1. Know yourself well – very wellMake a complete self-appraisal. What are you good at? What are you weak at? What is it exactly that you want out of life? What makes you really happy? The things that happen in your life result from the vision that you have for yourself. It might be a positive vision or anegative vision. But however you view yourself, understand that your character will help through your goals.
2. Know your personal values and principlesValues are your set of beliefs and ideas about living, while principles are the guidelines you set as prescribed by your values. For instance, if you value generosity, then one of your principles could be always helping others. Having clear values helps you make the tough decisions in life. A value-led life is one of integrity and high self-esteem.
3. Be honest with yourselfThe hardest people to deal with are those who cannot be true to themselves. In achieving self-mastery, an honest look at yourself can help you see that you, and not anyone else, are primarily responsible for your actions. If you make a mistake, acknowledge responsibility for it. Don’t blame it on someone else, justify or deny it.
4. Associate with people who practice self-disciplinePeople who are good at a particular skill can greatly influence you. The more you interact with them, the more you see how they are able to perform with such effectiveness. Spend a few days with a friend who enjoys sharing positive stories and giving kind remarks. You’ll eventually discover yourself speaking kindly and more positively, too!
5. Avoid situations of weaknessStay away from places or situations where you might be prone to weakness. It’s like giving up smoking; if you’re really committed to throwing away your cigarettes, surely you wouldn’t be found inside a smoker’s lounge, would you?
6. Constantly adapt yourselfThere are times when you need to learn new skills and take on new responsibilities. You may need to discard ways that no longer serve you, such as habits that you know won’t get you anywhere. A person who is committed to change constantly accepts and integrates new and beneficial things into his or her life.
7. Keep yourself focusedIn any great endeavor, there’s only one way to follow: the straight way right before you. Distractions are more than just side trips; they actually entice you to deviate from your path. If you want to become a more confident person, then focus on the skills you need to gain more confidence. The ability to focus your mind on the things you want entails your complete attention. In other words, always pay attention to what you’re doing.
8. Regularly evaluate your performanceAssess your daily endeavors at the end of each day. See where you’re improving, and find out where you’re not improving. Apart from writing down your goals as mentioned previously, write down in your journal your feelings for the day.From there you can understand your actions better and make sure that the next day will be better than the previous. Don’t compare your level of activity with that of others. It may only cause feelings of anxiety or inadequacy when you see how others progress.
9. Be disciplinedTo have discipline means to follow a set of rules thoroughly and unfailingly. Discipline is something you do every day, with the expectation of ultimately achieving your goal. A person who exercises self-discipline wins the trust, confidence and respect of others.You can improve your self-discipline by reinforcing your good habits daily. For instance, you can make sure you start the day with exercise or end it by turning off the TV at least one hour before bedtime.
10. Keep it balancedThe ideal 24-hour day is divided into three equal parts: eight hours each of work, home and family, and sleep. It’s great to earn big when you spend a lot of time at work, but make sure you’re not doing it at the cost of spending less time with your loved ones or compromising your health. Always keep everything in balance.
11. Have a positive belief system Your life is determined to a large degree by what you believe in. Is it faith or fate? Greatness or goodness? Perfection or pleasure? If you believe you won’t get anywhere, you won’t. If you believe that people live for the sake of living, then there’s not much to live for apart from working and eating and sleeping.