Use Consequences to Increase Your Self-Discipline

It can be tough when you set a truly inspiring and spirit aligned goal to stay on track. Often, I’ve found myself drifting from one task to another without clearly accomplishing anything. It can be frustrating and demoralizing.

So how can we increase self-discipline so we can finally see progress towards our goals?

Well, any parent who has read a book on discipline knows that to teach a child properly, you must use a combination of different types of consequences to reinforce the kinds of behaviors you want your child to learn. You can use this same strategy for yourself and see an improvement in your own self-discipline. Every choice that we make in our lives, after all, leads to either positive or negative consequences.

When pursuing a goal, your motivation will come and go. Sometimes, you will be really inspired just by your intrinsic need to succeed and reach the end. Other times, you will struggle to remember why you even started on this journey.

As I mentioned prior, one way to set yourself up for success is to plan your consequences, both positive and negative. Rewards and penalties can help you stay on track and keep you motivated throughout the lengthy process of change and goal achievement.

Here’s how.

Think About “What If….”

Remembering the “why” of your quest is a necessary consequence. If you are considering taking action which you’ve already determined is unwanted behavior, stop for a minute to think about what will happen if you do.

One strategy to remember this consequence is to post reminders or images around your home, office or even in your car that represent your goal.

Every time you see these images or notes, you will be reminded about what it is you are working so hard to achieve. Sometimes, this gentle nudge is enough to keep you on track and making good choices.

Choose Positive Consequences

What is rewarding to you is different than what is rewarding to me or anyone else. You need to decide what your positive rewards will be when you meet specific goals along the way. The reward you choose should match the effort you needed to reach that milestone. For example, if losing 10 lbs took 3 months, you may want to reward yourself with a massage, a new outfit, or even just acknowledgment (i.e. posting your progress on your fitness app or even on social media). But if the goal was smaller, like losing 2 lbs in a week, maybe you’d reward yourself with a bubble bath or some yummy smelling lotion.

When choosing a reward, however, make sure it’s not something that derails your efforts to continue to make progress. For the weight loss example, you wouldn’t want to reward yourself with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. This would just negatively reinforce the food behavior you are trying to change.

The important thing is to find what works to motivate you and build it into your plan.

Eliminate the Possibility

One type of consequence you may not have considered is the need to remove from your life specific temptations. If you can’t handle having salty or sweet foods and snacks in your home, because you know you will eat them all at once, then they’ve all got to go. The consequence of not being able to resist these treats and snacks is that you can’t have them at all.

Let’s say your issue is your addiction to social media. If you can’t stop checking, then block the offending app from your web browser or uninstall it from your phone. Once you get rid of the enticement, it will be much harder to engage in the unwanted activity as it will require a lot more effort on your part.

Combine a MUST with a WANT

Another way to change a negative while enforcing a positive is to combine them together. Put another way– combine things you WANT to do with things you HAVE to do. For example, if you want to check or engage on social media, then you can only do this while you are riding an incumbent bike or walking the dog. This allows you to do spend time on something you are trying to cut back on, but also requires that you do something that you need to do.

Set Limits for Yourself

Depending on your goal, another consequence that may work for you is to use technology to set up digital limits. There are online resources available that help you create a personal contract which can keep you committed to your goal.

You can use web blockers to keep you off certain sites, expense managers to help you reign in your finances, and even online workout tracking tools to hold you accountable for your activity level. Use the tools available to you to help you be more successful.

Staying on track when distraction is everywhere can be tough. With some right rewards and consequences, you can make solid progress towards achieving your spirit centered goals.

What consequences or rewards have you set up for your most important goals? I’d love to hear about it. Please comment below or send me an email. Happy growing!