Stoicism: How To Build Self Discipline

Introduction:

Discipline. It’s something we all want, but it often feels like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.

We make plans, set goals, promise ourselves that this time will be different—and yet, more often than not, we find ourselves slipping back into old habits. Why is it so hard to stick to the things we know are good for us?

Maybe that’s why we’ve created entire months dedicated to self-control: Stoptober, Dry January, No Nut November. These challenges bring people together under the banner of self-improvement, each one a collective attempt to wrestle back control from our impulses.

And yet, once the month ends, many of us fall right back into the patterns we swore we’d break.

So what’s the missing piece?

It’s not just about setting goals or relying on bursts of motivation. The real key is discipline—the ability to act in alignment with your values and goals, even when you don’t feel like it.

In this article, we’re going to explore how Stoicism, one of the most practical philosophies ever created, offers timeless lessons on building discipline. You’ll learn:

• Why discipline is crucial for personal growth
• Why it feels harder to cultivate in today’s world
• How to develop it using Stoic principles

Starting with some Stoic words of wisdom from Marcus Aurelius:

At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work—as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for—the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?”

– Marcus Aurelius

Stoicism & Discipline:

At large part of the Stoic philosophy is self-mastery. The Stoics weren’t interested in controlling the world around them—they focused on the one thing they could truly command: themselves.

Their philosophy promotes self-examination, self-control, personal responsibility, and the ability to view life with clear-eyed objectivity (wisdom).

To the Stoics, discipline wasn’t just a desirable trait—it was essential for our wellbeing. Without it, we drift through life like a leaf caught in the current, pushed and pulled by external circumstances and fleeting desires. We become passengers in our own lives, reacting rather than acting, enslaved by impulses we barely understand.

But with discipline? We seize the wheel.

Stoicism teaches that discipline is the anchor that keeps us grounded in chaos. It’s the compass that points us toward our values, even when the storms of emotion, distraction, and temptation rage around us. When you develop discipline, you’re no longer at the mercy of circumstance—you become the captain of your own ship. You choose your course, adjust your sails, and steer with purpose, no matter how rough the seas.

As Seneca wisely put it:

“He is a sorry pilot who lets the waves wring his rudder from his grasp, who leaves the sails to fly loose, and abandons the ship to the storm: but he who boldly grasps the helm and clings to it until the sea closes over him, deserves praise even though he be shipwrecked.”

– Seneca

It’s not about avoiding the storm. Life is the storm.

The goal isn’t to sail in perfect conditions—it’s to keep your hands on the helm no matter what. Even if the ship goes down, you’re the one steering. You didn’t give up. You didn’t let the waves decide for you.

That’s discipline.

Grasp the helm.

Why build Self Discipline?:

Whenever we set a goal—whether it’s losing weight, starting a business, learning an instrument, or mastering any skill—it all boils down to one simple, unglamorous truth: you have to put in the work. There’s no shortcut, no secret hack, no motivational quote that can do the heavy lifting for you.

But here’s the catch: even when we know this, we still struggle to follow through. Why? Because there’s a constant tug-of-war happening inside us—the pull between what we want right now and what we want most in the long run.

That’s where discipline comes in.

Discipline is the ability to act in alignment with your goals, even when you don’t feel like it. It’s what gets you to the gym when your bed feels warmer. It’s what helps you sit down to work when YouTube, Instagram, or the fridge are calling your name. It’s not about eliminating the desire to slack off—that feeling will always show up. The difference is that disciplined people don’t negotiate with it. They hear the voice of resistance and choose to act anyway.

Think of discipline like a muscle. The first time you lift a weight, it feels heavy. It’s uncomfortable. You’re tempted to quit. But the more you train, the stronger you get—and not just physically, but mentally too. Each time you push through that urge to give up, you’re adding another rep to your discipline muscle. Over time, what once felt impossible starts to feel natural.

This is why discipline isn’t just important—it’s essential. Every achievement, every habit, every meaningful goal requires you to show up and do the work, especially when you don’t feel motivated. Motivation is fleeting; discipline is reliable. It’s the bridge between wanting something and actually getting it.

So, why build self-discipline? Because without it, your goals are just wishful thinking.
With it, they become inevitable.

Discipline vs Motivation:

Motivation is great—when it’s around. It’s that spark of energy you get after watching an inspiring video, reading a powerful quote, or having a burst of excitement about a new goal. It feels like nothing can stop you. You’re ready to conquer the world, hit the gym, write that book, or start that business.

But here’s the problem: motivation is unreliable. It’s like a flaky friend who hypes you up when it’s convenient but disappears the moment things get tough. One day you’re fired up, the next you’re staring at your to-do list thinking, “Eh, maybe tomorrow.”

