Discipline

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Do you think you are disciplined?
Do you think you are more or less disciplined
now than when you were 16?

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People in this world can be classified into many types:

E.g.

Smart
Book Smart
Street Smart
Intelligent
Kind
Generous

Now for the purposes of this discussion, let us assume that our subjects are all people who recognize an area
in their lives where they have certain targets, and acknowledge that a wanton hedonistic lifestlye will prevent them from achieving such targets. They realize that there is a need for some level of discipline in order to attain these targets. Examples are discipline in order to achieve financial goals, balance budgets, maintain weight, etc.

Those humans who see absolutely no need in their lives for any sort of goals or targets that necessitate some
form of discipline in order to attain aforesaid goals/targets are left out of this discussion entirely because these people live in their little cocoons, arent plugged into today's world, and thus are not worth discussing. They have
no worthy goals because worthy goals do not come easy without sacrifice or discipline.

The list goes on. I further venture that in general humans can be classified into:

Capable of discipline
Incapable of discipline

1. Capable of discipline

These people recognize or desire to have a certain goal. E.g. financial security. And thus they do various things to
bring them closer to such goals. This could be researching into investments, doing due diligence before investing,
sticking to a budget, controlling urges to splurge, etc. This requires discipline. It is definitely no joy to be doing the abovementioned day after day. It requires 
discipline to stick to a budget, to prevent yourself from reaching for that extra coffee.

Another example is physical fitness. You go to the gym, and you can tell who the disciplined ones are. The ones
who show up regularly, go through routines that are so taxing their faces are scrunched up, do things such as emphasizing form and technique over short term thrills like impressing others. These are the ones with the good bodies. The ones who you have seen for a long time, yet have no significant results to show for it, these are the
ones who don't have the  discipline to do things right, do things well, and make slow, steady progress.

So these people have shown that they are CAPABLE of discipline. It is a matter of how disciplined, and what
they choose to be disciplined about. That is a personal choice.

Some people might have great gym
discipline because they value their body much more than their money, hence they might be terrible spenders. A person capable of discipline might not be disciplined in everything - it depends on what they value.
Hence you can have a person who allows his body to rot without exercise but steadily builds his net worth in a disciplined manner, or you could have a person who works out regularly and in a disciplined manner to attain a sculpted physique but then spends all his $ on unnecessary, non income generating depreciating assets.

2. Incapable of discipline

Very simple. They have certain goals as well. And they recognize the need for discipline required to attain such
goals. But they never sustain their initiatives for a long period of time. This is due to lack of discipline. When
the desire to attain the target is strong enough, the discipline will automatically exist. If the desire is just not strong enough, the discipline required will
simply not be there. They recognize that they want to be fit, and they thus need to do lots of cardio and some
weight lifting. But they can not put in the prolonged sustained effort and sacrifices required to achieve such goals.
Some people constantly say they want financial security. They want to be rich. They are saving for a car. But they never seem to take any steps closer to their goal. That is indiscipline. They are not prepared to stick to budgets, fight for promotions, aggressively research and search for investment opportunities etc.

Its not a fatal flaw. It just is so.

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When I was younger, I had much more self control. I would establish what I wanted my end game to be, and I would doggedly, steadfastedly, determinedly march towards it, undeterred by any temptations. I would think:

1. Where do I want to go?
2. What do I got to do to get there?
3. Do it - do what you gotta do.
4. If an obstacle comes up...refer back to 1. and go down again.

Examples:

1. I want to obtain a minimum of 85% for my Final Add Maths score.
2. I need to practice AddMaths everyday on my own. I need to do all my homework and get 95% correct. 
3. Do it.
4. I am lazy and tired. But I want to obtain an 85%!!! Fine. [gets up and goes down the list again robotically].

1. I want to be considered good among my peers in my company.
2. I need to put in the hours, I need to drive for results, I need to stay back late to go the extra mile, I need to
    use my PR skills as a weapon, I need to do what the boss tells me, etc etc.
3. I do it.
4. I am lazy and tired and its 8pm. Well, I do feel about strongly wanting to be viewed as the best. So I force     myself to remain awake and patiently do some donkey job.

Problem is, now that I am all grown up, I seem to lack discipline more and more. This will NOT do!

I am now starting my own personal crusade to restore MY discipline. First off I want to build up the basics - 
gym all the time, eats heathily. THEN about financial discipline. Bu first before we try the external, we are trying to master the 
internal first. Step by step, cover the basics first.

I want to clean up my room, put my finances in order, build up health. Then build from there.