The Science of Self

Willpower is a limited resource but so is time. Self-discipline requires conscious control over how we spend our time. Follow Stephen Covey’s advice and “put the big rocks first”—the less important tasks of life can be squeezed in later. Start the day with your priorities.Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/41HabitsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. #BigRocks #Selfdiscipline #StevenCovey #UrgentTasks #GetOrganizedWithYourTime #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #41Self-DisciplineHabits

• Delayed gratification is a process wherein you forego a short-term reward or some temptation in favor of a bigger reward that comes later. The ability to delay gratification has been closely linked with success and is an integral part of practicing self-discipline. • If you wish to develop this skill in order to achieve your goals, there is a 10-step program you can follow over a 30-day period in order to see some results. The first three steps of this process involve deep reflection and asking yourself some hard questions about what exactly your goal is, what you want to achieve, the type of person you want to be, and how you plan on achieving your goals and becoming your ideal self in the future. This process can take up to a week since it’s imperative you take your time to come up with comprehensive answers. • Next comes the step where you must make adjustments to your physical environment so that it is geared perfectly toward helping you achieve your goals. Pick a room in your house with a window, good lighting, and minimal exposure to outside noise. Then, set up an ergonomic workspace that is free of distractions, especially from sources like your phone. • Once you’re done with this, you must start working on building a credit system. Each time you delay some gratification like checking your messages, award yourself credit points based on a scale that you come up with. Once you’re done with work, you can redeem these credit points for specific rewards like more free time, ordering takeout, etc. • There are many more tricks that can help you delay gratification. Use self-directed speech, continuously motivating yourself to hold off on succumbing to temptations by verbalizing your intentions to continue working out loud. You can also use what-if scenarios and think of the outcomes your choices will have. Invariably, you’ll see that continuing to pursue your goals will lead to a better future than giving in to temptations. Get the audiobook on Audible at https://adbl.co/3HhRPImShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition.Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.#Gratification #MaximizeConcentration #MentalClarity #MotivationLevels #Procrastination #The30-DayPlan #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #30DaystoSelf-Discipline

• When we talk about energy, we must start with the physical aspect. Our bodies are our engines, and they must be properly fueled to perform well, or at all. We have to eliminate all of our physical-energy vampires and replace them with better habits and awareness. We can take a quick look at what happens when we run out of energy; when we burn out—one of the biggest energy vampires. This is a state of stress and anxiety on the body, where our bodies begin to break down. • Another prominent energy vampire is a lack of productive and restful sleep. Your sleep hygiene could be terrible and you’d never know it. We should be avoiding blue light before sleeping, lowering stress levels, and keeping a regular sleep schedule. We should also seek to determine our sleep chronotype and understand how it relates to our circadian rhythms. The circadian rhythm directly influences the ultradian rhythm that we abide by when we are awake, and that we take into account with its natural spikes and lulls in energy. Restful sleep is a force multiplier—a quantity that enables great accomplishment in other, unrelated areas.Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/MoreEnergyHollinsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.#EnergyPyramid #EnergyVampire #MentalEnergy #MoreEnergy #Physical-EnergyVampires #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #HaveMoreEnergy

Here is a brief passage from Meditations by the Roman emperor-philosopher Marcus Aurelius that illustrates what we lose by surrendering to discomfort (of which is no concern to him) and not taking steps toward what we want in life:At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work—as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for—the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?Get the audiobook on Audible at https://adbl.co/3HhRPImShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition.Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.#AddictiveBehaviors #Aurelius #ColdShowers #Discomfort #MarcusAurelius #Meditation #MindlessDistractions #Selfdiscipline #Selfrestraint #TolerateDiscomfort #TrainYourDisciplineAsYouWouldAMuscle #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #30DaystoSelf-Discipline

Two months of consistently performing any action will generally turn it into a habit, but until we reach that point, we have to put active effort into creating a new routine. We must make a choice not to eat certain foods, to exercise, or to drink a certain amount of water. But commitment and consistency are only needed at first. Eventually, thinking becomes unnecessary; we will have the rituals in place to be healthy, happy, and effective at our work.Once we have the habits to maximize our productivity, and once we become used to challenging ourselves and resting to recharge our batteries, it becomes easier to direct our energy in any way we need. When we have enough energy, even the tasks we like to avoid become easy to face.Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/MoreEnergyHollinsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.#EnergyManagement #EnergyPyramid #MentalEnergy #MentalMuscles #ChannelingThatEnergy #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #HaveMoreEnergy

