How to stay disciplined?

Assalamualaikum,

Before delving into today's topic, I'd like to take a moment to remind you to keep our Palestinian brothers and sisters in your thoughts and prayers. Jazakallahu Khairan.

We're just two months away from 2024, the beginning of a new calendar year. The question is, how can you make the upcoming year better than this one with the time you have left in these two months?

We often get caught up in making "resolutions" and setting "this year's goals" at the start of the year, only to forget them as February approaches. This is a common human tendency - to be highly motivated initially and then lose interest over time. This happens because we often lack discipline. Discipline, however, comes into play when there's a well-thought-out plan of action. The hierarchy is as follows:

Goals → Plan → Action → Discipline.

Discipline is what propels you to take action to achieve your goals. But the question remains, how do you attain that discipline? This is a topic for another day, but in brief, you need to be prepared to be disciplined. Meal preparation, for instance, instills discipline in your eating habits. Planning your weekend helps you be disciplined about how you spend your leisure time. Preparing for exams makes you disciplined in your studies.

With two months left in 2023, you have the opportunity to prepare for 2024, setting yourself up to be disciplined and ready to take action toward achieving your goals.

What exactly do you need to prepare for?

That's entirely dependent on you and your goals. If your aim is to become more physically fit, take the time to determine your approach. Decide how much weight you want to gain or lose, and plan whether you'll be hitting the gym or working out at home. Create a dietary plan that includes your favorite foods. Go a step further and try out those diets and workout routines during these two months, so you're already in the groove as you step into 2024. There's no need to wait until January 1 to kickstart your actions. Begin now, and you'll be well-prepared for the new year.

Hope this was helpful. Comment your goals and plans for 2024.