How To Use Consequences To Improve Your Self-Discipline

Any parent who has read a book on discipline knows that to teach a child properly, you must use a combination of different types of consequences to help reinforce the kinds of behaviors you want them to learn. Every choice that we make in our lives, after all, leads to either positive or negative consequences.

When you are pursuing a goal, your motivation will come and go. Sometimes, you will be really motivated just by your intrinsic need to succeed and reach the end. Other times, you will struggle to remember why you even started this journey. One way to set yourself up for success is to plan your consequences, both positive and negative. Rewards and penalties can help you stay on track and keep you motivated throughout the lengthy process of change.

So, if you are trying to teach yourself some new, healthier habits in life, you can use consequences to help reinforce your behavior and assist you in learning new ways of acting and thinking. Here’s how.

Think About What Will Happen If….

Remembering the “why” of your quest is a necessary consequence. If you are contemplating engaging in unwanted behavior, stop for a minute to consider what will happen if you do. One strategy for keeping this consequence in the forefront of your mind is to post reminders or images around your home or office that represent your goal.

Every time you see these notes, you will remember what it is you are working so hard to achieve. Sometimes, this gentle push is enough of a consequence to keep you on track and making good choices.

Create Effective Positive Consequences

What is rewarding to you is different than what is rewarding to others, so you need to decide what you will plan as positive rewards when you meet specific goals along the way. Rewards should be suitable for the effort you needed to reach that milestone, and they should not be something that derails your efforts to continue to make progress.

For example, if you are trying to change your eating habits, your rewards should not be food-based. Rewards can be tangible items (a new outfit), a favorite activity (a weekend away), or even just acknowledgment that you made it this far (stars on a progress chart). Find what works to motivate you and build it into your plan.

Remove the Possibility

One type of consequence you may not have considered is the removal from your life of specific temptations or enticements. If you can’t handle having sweet things in your house, because you will eat them all at once, then remove all temptations from your home. The consequence of not being able to resist them is you do not have them at all. If you can’t stop checking social media, then block it from your web browser or uninstall it from your phone. Get rid of the enticement, and you will have to put in a lot more effort to engage in the activity.

Pair a MUST with a WANT

Another way to pair a negative with a positive is to combine things you WANT to do with things you HAVE to do. For example, if you want to spend some time on social media, then you can only do this while you are walking on the treadmill or walking the dog. This gives you the choice to do the thing you are trying to cut back on, but it requires that you also do something that you need to do.

Set Limits for Yourself

Another consequence that may work for you, depending on your goal, is to use technology to set up digital limits for you. Online sources are available that help you create a personal contract, which can keep you committed to your goal.

You can use web blockers to keep you off certain sites, expense managers to help you reign in your finances, and even online workout tracking tools to hold you accountable for your activity level. Use the tools available to you to help you be more successful.