People want to learn how to develop self discipline all the time, because it's self discipline that helps you to stay focused, and push through to achieve whatever goals you've set for yourself. Unfortunately, without self discipline it's easy to get caught up with whatever distractions come around, and lose sight of your target. So, how do you develop rock solid self discipline? Here are a couple of ways.

Become Rock Solid

1) Be Clear

It's much easier to stay disciplined when you're focused on a clear outcome, of your goal. Being general won't cut it. For example, if you wanted to develop the self discipline to stop smoking, saying "I want to stop smoking" won't help you too much when the nicotine comes calling. Instead, a more effective outcome could be the exact dollar amount you'll save, each year, by not buying cigarettes.

With that example, you could go even further and think about what you'd do with that money. Maybe something like taking a vacation to someplace you never thought you had the money to visit, or upgrades to your home. Keeping your attention on the outcome makes it easier to stay disciplined when distractions come around... and they will.

2) Give it Meaning

Sometimes the problem of staying self disciplined boils down to the goal not having enough meaning. Let's stick with the stop smoking example, here. Again, just saying, "I want to stop smoking," won't be too effective for you. There needs to be a reason behind it.

Say for instance, you went to the doctor for a checkup and she tells you, if you don't stop smoking you'll die in 2 years. Well, that would light a fire under you (pun intended) to stop smoking, wouldn't it? Do you see the difference? Of course, for it to be effective it has to be something that has meaning for you.

When setting goals, always determine why you're doing it... and be specific with why.

It's easy to make excuses to quit and move on. But when you have meaning behind something, it gives you that fire or passion to keep going no matter what. The "meaning" is the fuel that self discipline thrives on.