Maintaining discipline despite strong urges is quite a challenge.

[CreamCat]

Since I decided to always test my discipline to its limit, I discovered that I only utilized 20~30% of the limit.

I often encounter strong emotions and strong urges.

Yesterday, I faced a strong urge to play an old game. Today, I faced a strong urge to waste my time and money on going out and buying an ice cream. I withstood the urge, and I made a cup of healthy banana smoothie for lunch instead of buying an ice cream.

I would have been defeated twice if I was not determined to push through strong urges. Urges were swirling inside me.

In order to maintain discipline, I have to accept the fact that I will have to face strong urges everyday. I have to be mentally strong enough to keep it up for decades and beyond. Are you willing to face your strong urges everyday and every hour for decades? Perhaps, you should be willing to do it for ever.

Edited September 9, 2019 by CreamCat

[Pernani]

Lol funny that this topic is the first thing that popped up the moment i visited the forum, I struggle with this shit, I struggle with it a lot that it kinda makes me hate myself as much as I can be forgiving to myself (which makes the discipline problem even worse), maybe this is one of those synchronicity messages or something .. How the hell do I develop such will power? how the hell do I accept having to force myself through life and not just flow through life, letting go, and being dedicated to the moment instead of being dedicated to a to-do-list ? 

[Yaseen]

I'm struggling with this issue as well. Sometimes I go for days effectively curbing all my urges; then I foolishly decide to loosen up just a little bit and be self indulgent for a short time, but I always end up backlashing and plunging into satisfying all my urges, and ,consequently, have the huge guilt piling up. I think taming urges is like some martial art training. We will never be able to completely make them disappear. We will just get better and better at fighting them. Until we get the blackbelt and we'll be able to dismiss them smoothly like some Kong Fu Master dealing with rookies. I hope to be that Master one day, and I wish you the same.

 

[bejapuskas]

Visualization and letting go techniques work well for me, for example, if I feel like jerking of, I visualize myself as a good quality man who can have an amazing relationships and it often times actually works, my communication skills become better, I have higher sex drive etc... If I feel like manipulating, I just breathe out and let go. Maybe try that, you might fail a few times but if you really trust your positive thoughts, it can have a lasting effect imo. You have to sincerely trust it.

[Average Investor]

I find it important to have a reason and vision why you must resist certain temptations. 

 

Do you want to lose weight? Have a cleaner diet? Those types of motivations will make it easier to resist the ice cream bar. 

 

I would not try to resist something without a specific reason, or you will likely fail resisting it. Try to focus in on one resistance. I quit nicotine after 5 years of use 4 months ago. I visualized how much better my physical activity could be without it. I visualized how much more attractive to the opposite sex I would be. I visualized how much more powerful I would feel without it. The constant need and brain training from. I rarely even think about it now. And it is extremely rare I get a craving for some unless I am having ego backlash. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by Average Investor

[studentofthegame]

Exercising discipline is good, but sometimes playing an old game or going out and buying an ice-cream (the two examples you cited) is very healthy. You aren’t a robot, you have an inner child like everyone else and he needs a bit of love sometimes. Like everything else in life it’s about balance.

[CreamCat]

7 hours ago, Average Investor said:

I would not try to resist something without a specific reason, or you will likely fail resisting it.

I like having an ample amount of time each day for developing mastery so that I don't feel rushed to do things in hurry.

To make a lot of time for developing mastery and still have some time left for exercise, meditation, and rest, I need to cut down distractions.

If I yielded to little distractions, I would have a third or a fourth as much time for those things. Popular old games are huge time sinks since they come with a lot of modding possibilities. Going out for just an ice cream costs at least 30 minutes which I could use to exercise and still have some time left for rest. Each distraction costs between 30 minutes and hours. I cannot afford them.

In other words, I make enough time for important things by cutting down distractions.

Edited September 9, 2019 by CreamCat

[remember]

9 hours ago, CreamCat said:

Since I decided to always test my discipline to its limit, I discovered that I only utilized 20~30% of the limit.

I often encounter strong emotions and strong urges.

Yesterday, I faced a strong urge to play an old game. Today, I faced a strong urge to waste my time and money on going out and buying an ice cream. I withstood the urge, and I made a cup of healthy banana smoothie for lunch instead of buying an ice cream.

I would have been defeated twice if I was not determined to push through strong urges. Urges were swirling inside me.

In order to maintain discipline, I have to accept the fact that I will have to face strong urges everyday. I have to be mentally strong enough to keep it up for decades and beyond. Are you willing to face your strong urges everyday and every hour for decades? Perhaps, you should be willing to do it for ever.

it`s only at the beginning where you have to push through it with the mind. if you install habits for your deepest cravings like everytime the icecream (i scream) craving appears supplementing them with a smoothie you will supplement the bad habits with good habits as your body and memory will slowly supplement the bad cravings with good ones. that is where the now, now, now and now starts to be the ever. you might have backlashes from time to time but overall also be attentive to why the craving appears, what are you really supplementing with the cravings - might be that the amount of discipline you have to bring forward during your day to day life is the reason for having attacks on discipline, try to supplement with a good feeling imagine how your body also starts to be more energized and how bananas boost your serotonin, your mood and magnesium levels. they already make you more relaxed just by the ingredients.

also don`t go for all of them at the same time if you have huge backlashes, might be because you can`t hold up the intensity for too long a distance. tak on one habit at a time and be more forgiving with the others. it will change slowly. don`t forget the other habbits though - could help to make a list.

make it a fun challenge! recipes please

Edited September 9, 2019 by remember

[CreamCat]

Not giving in to the temptation to play game or watch youtube videos is quite a challenge while I wait for my computer to finish a task that takes 10~15 minutes.