Self Discipline = Learning To Like What You Hate
To me, self discipline and long-run thinking are synonymous. You need to have self discipline if you want to achieve your long-term goals. And those goals don’t have to be outward achievements, they can deal with health, love, faith, happiness, etc.
Part of disciplining yourself to work toward your goals is to learn to like things that you generally wouldn’t like. Another way of putting it is learning to shut up and deal. An easy example is food/health. Sure we all like cookies and cake, but if you want to lose weight or be healthier, you learn to eat more fruits and vegetables instead. Another example, a personal example for me, is learning how to deal with long distance relationships. People ask, “Isn’t it hard having a long distance relationship? How do you deal with it?” I just shut up and deal. I realize that my dream job means I travel all the time, so if I want any type of relationship, it’s going to be a long distance one. I can’t escape that, so I may as well teach myself to like it.
And the cool part about dealing with things that you don’t like is that you end up learning to accept them. They become a part of your life. I’ve been touring the country for over 3 years now, so the annoying parts about touring don’t even phase me anymore. I don’t even remember the things that I disliked about touring because it is so a part of me at this point. You see, if it is all you know, it is hard to hate. If you just decide to start exercising everyday, you will eventually learn to like it because it will be your life. It will be a part of you. I can’t imagine not having a long distance relationship at this point because it just wouldn’t fit in with my life.
The first step for you is to really figure out what you want in this life and figure out if it is worth the parts that are hard to deal with. Is getting good grades really worth all the stress and hassle it takes to do the homework? Is getting a good career really worth 4 more years of school? Is becoming a rockstar really worth feeling like a broke, homeless person for years? (Yes). If it falls into play with your long term goals than it is definitely worth it.
Usually I like to write about you being happy. But this isn’t about you being happy today, it’s about you being happy for the long run. It takes self discipline to see past the things you dislike in search of finding the things that will make your life fulfilling and truly blessed. Deal.
