I found myself avoiding the scale for a couple of months after my back injury. I knew in my mind I had put on a couple of pounds, but I wasn’t sure how many or how the weight got there. I justified my weight gain because of my injury, but the truth was I had stopped being disciplined.
Over time, we can fall out of our disciplined routines and become inconsistent and as a result, find ourselves asking, “How did I get here?” We are overweight, overworked, and sometimes very unhappy with the lives we are living due to lack of discipline. Here are 3 ways men stop being disciplined.
1. We lose sight of our goals.
Discipline often requires a clear sense of purpose and goals. Too often, we struggle to maintain discipline because we forget what we’re striving to achieve. If your goals seem unattainable, you will struggle to keep moving forward. If your goals are unclear, you roam aimlessly. Without having a plan or roadmap, it’s very easy to become unfocused and undisciplined. Where are you heading and how are you getting there?
Discipline often requires a clear sense of purpose and goals.2. We lean into distractions.
We are human, and because of that, we are susceptible to distractions. We find ourselves scrolling through social media instead of meeting our deadlines. We find ourselves staying up late playing games while we know we need more sleep for the day tomorrow. If you find that you waste chunks of your day, you are distracted. A distracted man is an undisciplined man. If you want to get honest feedback, ask your wife if she thinks you are distracted, and see what she says.
3. We doubt ourselves.
I can’t speak for all men, but I can speak for myself. I am hard on myself. I take losses hard and struggle to celebrate my victories. My mind plays games with me and I start to believe lies that I’m not good enough or strong enough or that I don’t have what it takes. I doubt myself and my abilities. If I let these lies in, they can break down my discipline and my routines. When we doubt ourselves, we allow that voice to lead us instead of leading ourselves. Shut down that voice of doubt and get back on track.
Sound off: What red flags pop up for you when you feel undisciplined?
Huddle up with your kids and ask, “What do you think it means to be self-disciplined?”