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LM: #300: Self-knowledge is self-discipline
Self-discipline has a reputation as a battle of wills.
Supposedly, the self-disciplined person doesn’t want to do various unpleasant things, but is strong enough to overcome that.
People who know me well think I’m disciplined. I write books, run a business that requires self-motivation, stick to a strict diet, and keep an exercise routine.
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But I don’t think I’m any better at doing what I don’t want than anyone else. If anything, I’m worse.
One source of “self-discipline” I’m pretty good at is self-knowledge. That is, I’m pretty good at predicting how and why my actual behavior will deviate from my intentions.
So, I set intentions I have a pretty good chance of following through on. I know what I like and don’t, how various activities sap and replenish my energy, and my threshold for burnout. I pick goals within those limits.
But I also know that even when I work within my limits, I won’t always do what I intend. So I don’t beat myself up over it, and design my environment and schedule so that when I mess up, the damage will be limited. For example, the “grippy and slippy” tools and weekly energy-based schedule I talk about in Mind Management, Not Time Management.
Self-discipline isn’t doing the unpleasant through force of sheer will, but rather knowing oneself well enough to predict where you’ll fall off-track, then setting up the right guardrails ahead of time.
Aphorism: “The rate of interest is a quantitative measure of the general discounting of future pleasures. If the prospect of spending $1000 a year hence were as delightful as the thought of spending it today, I should not need to be paid for postponing my pleasure.” —Bertrand Russell
Cool: This Huberman Lab Podcast interview on pthalates with Dr. Shanna Swan, will give you a sane view of the effects of plastics on our hormonal health.
Best,
David
P.S. Speaking of following through, this is the 300th Love Mondays email! Thank you for sharing with your friends!