Knowledge is power, and self-knowledge is self-power. If you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can consciously work around your blind spots while maximizing on your good attributes. Don’t see your flaws as shortcomings, but instead learn what you can from them and focus on the good. Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/41HabitsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. #BlindSpots #SelfDiscipline #Weaknesses #WeakPoints #GetAcquaintedWithYourWeaknesses #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #41Self-DisciplineHabits

Next, we come to the practice of discomfort and all that it entails. By definition, anything that requires exercising self-discipline is uncomfortable. We’d rather not do it, otherwise it would be known as fun. This puts us in a quandary; sometimes there is nothing else we can do but suck it up and push forward, despite all the tactics and mindsets we’ve discussed in this book. At some point, we will have to be uncomfortable, and sometimes life is just a matter of how much discomfort you can stomach. Thus, we must practice it, and we will eventually grow immune to an extent. Practicing discomfort is like a vaccine against your impulses and weak moments. When you can slowly gain perspective that discomfort is not so bad and ultimately temporary, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.Get the audiobook on Audible at https://adbl.co/3HhRPImShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition.Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.#Adversity #EmbraceDiscomfort #Selfdiscipline #TheMasterOfDiscomfort #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #30DaystoSelf-Discipline

The energy pyramid is a helpful way to think about the role of energy and how to manage it. It has four tiers that depend on each other: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. It lays out a blueprint we will follow for the rest of the book. The energy pyramid also dictates that we must rest sufficiently or risk burnout, and at the same time make sure we are challenging ourselves and pushing our limits to increase our energy capacity. • One way to cultivate greater physical energy is to start every day with an intense seven-minute workout. This wakes up your body, boosts energy levels, and gets you started on the right foot for the day.Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/MoreEnergyHollinsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.#EnergyLevels #EnergyPyramid #Fitness #GutFlora #HealthyActivity #HeartHealth #JimLoehr #MentalEnergy #MoodStrengthening #MorningWorkout #PhysicalEnergy #PyramidalThinking #QuickCardioWorkout #QuickMorningWorkout #TonySchwartz #ThePhysicalFoundationOfTheEnergyPyramid #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #HaveMoreEnergy

A major stumbling block for those wanting to develop better self-discipline and improve their lives as letting their ego get in the way. The ego is a mask; it’s not the real you. Regularly remind yourself of the process, not the outcome and be okay with being a beginner or being wrong. Stop playing a role and encounter the moment as it is—no comparisons, appraisals, or judgments.On your self-discipline journey, you’ll encounter pain, which is inevitable. But suffering (i.e., the way we react to pain) is avoidable. Blame, personal narratives, regret, self-hate, doubt, anxiety etc. are all optional reactions. Try not to add “second darts” when life deals you a bad hand. With awareness and calm, compassionate acceptance, we can allow both pain and suffering to pass. Get the audiobook on Audible at http://bit.ly/41HabitsShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition. Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think. #SelfDiscipline #Suffering #TheEgoIsAMask #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #41Self-DisciplineHabits

The final piece of the puzzle for greater self-discipline and sticking to your guns is to change your thoughts. Thoughts, of course, lead to behavior, and behavior is what we want to change in the end. In this chapter, we talk about three specific ways to change the way that you think about taking action versus lying on the couch.First, we come to the Ulysses pact, or as I would call it, coerced compliance. It’s the act of burning your bridges and not allowing yourself to make a detrimental choice in the heat of the moment or out of a lack of self-awareness. When you find that you have no choice, and you must actually sit with your thoughts and work through things, that’s just what you’ll do. There is no easier path of least resistance, and there is no escape. If you can smartly plan and make this choice beforehand using commitment devices such as the Ulysses pact, then you no longer have to exercise self-discipline per se.Get the audiobook on Audible at https://adbl.co/3HhRPImShow notes and/or episode transcripts are available at https://bit.ly/self-growth-homePeter Hollins is a bestselling author, human psychology researcher, and a dedicated student of the human condition.Visit https://bit.ly/peterhollins to pick up your FREE human nature cheat sheet: 7 surprising psychology studies that will change the way you think.#CoercedCompliance #HarrietStanding #RobLawlorLeeds #Kaizen #Lawlor #Leeds #MentalReserves #Odyssey #Ulysses #TheUlyssesPact #RussellNewton #NewtonMG #PeterHollins #TheScienceofSelf #30DaystoSelf-Discipline