Ask HN: How do you remain disciplined and be your best self? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you remain disciplined and be your best self?

#31

Post by 21dayhero » Fri, Dec 07, 2018, 8:45 AM UTC

Some good advice here already. Being a guy who has been studying habits and routines for the past 18months I know one thing - concentrating on breaking a bad habit and STOP doing something is really hard. It requires too much willpower and discipline and if you're starting from a low point - these resources are super limited. So that's a bad strategy for someone in your situation.

A better strategy is to focus on developing habits that will bring more positivity into your life and as a result - weaken your bad habits. This will give you more mental power to deal with whatever shit that is making you unproductive, lazy and procrastinator.

Examples of habits that bring immediate positive effects are:

- movement. Not necessarily exercise. Could be also just taking a 5min stroll around the block after the morning shower. - gratitude practice. Take an actual paper notebook with a pen and each morning after having breakfast, write down 3 things you're grateful for, 3 things that will make today great and maybe some positive self-talk. - meditation. Some people find it hard, but the best solution for beginners is to use guided-meditation apps. Good and paid ones are Calm, Headspace. If you want free one - Insight Timer. Believe me, guided meditation can give you a perspective you are looking for. - improving your social circle. Just signup to some meetups on something that you always wanted to learn. Photography, carpentry, cooking, whatever. go out there and meet people who are already doing what you wish you were doing. This will positively affect your mindset and you might even want to model them. Just don't go to the super pro meetups, because you might be discouraged by their level and think 'I'll never get there' and other kind BS talk.

And look, I'm not even sure you're gonna read this. But I promise you, if you spend at least 3 minutes everyday, taking a small step towards where you want to be - the effects will compound and you'll find yourself at much better situation in a month. Forget about quick fixes, forget about end results. Focus about doing something small today, and then tomorrow.

Good luck brother.

Re: Ask HN: How do you remain disciplined and be your best self?

#32

Post by random_kris » Fri, Dec 07, 2018, 9:26 AM UTC

21dayhero wrote: post #31

Some good advice here already. Being a guy who has been studying habits and routines for the past 18months I know one thing - concentrating on breaking a bad habit and STOP doing something is really hard. It requires too much willpower and discipline and if you're starting from a low point - these resources are super limited. So that's a bad strategy for someone in your situation. A better strategy is to focus on dev…

Wow thanks for your reply man :) I actually think I am making a good progress. I didn't kick my weed habbit but actually try to incorporate some positive habits in my life. -I try to make good food everyday after my work. (healthy, home cooked) sometimes I smoke before cooking so it is even more fun than doing this sober. -I found wim-hof breathing exercises and idk if it placebo but something clicked with me and I just feel like my general mood improved noticeably. After just 2 20min exercies I felt different, so I decided to go one level further and start doing cold showers. Been doing this for past 5 days and even though they can be shocking they feel soooo good. My weed cravings are actually a lot smaller than before so I think I am making a progress. My next goal is to signup for swimming pool and, go to bed/wakeup at the same time atleast druing the weekdays. Fridays, Saturdays will be an exception tho

Re: Ask HN: How do you remain disciplined and be your best self?

#33

Post by 21dayhero » Mon, Dec 17, 2018, 12:15 PM UTC

random_kris wrote: post #32

21dayhero wrote: post #31

Some good advice here already. Being a guy who has been studying habits and routines for the past 18months I know one thing - concentrating on breaking a bad habit and STOP doing something is really hard. It requires too much willpower and discipline and if you're starting from a low point - these resources are super limited. So that's a bad strategy for someone in your situation. A better strategy is to focus on dev…

Wow thanks for your reply man :) I actually think I am making a good progress. I didn't kick my weed habbit but actually try to incorporate some positive habits in my life. -I try to make good food everyday after my work. (healthy, home cooked) sometimes I smoke before cooking so it is even more fun than doing this sober. -I found wim-hof breathing exercises and idk if it placebo but something clicked with me and I j…

Sounds like a great progress indeed! Just take it step by step. Don't start adding the new habits too quickly, because each new habit, actually shakes your current routine a bit, because you're learning something new and your brain is taken from automaticity mode that your habits bring you into.

So don't rush, do the home cooking and cold showers and exercise, but don't add the swimming pool yet, because you will be less likely to keep up and as a result skip few days. Skipping will bring out negative emotions and an urge for escapism and you'll be a lot more likely to revert to your bad habit - weed.

Take it slow and enjoy the ride.