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Latest update on my self-discipline

Mar 21
Posted by DaveOlson in Personal

I promised to keep you updated in my progress to develop greater self-discipline in my life.

My first step was writing out all of my tasks, goals, projects and dreams.

planeOne of those was to get my pilot’s license. I’ve wanted to learn to fly for probably ten years but have never gotten it together until now. So I’m happy to report that as of yesterday I have started ground school for my pilot’s license. My plan was to pay for things one area at a time. I broke it down into steps and the plan is working very well. I started by setting aside the money for registration, then the money for the ground school kit. After I paid for those two I set aside the money to pay for my medical exam. I will need to have a current medical every couple of years so I will have to plan for that as well. After getting my medical done a couple of weeks ago, I set aside the money for ground school. The day after I paid for ground school I started the first class. Next step is my first flying lesson. I now have the money set aside for that as well. So far everything is going as planned..

keyboardMy computerized daily todo list hasn’t been as convenient as I had hoped because I am avoiding the computer in the morning. I could print it out the night before but I hate to waste the paper. Probably a scrap paper list will be the next best option.

The reward system is helping. I’ve been putting off having my daily latte until after I’ve spent at least one hour working on my number one daily priority. I am still struggling with the most difficult or intensive items on my list. Although I’m getting better at doing these things, I have not given them my best effort when I should. I have to find a way to be even more motivated at that number one task.

Overall I’m much more productive and able to do the right things than even three weeks ago.

As I’m working out what to do next, I’ve discovered some other people exploring the same concepts. J.D. Meier has some great suggestions on “the secret of time management” that you might want to check out. There’s also another good post with some insights about a leader’s time.

Do you have some ideas you could add to the mix? What suggestions can you give me to help with getting more done on my number one daily priority? Leave me a comment.

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How to increase your motivation factor

Mar 20
Posted by DaveOlson in Personal Development

whew… the last few days have been a blur.

As you have probably noticed there hasn’t been a post for a few days. I actually have several posts started but creative block set in and I couldn’t finish any of them. I’m sure I will over the next little while so stayed tuned as we talk about money and fear.

Today I want to look a little deeper into the area of motivation. Have you ever noticed that as you try to develop a productive, disciplined life, you have some days that it just seems easy to get things done while other days it’s a struggle to accomplish even one item on the list? What makes the difference and is there a way to regulate it?

Motivation can be broken down into two main types: Internal and External.

handExternal motivation is when you find it easier to do things because of circumstances. If the circumstances are favourable then you get more done. If things are working against you then nothing gets done. When you depend on external motivation it is easy to adopt a victim mentality. That is you blame everyone and everything else for your lack of productivity and motivation. You might blame your boss for not giving you the tools you think you need. You might blame the weather. You might even blame your dog. :-) No matter whom you blame, it’s not you.

The flip side is when you find it easy to do things, you don’t quickly recognize that you are depending on external motivation. One thing you can do is track your motivation level for several weeks. As well take note of external circumstances such as weather, diet, other people around you, your financial stress and even your sex life. See if your motivation level increases when your circumstances are more favorable. You might also notice a real drop in motivation when the external circumstances are unfavorable. (in your opinion)

Internal motivation relies entirely on your willpower and the methods you have put into place to get things done. It’s all under your control. If you feel like it or make a decision you get it done. If you don’t feel like it you don’t. Internal motivation is a major factor if you are a mood driven person. Even though your mood may affect your motivation, your internal resolve can override it.

When you have developed a strong self-discipline and willpower, you will be motivated internally over externally. Even when the circumstances of life are working against you, you are able to accomplish whatever it is you set your mind to.

Why is it important to understand your motivations?

If you allow external motivations to be your primary kick-in the seat, then you will be very limited in what you accomplish in life. You will be limited by everything that you see around you. If you strengthen your inner motivation, your limit in life will only be what you believe.

Dig deep within yourself and find a superior reason to do what you need to. Find a cause that is greater than your own limitations. These are the types of things that help you build internal motivation.

What is your motivation? Let me know in the comments.

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What I’ve learned so far about myself.

Mar 09
Posted by DaveOlson in Personal Development

If you’ve been following my series of posts on self-discipline you would have noticed that much of what I’m writing has been a journey of discovery. 10 days into my quest to strengthen my self-discipline, I’ve discovered several things about myself.

  1. I wasn’t as disciplined as I thought I was.
  2. By simply making a list I could be more productive than without one.
  3. It’s not always easy to decide what is the most important thing.
  4. I tend to do the easiest things over the difficult things.
  5. I need stronger motivation than simply my willpower.
  6. Setting a specific time to do my dirty work :cool: helps me.

Number 5 and 6 are the things that I discovered since changing my schedule and putting my latte’s on the line. :-)

So what do I do next? What would you do now?

One thing that I’ve decided has to be at the top of the list for any self-improvement, self-discipline or personal growth plan is that it must be simple. If things are made too complicated you end up with an excuse rather than an accomplishment.

There are great articles out in blogworld but few are simple enough to actually apply. Steve Pavlina has some great articles but some of it is pretty complicated. Even the highly touted GTD program by David Allen is so detailed it becomes difficult to act on.

Do you have some simple ideas for self-discipline? What do you do to keep on track? Let me know in the comments.

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