Your system, like all great art, deserves a framework. Start keeping track.
Leaving Tracks
Sustainable progress needs attention. Now that your to-do list is underway, it’s time to join that pattern of behavior to a pattern of thinking that will keep progress from slipping away. The act of discipline building through daily routines starts out with a fragile structure. Because there are emotions involved in the resulting feelings of new activities, a system helps. Lots of humans capture personal info on a regular basis through diaries, apps and journals. Planners provide the right routine for others. But there is a very simple way to begin keeping track so that the process doesn’t feel as heavy as actually changing the habits. When you add in the day-to-day pressure from the existence of relationships, even those we have with ourselves, a little simplicity helps. There is no issue with doing more. But don’t consider it a requirement. The rocket fuel of newness helps until the excitement decreases. Keeping track with simplicity helps complete the assignment when time counts. It is more important to keep the focus on the actual habits than the commentary.
One Word Tracking
I am a big fan of journalling using one word. It doesn’t require any fancy expensive tool to get started but a special place to enter your thoughts can be encouraging. The ideal outcome of this practice is you can keep track of that one feeling word that is the desired result. One word is easy to think of and it sets up a practice of measuring success that can be sustained. Even if you are super busy one day, the one-word method lets you meet the expectation and feel that little jolt of discipline. And there is no requirement to restrain the tracking to one word when lots of answers come to mind. The pressure to choose the exact right word might be an issue from time to time, but that doesn’t overtax the brain very often. It’s acceptable to challenge your depth of feeling words every day. Eventually, you will find the way that suits you best and add details or not. It can remain basic and still capture your feelings. Some humans don’t like to leave their innermost thoughts exposed to others who may be interested in private activities. It may be hard to decipher what is actually going on when just keeping track of one-word codes.
Predictable Tracking
This is an easy way to add to the self-discipline practice. Starting out low and slow with a minimalist journalling program provides just enough incentive to start and keep up a new routine. This is a baby step challenge. For those humans who fall off the planner wagon quickly, this usually works due to its low investment. The subtle effect of a daily addition of a small phrase or group of words is deceptive. The repetition is easy to keep up and the dopamine boost provides the motivation to keep going. Motivation response produces more feel-good chemicals and gradually builds up the tracking muscle. This helps to increase accountability also. As discussed previously, keeping a promise to yourself is very gratifying. When you build up the trust factor for yourself, decisions are made with more clarity. The chances of quitting dramatically decrease. You have become a discipline ninja.
Scaling the Tracking
As fear and insecurity have diminished with the practice of building new routines, acting even more disciplined becomes the surprise outcome. Self-control joins the list of automatic behaviors when tracking is completed on a daily basis. What seemed impossible previously has become routine. This is when discipline starts to become scalable. The moment that a task seems easy, you have reached the road sign pointing you towards adding some intensity to your practices. This is a time to consider a more difficult workout, parking farther away from a destination, avoiding a second helping of anything or adding some time to your nightly meditation instead of skipping your nightly mindfulness check-in. This is a great time to examine the daily schedule to recognize where you were taking it too easy on yourself and need a little challenge. Hitting this point is exceptionally inspiring because it happened without the grinding of teeth that other programs require. Respecting your own desires, becoming faithful to the dreams of your future and having your own back have a jackpot. This is a milestone you didn’t even know to look for. Low-key is very cool. Keep challenging the tracking by checking out the thesaurus. Feelings deserve great descriptions!
Does this seem like you? Imagine yourself being disciplined. Imagine yourself keeping track of your own progress and feelings. Imagine who you are on your way to becoming.
