How important is self discipline?
How do you really work? Work on your own pace? Or do you have a organized timeline? If yes, why?
About the title of the question, self-discipline is important if we want to grow our skills effectively, whatever that may be.
I have a timeline but I don't follow through it rigidly. If I do so, I'll feel burnt out in a jiffy. If I failed to catch up with the timeline, it's no big deal but I have to be more mindful how am I doing.
Self-discipline is one of the qualities that determines success or failure. Only those who have real self-discipline achieve their goals. At top athletes you see this extremely well. But this is generally true for any ability. Musicians, Athletes, Cooks … also Developers, Makers and so on.
My self-diziblin is at the moment, when i want to create a side project, then i do it until it is done. I'm not starting any other side project. That's been an extreme problem of mine for the last few years. It's not about big projects that take years. it's about the little things that take two days :D
- i get up between 5 and 6 o'clock in the morning, not later (better 5 am or 4:30)
- I'm going to bed at 10pm, not later
- i trink no alcohol
But the question from you leaves too much room for interpretation.
Self-Discipline to me is one of the most important attributes a person can have. While this doesn't mean you have to follow through with everything, every day, always it does mean you go out of your way to do as much as you can on a daily basis.
Example: I want to become a better developer so I have to code at least 1 hour a day. If I code 2 hours in one day that doesn't make up for the 1 hour I missed the day before. I need to be consistent. However, if my personal life has some major things come up (girlfriend is extremely upset due to something that happened at work and absolutely needs to talk with me about it during my normal 1 hour of coding) I can make room and if I miss it one day out of the month it's not going to be as big of a deal.
The book Principles by Ray Dalio (I'll link the audible book below) has really started to shape my perspective of this.
https://www.audible.com/pd/Principles-Audiobook/B074B29GQJ?dsrl=1262685&dsrl=1263561&sourcecode=GO1GB907OSH060513&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgMPgBRDDARIsAOh3uyIc-pG1gtYe6mZX4MEDrGLe5nr4eIiaR6uNOjPNJnzDyJ6WqqpVBkoaAhOrEALwwcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Very important. My answer is direct to the question (and it's something I have been taught by my dad & mom). Discipline is important because if you can't live by your own todos (aka promises), you will never be able to look up to yourself. Its a tragedy to fall in your own eyes. Every time you add another item to your todo but don't live up to it, you fall in your own eyes. It may be a simple task but the psychological blow it has on you is even bigger. Deep inside you can hear yourself saying you can't even do the task you wanted to do. Your own system doubts you and it gets stronger to make you weak.
- the solution is discipline. When you do what you wanted to do, your own system starts to believe you. It's the kind of pride you need.
About my work - I work at my own pace and I'm ok about it. Lowers my stress.
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