HOW TO INSTIL MILITARY DISCIPLINE IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
April 5, 2022
Topics: Nutrition & Mental Wellbeing, Fitness, BMF Human Performance
Introduction: Why Discipline Matters
Discipline is the ability to do what you should do, when you should do it, even if you don't feel like doing it. This blog will cover military discipline in everyday life and how it can help you achieve your goals when applied correctly.
Discipline is not just about doing the right thing. It's also about being able to ignore the voice in your head that tells you to quit and push through regardless. Discipline is the practice of self-control and believing in yourself enough to know that you can accomplish your goals, even when it doesn't seem possible.
Some people think discipline results in rigidity or inflexibility, but this isn't necessarily the case. Discipline appropriate for everyday life results in orderliness and following a set of rules or plans for a result that has been predetermined. Disciplined people are willing to make sacrifices to achieve their goals because they know the importance of discipline in everyday life.
Benefits of Developing Self-Discipline
As popularised by Jocko Willink, a retired US Navy Seal and former member of SEAL Team 3, discipline equals freedom.
Discipline might seem like a burden, but in reality, it can liberate people from being controlled by their desires. Discipline allows you to practice the daily habits that get you the things you want.
Self-discipline is the ability to control our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. It can be learned with enough time and dedication if we are determined to do so, but it requires practise to master.
Nothing easy is worth doing, and there's a reason why so many people struggle with self-discipline. When done right, the benefits are profound - we have included some examples below:
- Increase the likelihood of rational decision-making - avoiding acting rashly and making the wrong decision.
- Carry out the commitments and promises you make to yourself and others.
- Break bad or unhealthy habits.
- Avoid procrastination and increase productivity.
- Improve your ability to focus and stay present when spending time with family, working or studying.
The Benefits of Military-Style Discipline In Everyday Life
Military discipline is defined as order and obedience among military personnel. It's related to their prompt and willing responsiveness to demands and understanding compliance to regulation.
The term military discipline can put people off as there is a level of rigidity and possibly forcefulness associated with it. By taking the mentality of those who apply military discipline and adapting it to your lifestyle, you can reap the rewards while still enjoying flexibility.
Military-style discipline can be applied to many aspects of your life. It can help you get more organised, stay on track with your goals, and achieve success.
Military life is not for everyone, but there are some things that you can learn from this lifestyle that can get you closer to your goals. You will learn how to manage your time and stay focused on the task at hand. You will also have a sense of responsibility and understanding of being disciplined and following orders.
How to Instil Military Discipline In Everyday Life
At BMF, we were the first in military fitness and the leaders in outdoor training - just like the military, we workout using what's available – benches, tyres, ropes, own body weight, partner bodyweight – no matter what, we get the work done.
Our sessions at our venues across the UK give you the space and encouragement you need to get towards your fitness goals and develop discipline.
How do we do this? We believe in installing military discipline in everyday life; you need to break it into steps:
- Identify where you struggle and outline the goals you'd like to achieve: For example, if you struggle with binge eating, write it down and outline what success would be for you, such as sticking to a diet plan. You may also want to consider other aspects of your life such as grooming, physical fitness, timekeeping, honesty and etiquette.
- Visualise your outcome: Having goals and outlining your struggles is just the start - what are your OKRs (objective key results)? In X month's time, where do you want to be? For example, you might want to run a sub 25 minute 5k.
- Start small: Now you know where you're going and what it'll look like when you get there, start to chip away towards your goal. If you try and boil the ocean, you'll get disheartened, so begin to build the military discipline habit with small chunks.
- Get a mentor: Having someone to help you who has been there and done that always helps. Not only can they inspire you when you're feeling low, but they can also help pick you back up when you fail - which takes us onto step 5.
- Practice, fail, start over: Be prepared to fail - failure is inevitable and is a natural part of progression and building military discipline. You haven't instilled discipline if you're not able to self start and continue through setbacks.
- Treat yourself: As previously discussed, military discipline in everyday life shouldn't consume everything you do, nor should it overly restrict you. Be sure to treat yourself and give yourself a break, as you're likely to come back stronger and more willing than ever to achieve your goals.
Conclusion: The Importance of Adopting a Military Style Discipline
It may be important to adopt military discipline in certain areas of your life to achieve success - especially if you're someone who struggles with sticking to commitments or has physical or mental concerns.
Military discipline is not just about following orders or having a training program. It's about doing the right thing for the right reason, at the right time, and with the right attitude. Military discipline teaches you how to set goals, prioritise tasks, and take responsibility for your actions.
If you'd like to learn more, feel free to check out this reading list which covers a list of books that Marines are recommended to build their personal and professional character. Additionally, get in touch with the BMF Team to see how we can help you achieve your mental and physical goals.