[Polag]

Hi everybody.

I wanted to ask you what's your idea when it comes to creating self-sustaining momentum with willpower as described by Steve in his self-discipline series?
Will Power - Self Discipline Series

He describes willpower as something like this:

Willpower provides an intensely powerful yet temporary boost. Think of it as a one-shot thruster. It burns out quickly, but if directed intelligently, it can provide the burst you need to overcome inertia and create momentum

Little background: I have major problem with, well, basically doing anything, I'm in university and have problems with studying. I'm trying to resolve this problem because I won't accomplish anything if I continue like this. It's not just studying, it's basically my whole life. I just don't activate myself towards my goals, my dreams... Often I think that I've found the answer but all those answers didn't work, either because they were just scratching the surface or because I've never implemented them the whole way. It has been some time now, but I don't feel that I have made real, long-term progress. The reason as I analize myself could be this:

Don’t use willpower to attack your biggest problem directly. Use willpower to attack the environmental and social obstacles that perpetuate the problem.

I would suggest to read the article again (I'm sure you already did once) if you don't know what I'm talking about.

As I see it I have done just that. I've used my willpower to attack my problems directly and of course without any long-term results. Because willpower as described here isn't long-term. It comes in waves so to speak. And it makes sense, my fighting (or my success) with my problem (no studying, no action) could be described the same way. In waves. I would get excited now and then and do something, or figure out some possible solution for my procrastination but that's it. (well technically it isn't procrastionation because I don't just delay, I don't do it at all). So now I want to implement this strategy and after that continue with the "progressive weight training theory" to develope self-discipline but I need a few ideas.

Here’s how to tackle that same goal with the proper application of willpower. You accept that you can only apply a short burst of willpower… maybe a few days at best. After that it’s gone. So you’d better use that willpower to alter the territory around you in such a way that maintaining momentum won’t be as hard as building it in the first place.

How can I do this when it comes to studying, and just about doing anything at home? What could I do that could put me on the right track as explained in the article with the "losing pounds example"?

I know some of you could ask something like: "Is that what you study really for you...are you interested ..." I thought about that but I think that's not the problem, or the solution. I definitely need to graduate and I want to, I study what I like, what I'm good at. Like I said it's not just studying but doing anything that requires some decent effort. I had a long pause (2 years) in studying and just doing anything constructive in life which has destroyed almost completely my work discipline. So I need to build my self-discipline.

Also I want to say that I see discipline as the key(or the basic) to do anything. There are some things that can contribute to be even more efective but discipline is the core stuff. Everything else is extra improvement but not essential. So you can have discipline but not that "I figured out what I want to do with my life" for example and be good in life, but having found what you like to do without discipline won't get you anywhere. You'll be a failure. I can see that clearly in my situation. You can be inspired by something, have big dreams and goals, find something that you like etc. but what will move you is discipline. I can see that as someone how has lost almost everything of it. The discipline to do something regardless of what it is. This definition from steve puts it nice:

Self-discipline is the ability to get yourself to take action regardless of your emotional state

But let's say that discipline is not the answer for example for procrastination? That means that discipline is not the core that moves every person. I don't see what could replace discipline at that position. Purpose? No. That gives you a direction and meaning, and of course will power but your purpose won't do you any good if you don't have enough discipline to go eat something even when you're hungry (extreme example but you get the point)
The good thing is that most people have enough discipline to function normaly. Not as best as they could but it's enough. But that's also the bad thing because if they do, they don't see that that is the solution and keep looking for something different and end up in "learning but not doing" phase. I would suggest everybody to build the self-discipline as high as possible specially if you have problems with procrastination, "learning but not doing" and stuff like that.

So: 1.ideas 2.opinions about the importance of self-discipline in general
I would appriciate your feedback. Thanks.

Sorry -the length. I actually wanted to ask just for your ideas but then also to put self-discipline in the picture.