The Science of Self-Discipline: Understanding Willpower and Habit Formation

Understanding Determination
​Determination is simply a decision made with discipline. It's about making a decision and staying aligned with it. But here's the key: you stay aligned by renewing your commitment to that decision regularly, rather than viewing it as a lifelong prison sentence.

Why Decisions Feel Like PrisonsMany people fail with exercise or diet programs because they perceive their decision as a permanent, unchangeable commitment. This mindset creates a feeling of entrapment. For instance, taking up a new job or starting a fitness routine can feel overwhelming if you think you have to stick with it forever.

The solution is to break down these decisions into smaller, manageable increments. Instead of saying, "I have to do this forever," try saying, "I'll try this for two weeks." This approach keeps your sense of freedom intact and makes the commitment feel less daunting.

Renewing Your Decision Daily
A powerful practice is to renew your decisions daily. For any thing that you want to create a positive habit, renew your decision daily. The pre-paving exercise in the Unlimited Workbook, helps us to renew our intention everyday just for that one day.

Pre-paving exercise extracted from the Unlimited Workbook]

• "Thank you, Universe, for a brand new opportunity to enjoy life."
• "I want my day to unfold with ease."
• "I want good things to come my way."
• "I want to appreciate people, places, and things."
• "I want to be good to myself and others."
• "I want to end this day feeling happy and satisfied."

These daily affirmations are decisions about how you want your day to go. By making these decisions every single day, you avoid the feeling of being trapped by a long-term commitment.

Flexibility and Freedom
Freedom is essential for happiness. When you feel your freedom is curtailed, it makes you unhappy and less likely to stick with your commitments. Instead of viewing discipline as a rigid constraint, see it as a series of daily decisions that you are free to renew or change.

For example, commit to going to the gym for just three days this week. Each day, decide anew whether to go. This way, your commitment doesn't feel like a prison sentence.

The Importance of Recommitment
Recommitment is crucial in all areas of life, including relationships. The best relationship advice is to recommit to your partner every day. Say, "I commit to you today." This daily recommitment keeps the relationship fresh and prevents it from feeling like a lifelong obligation.

Abundance and Freedom
Remember, there is abundance in the universe. You don’t have to stay in a job, relationship, or situation that feels restrictive. There are always other opportunities. Recognizing this abundance allows you to feel free and less pressured by your commitments.

Becoming Disciplined Through Daily Decisions
Discipline is just a renewal of your initial decision. When you decide not to eat a cookie, renew that decision every time you're tempted. Discipline is about making small, consistent decisions that align with your goals.

The Moment-by-Moment Decisions
Happiness is a daily decision, made moment by moment. We have approximately 70,000 thoughts each day, and each thought is a decision. You can decide to be miserable, angry, afraid, or you can decide to be joyful and satisfied. Every thought is an opportunity to make a new decision.

Conclusion
Determination is about making decisions with discipline, but not feeling imprisoned by them. Renew your commitments daily, embrace your freedom, and recognize the abundance of opportunities around you. By making small, manageable decisions and recommitting to them each day, you can stay determined and disciplined without feeling trapped. Remember, every thought you have is a decision you make—choose wisely and with intention.