The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘self discipline’ as follows:
“the ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses; the ability to pursue what one thinks is right despite temptations to abandon it.” I think you would agree that there are few more important skills that a learner can strive to obtain.
Self discipline is vitally important since studying is often not the easiest or most pleasant thing that you can be doing at any given moment (although it can, of course, often be just that)! The temptation to just give up, or to go and do something else, can therefore sometimes be close to overwhelming. Staying the course in such circumstances will require the application of a great deal of self discipline.
Contrary to common perceptions self discipline is not something that you either have or don’t. It is, in fact, something that every learner can strive to develop in his or her own life. Here are some practical suggestions to help you become a more disciplined person and learner:
- Start small. One of the main reasons people get discouraged when trying to develop a more disciplined approach to their studies is that they often set totally unrealistic goals. It is much better to start with something achievable (I’ll read two chapters in one go) than with something bound to fail (I’ll finish ‘War and Peace’ before getting up out of this chair!)
- Develop the habit of punctuality. This may seem trivial but it is very important. Getting to your classes, and your desk, on time will help you to train yourself to give your studies the priority that it deserves.
- Organise your life. Make sure that you proactively control the use of your time, and that you do not merely react to whatever is going on around you. Make use of a diary and detailed ‘to do’ lists that you stick to as far as possible.
- Practice self-denial. This is probably not a very fashionable concept but it is a vital part of learning self discipline. If you want to be successful in your studies you are going to have to train yourself to forego certain pleasures (e.g. a night at the movies or a weekend away) in order to concentrate on the task at hand. This is hard to do but remaining focussed on the ultimate goal does help to make it slightly easier!
Self discipline may seem like a slightly dated concept it is, however, often the only thing that separate average students from great students!