“No one who can rise before dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich.” (The Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell)
Earlier this week, while reading a chapter from the book The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, which discusses discipline and the hard work mentality, I had a significant moment of self-realization and reflection. The chapter explains why many Asian ethnicities have excelled in the world’s mathematics championships. Contrary to popular belief, this success has very little to do with exceptional IQ but rather with their cultural influences and upbringing. This explanation resonated deeply with me, reflecting how I was raised and what was ingrained in me since childhood. My parents, grandparents, and even strangers always encouraged and praised discipline and hard work.
Growing up, I always knew I was never the smartest student in any subject nor did I possess any special or outstanding talents, but I always put in my hardest work, using unwavering diligence to make up for my shortcomings. And the results were never disappointing. In the short term, it often looked so impossible and hopeless as I lagged so much behind, but with time, patience, discipline, and hard work, I usually made an exponential leap toward the end, turning the impossible into possible and the unimaginable into imaginable.
Reading that book was a stark reminder of how I had gradually let my discipline and commitment to hard work slip away. Rising early and consistently giving my best effort had been fundamental to my routine for years. Yet, I allowed them to slowly slip away without even catching a glimpse of awareness. I stopped waking up at 5:30 am and working long and intensive hours. Some may argue that it’s not the end of the world if I wake up later, that I can still achieve great things with the abundance of hours left. After all, waking up early isn’t the only path to discipline and success.
However, discipline is the cornerstone for creating and maintaining my good habits and keeping me intact. Once it’s shaken, everything else begins to crumble. It started innocuously enough with me waking up an hour or two later. Everyone has their off days, and so did I. Initially, it didn’t seem like a big deal. Unfortunately, it escalated beyond just a single day. It hit me like a heavy blow and brought my full awareness back when I read that chapter of The Outliers. I realized I had been slacking for months in every possible aspect. I used to work out six times a week for two to three hours each session; now, I skip at least one or two sessions a week and do only a fraction of my previous routine. I used to meditate and dedicate the first two hours of each morning to learning new things, but now I often skip that to rush to the gym and start work. My once remarkable focus and productivity in the early morning hours have dwindled to the bare minimum.
I’m confident there are many valid and truthful reasons to explain why I lost my discipline, and it wasn’t solely my fault, but rather the circumstances I was in. I can easily name a few:
Last year, I faced some serious health issues for the first time in my life. Firstly, I dealt with a persistent right shoulder injury stemming from intensive handstand training over almost a year. Secondly, I’ve been grappling with severe digestive issues and persistent bloating that continue to afflict me to this day, with no clear diagnosis or solution from doctors thus far.
Another major factor was that after completing and publishing my book, which required eight months of intense dedication, I didn’t have the energy or motivation to immediately start another significant project or pursue a new life purpose. All I wanted was a nice, long break!
Lastly, I shouldn’t forget to mention that I started dating my boyfriend after being single for six years. Being in a new relationship undoubtedly shifted some of my time and focus away from myself compared to when I was single.
In all honesty, while each reason holds some truth, they ultimately amount to mere excuses. If I were truly committed to upholding my disciplines, no external force or circumstance could sway me. Despite my shoulder injury, I could have focused on training other parts of my body. My ongoing gut health issue was unpleasant, but it didn’t significantly impair my mental or physical capabilities to affect my work. Furthermore, my boyfriend’s discipline remains unwavering regardless of whether I’m with him or not, so why did mine falter?
How Did My Discipline Slip Away Without Me Noticing?
It all started slowly and almost imperceptibly. During the dark, cold, and gloomy winter months, I began staying in bed a little longer—not to sleep but to work. Working in bed wasn’t unusual for me. In fact, many of my significant achievements were accomplished this way, such as studying for exams during my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, writing my thesis, completing my first book “Would I Come Out Alive?”, and creating many successful marketing campaigns. I’ve also read thousands of books and learned countless new things this way.
For as long as I can remember, my early morning hours have been dedicated to strategic, creative, and innovative tasks, addressing urgent issues, or learning something new. Everything else could wait.
Having just completed my book and with no pressing life purpose or urgent business issue to address, I turned to my passion for learning. My interests range widely—from global and macroeconomics, finance, and investments, to alternative thinking, quantum physics, meditation, and spiritual healing. Naturally, listening to new and interesting audiobooks and podcasts became my top morning priority.
The problem was that unlike writing, reading, or other active forms of learning, listening to podcasts and audiobooks often lulled me back to sleep within 15-20 minutes. I convinced myself that even while sleeping, I was absorbing and registering the information in my subconscious mind. After all, I could replay parts of the podcasts or books—even those that had played while I was asleep—and remember everything! However, I didn’t retain everything fully and actively unless I listened again or discussed it with someone else. My mind persuaded me to believe that with time, I could develop this “amazing” skill of learning while asleep. I had read many scientific papers confirming that the subconscious mind can learn and store new information during sleep, so it seemed plausible.
Before I knew it, I found myself drifting back to sleep every morning, gradually losing the grip of my discipline. I began hitting the snooze button— not to learn but to sleep—until 7:00 am, and sometimes even 8:00 am. Brief moments of guilt and uneasiness surfaced, but I quickly convinced myself that I had worked hard all my life and deserved some lazy moments. What was the point of living if I couldn’t indulge occasionally? However, this dangerous mindset led me to compromise on other routines, eventually affecting the rest of my day.
Months passed without me noticing the downward spiral. I was losing my drive, my focus, and the very habits that had once propelled me forward. Reality hit me hard when I read that chapter from “The Outliers.” It was a sobering reminder that my discipline was in jeopardy, and I needed to take immediate action before it became even harder to reclaim my former self. This wake-up call was exactly what I needed to get back on track and restore the habits that had once fueled my success.
How Did I Get My Discipline Back?
Regaining my discipline was neither straightforward nor easy. Transitioning from waking up at seven-ish back to 5:30 am wasn’t something I could do overnight. It required a gradual process, much like how I had lost it in the first place. But once I reestablished my early morning routine, everything else started to fall back into place. My drive to work hard returned, and with it, a renewed sense of purpose.
Through this journey, I discovered a long-held desire that I finally had the time, patience, and peace of mind to pursue—creating my own blog. This website and this very post are tangible proof of that endeavor.
Additionally, I resumed my daily meditation practice, dedicating 30 minutes each day to it. This has been a game changer, providing tranquility and deep, honest answers that resonate with my heart.
It seems I’ve not only regained my discipline but also discovered a better, more connected version of myself.
Closing thoughts:
During the period when my discipline waned, I excelled in one area—I listened to hundreds of podcasts and audiobooks, exposing myself to a wealth of new ideas and opportunities. This not only refined my future aspirations but also provided a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. So, in hindsight, nothing was truly wasted.
I don’t regret that phase of laxity. It was a necessary period for recharging my energy and rediscovering myself. Life has its cycles, with highs and lows, and it’s impossible to maintain 100% focus without any breaks.
Now that I’ve found my new purpose, I can’t wait to wake up each day to work on my blog and share my thoughts with all of you.
How about you? Have you ever lost your discipline? How did you become aware of it? And how did you get it back?
