Copyright 2020 by Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Rockridge Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, or other professional advice or services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the Publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization, or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the Publisher endorses the information the individual, organization, or website may provide or recommendations they/it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.
For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (866) 744-2665, or outside the United States at (510) 253-0500.
Rockridge Press publishes its books in a variety of electronic and print formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books, and vice versa.
TRADEMARKS: Rockridge Press and the Rockridge Press logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Callisto Media Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Rockridge Press is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
Interior and Cover Designer: Antonio Valverde
Art Producer: Sara Feinstein
Editor: Kelly Koester
Production Editor: Ruth Sakata Corley
All lllustrations used under license from Shutterstock.com .
ISBN: Print 978-1-64739-802-6
eBook 978-1-64739-900-9
R0
For my parents, Gregory and Rose, and my grandmother Mary, who have each shown me the unlimited power of individual effort, kind contribution, and selfless love.
CONTENTS
If youre reading this workbook on a touch-screen device, you can add notes and highlight text just like you would in a physical workbook.
Some sections will prompt you to write in answers or personal responses. Its easygive it a try right here: ___________.
With your finger, tap and hold for a few moments on the line above. Depending on the device youre using, an icon such as a magnifying glass will appear. Lift your finger and youll see an options menu. Select Note (or Notes) to add and save your own text. When youre done, an icon or highlighted area will remain, which you can always return to and tap if you want to reopen and read or edit your note.
The same tap-and-hold options menu offers Highlight or Color, which you can select if you want to highlight a passage or check a box. Experiment with it: By swiping your finger before releasing you can select entire sentences or paragraphs. The options menu also offers Bookmark for when you want quick access back to certain pages.
This method is the same on nearly all touch-screen ebook devices, but some have slight variations. If youd like more information specific to the device youre holding in your hands, a quick online search will yield best results.
Welcome to 5-Minute Self-Discipline Exercises
This is fantastic.
Youve already made a big shift in building your self-discipline just by picking up this book and starting to read it.
How would I know? How can I be so confident in you?
I know because Ive been right where you are nowhoping for something better for myself and my work and for relief from the stress of having too much to do and a seemingly chronic shortage of motivation, energy, and time.
I started, just like you might be, with an assortment of issues I needed to deal with. I had ambition, drive, and a desire to do good things, but I also had a lot of things holding me back. I was disorganized and always took on more than I could handle. I didnt know how to say no to others or to myself. I felt anxious and overwhelmed on a daily basis.
The good news is I was able to change my ways. My professional training as a psychologist, as well as other major life transitions I went through as an adult, made me examine what was missing in my ways of working and living and learn the specific skills I needed to function with greater clarity, confidence, and calm.
That transformation from feeling totally overwhelmed to being personally empowered was the single most powerful change Ive ever experienced. That change opened up unbelievably wonderful opportunities in both my personal and professional life, including the chance to share what I now know with you here.
In my transition from procrastinating every day to seeing time as my most precious asset, I learned the importance of having self-discipline. For me, self-discipline means being able to coordinate my mind, body, emotions, and actions on purpose. Self-discipline is the ultimate vehicle and secret to achieving success in all areas and arenas.
For the past 20-plus years, Ive been helping other people make similar transitions. Working as a psychologist and then later as the Procrastination Coach online, I have been able to help support my patients and clients as they discover their own best skills and strategies for change. I teach them how, by making choices and taking action, each of us can bring our wishes into awareness, and then into reality. Watching my patients and clients thrive year after year has deepened my belief that fear is just a signal or a distraction, and that we need not delay ourselves from living boldly because of it.
As youve probably already figured out, the journey of finding what it will take to become self-disciplined is a very personal one. Its no longer just about the to-do list items. Its much bigger than that. Its about knowing that you will do what you say and need to do reliably. Its about supporting yourself through fear and uncertainty until you find clarity. Its about knowing that when youre self-disciplined, your decisions and your actions can lead to achieving and attaining everything you want in life.
Self-discipline is about tapping into your potential and then getting all the big wins.
My intention in writing this book is to show you how to move past your resistance and fear and to reconnect with your energy so you can reach your goals. After reading this book and doing the exercises included, you will be able to design your own path to personal power through self-discipline. In a short time, you will undergo a dramatic personal transformation, just like I did.