A huge part of building the type of self discipline that allows you to get the most out of life is learning to become comfortable with being UNCOMFORTABLE. This may seem like a contradiction at first, but it really isn’t.
Once you are used to being placed in situations and environments where things aren’t warm, soft and predictable, you will have the ability to tap on a resource that most people just don’t possess.
This is self discipline in the form of mental toughness.
It’s one of the reasons why going through boot camp can be such a transformative experience for so many young men and women. They are put in uncomfortable situations over and over again, which leads to increased self discipline, which carries over into life beyond the military.
And there’s two simple tips that you can apply to your own life that can get this principal working for you too.
You will probably find these two things difficult at first. Just remember that’s the point. The difficulty can be thought of as the resistance in a kind of “mental weight training” you will perform each and everyday.
Before you know it you will be much more mentally tough. And you will have a superhuman level of self discipline.
Start applying these two tips right away.
Wake Up to Cold Showers. This is the foundation of learning how to master being uncomfortable. Cold showers will shock you awake every morning, get your blood flowing and show you that you can endure great physical discomfort. According to some experts they also bring significant health benefits.
So leave your hot showers behind in the morning and take your shower in cold water. This may seem impossible at first, but it isn’t. The resistance to a cold shower exists only in your mind!
If you need to ease into cold showers at first, start them off warm and finish them cold. As your mental toughness grows, reduce the amount of time you spend with the water warm.
Your shower before bed can be as warm as you like. It sets you up to relax before a good night’s sleep. This is what our Guide’s all about: having the discipline to be fully awake when you need to be. Knowing when it’s appropriate to relax can be important too.
Walk Whenever Possible. Stop using elevators. Stop driving to the corner to pick up a gallon of milk. Walk whenever and wherever you can, especially when choosing a carpark. There’s something magical about choosing the first available car park and walking that toughens the mind and spirit. Having the self discipline to skip taking the easy way out at every turn even with small things like this will carry over into your business life, your relationship life and how you look at yourself in the mirror everyday. Kill laziness, now.
Once you train your mind to be able to command your body to step into a cold shower at will, or to purposely walk when you could ride even when you don’t want to, you will be on the road to being able to command yourself to do just about anything.
The more you stay uncomfortable, the better prepared you will be to succeed.