Self-Discipline

While self-control helps us tackle momentary impulses, self-discipline is a way of creating boundaries for ourselves, restraining or controlling part of our lives in order to promote the long-term growth of our capabilities in other areas. There are many forms and expressions of self-discipline: most are often associated with practicing physical skills—such as for athletes and artists—but any intentional practice of self-restraint (such as choosing to not yell at people we are angry with) is a form of self-discipline. Having a strong sense of self-discipline isn’t a matter of how much deprivation we can tolerate, but of how much we can balance our intention and drive for a long-term goal with momentary impulses that would point us away from those goals.