referee was in a bad mood? Of course not.
With too much freedom also come too many temptations and if you don`t set rules to hold yourself accountable, self-control will plummet and things will get messy. When you, however, fix your bed time, it will act as a deadline and force you to get things done early because now you`re committed.
6. Bathroom affirmations to build faith and improve focus
Repetition of affirmation of orders to your subconscious mind is the only known method of voluntary development of the emotion of faith. "“ Napoleon Hill
Whom should you believe, your friend who says affirmations are silly or Napoleon Hill who spent his life interviewing the world`s richest and most successful men?
Though you may not believe you`re destined to great things, there`s a way you can induce faith into your life, and inspire massive action. This way is called repetition of affirmations over and over until you`re sick of them.
If you pick one or two mantras and repeat the heck out of them, very soon you will build faith and the actions you were lazy to take in the past will now become effortless. The subconscious mind doesn`t differentiate between facts or lies and will accept whatever you vigorously repeat to it, even if you don`t feel it yet. As Muhammad Ali was quoted: "I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was."
From my experience, not finding time for affirmations is the only obstacle between you and reaping their benefits. This is why I recommend you say affirmations in the bathroom because it`s a place that you hit it every day and no one is around to snoop on you.
7. Meditation to build poise and overcome addiction
Meditation — -done consistently– – will teach you emotional control and self discipline. According to studies, long-term meditation strengthens your brain`s frontal lobes which are the same areas weakened by alcohol abuse, porn and drug addictions. Mindful meditation was also found to reduce behavioral problems like gambling and sex addiction.
The problem with meditation is lack of consistency. You won`t make it a habit If you demand too much too early. The key is to start slow and add more time to your routine as you get better. Begin with a minute, or two, then add 30 seconds each day. By the time you hit 15 minutes, you`ll have an established routine that lasts.