Sometimes when we hear the word discipline, we think of punishments or consequences. However, that is not all discipline is. You can use discipline to help make improvements and better your habits in your own life! Self discipline takes a little bit of work and can be hard to build up and make consistent; once you get the hang of it you can create so many habits that will better your future! Some examples of self discipline include:

1. Doing a task, even when you don't want to. Whether it's cleaning your room or doing your homework, making yourself do tasks you don’t want to do is a great way to build up self discipline and create good habits!
2. Remind yourself how capable you are! Telling yourself how capable you are of getting tasks done and reminding yourself of how much power you have to do these tasks can help you build up the motivation to be self disciplined!
3. Create a routine! Whether it’s starting your homework at the same time everyday or creating a routine when you wake up, you will gain the skills you need to help improve your self discipline simply by following a routine everyday. These routines help you get back on track throughout your day and create the stamina to become self-disciplined!

There are many influential figures that you might be familiar with that are self disciplined as well. Many influential figures use self-discipline in order to get tasks done and create opportunities to do things they enjoy doing! Some influential figures that use self-discipline include:

1. Katy Perry. Katy Perry, the popstar many people know and love today, did not always have it easy. Early in her career she was rejected by three different record labels, however, she did not lose motivation and stayed self disciplined which eventually got her signed long-term with capitol records where she has been able to make all the music you love today!
2. Thomas Edison. While creating the first electric lightbulb, he failed around 10,000 times. After failing that many times most people would give up. Edison on the other hand said, “I know over 9,000 ways an electric lightbulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.” Edison stayed disciplined and continued to work on creating an electric light bulb. Because of this self discipline, he was able to create the first electric light bulb!
3. Oprah Winfrey. Just like Katy Perry, Oprah Winfrey had a rocky start in the early stages of her career. She was hired to intern on a radio show, however she was soon fired as the producer thought she was “unfit for television.” While many people would become unmotivated after hearing that criticism, Winfrey stayed disciplined and soon landed a job on a talk show that quickly became the number one talk show on air at the time. Because she stayed disciplined, her career took off and she got the job many people know and love her from today!

By: Meg Roney