If you rely solely on motivation, you’ll find yourself in a cycle of starts and stops. You’ll get hyped, make progress for a few days, then hit a wall when that initial buzz fades. And it will fade. That’s not because you’re lazy—it’s because motivation is an emotion, and emotions are temporary. They rise, they fall, and they’re influenced by everything from the weather to how well you slept last night.

Discipline is different.
Discipline doesn’t care how you feel. It doesn’t wait for the perfect mood or the right conditions. It shows up, rain or shine, tired or energized, motivated or not. Discipline is the thing that kicks in when motivation taps out. It’s the voice in your head that says, “I don’t feel like it, but I’m doing it anyway.”

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not against taking breaks. Rest is important. Lazy days to recharge? Absolutely. But here’s the key: rest should be a choice, not a default.
When you’ve earned it, rest feels satisfying. When you use it as an escape, it feels hollow.

When we rely on motivation, we’re at the mercy of our moods. When we build discipline, we control the outcome, no matter how we feel.

As Jocko Willink puts it: “Discipline equals freedom.” And he’s right.

Why is it getting more difficult to build self discipline?

Discipline isn’t easy, it’s an uphill hike, and the hill doesn’t have a summit. I think discipline is getting harder to cultivate, and the simple answer for why that’s the case is that life is getting easier.

An easier life creates two conditions that makes discipline difficult to cultivate:

1. Temptation: 

We are surrounded by more and more sources of temptation and distractions that make it increasingly difficult to overcome our impulses.

Things like TV, social media, video games, YouTube, etc are all competing for our attention, and many of them are designed specifically to draw us in and keep us hooked.

This increasing noise makes it more difficult for us to overcome our desire not to work. Even so, this is not an excuse, it is our responsibility to learn how to manage it.

2. Lack of resistance: 

An easier life also gives us less opportunity to practice discipline. Discipline will atrophy like a muscle if not used, and in our world today it’s easier to get by without having to use it.

1. 1. Amazon offers next day delivery.

   2. Netflix lets us watch what we want, when we want to.

   3. Facebook and Instagram give us little dopamine hits whenever we need them.

   4. Food can be delivered in 30 minutes.

   5. The list goes on….

Instant gratification is slowly removing opportunities for us to practice discipline. We are becoming impatient, expectant, and our attention span is reducing.

Unfortunately for us, the world is removing sources of resistance, the same resistance that is needed for discipline to grow.

In reality we don’t need to do that much to survive. But, the body craves comfort, it craves satisfaction and instant gratification. As we’ve said, (and this is repeated intentionally) discipline is the ability to overcome these feelings.

Regarding too much comfort, to quote Admiral Akbar – “It’s a trap.”

I believe that excessive comfort is hindering you. Your body will crave it, and it will draw you in. A reasonable level of comfort is fine, however, too much will shrink your comfort zone, and dissolve your discipline. Too much comfort softens us, like a muscle that isn’t used, we weaken.

Resistance is uncomfortable, but resistance is the catalyst for growth. It gives us the feeling of development, fulfilment, and achievement. It shows us the boundaries of our ability and allows us to surpass them.

The psychological impact of knowing you can do something is profound, and you can only find this boundary by pushing yourself through resistance.

No one finds their limits sat on the sofa.

So, in a world that’s removing sources of resistance, what can we do? We make our own.

Some examples:

1. Regular exercise

2. Events (10km, 5km, mud runs, charity runs etc)

3. Martial Arts (I recommend BJJ)

4. Learn a new hobby

5. Build something (Car, house, project etc)

6. Wake up early

7. Continue your education (degree, accreditation, PhD etc)

8. Start a passion project/ side business

How do we build Discipline?

I’ve said before that discipline is like the gym. We need resistance to grow, and that growth will depend on the resistance we apply.

If we’re new to the gym we don’t go balls to the walls and try to deadlift 300kg. We start small, with light weights.

The same is true for discipline. Start small, make your bed, do the laundry, tidy your room, write a page, read a page, don’t eat that chocolate bar, walk at lunch, put down your phone, don’t open that incognito tab, go to bed earlier, wake up earlier etc.

Any time we feel the little voice within calling us to resist an action, or validate a decision not to do something, this is an opportunity to develop resilience. That is the resistance you need to grow.

Once we’re aware of it, we can notice it.

When we notice it, we can catch it.

When we catch it, we can use it as a tool for growth.

Final Thoughts:

We’ll always have the pull of desire trying to drag us away from the things we want. However, we can develop the ability to more easily say no to that pull. This is discipline, and it’s our responsibility.

The stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius was an Emperor of Rome and still had the same struggle with discipline as you and I. He wrote:

“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work—as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for—the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?

‘—But it’s nicer here…’

So you were born to feel ‘nice’? Instead of doings things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands?

‘—But we have to sleep sometime…’

Agreed. But nature set a limit on that—as it did on eating and drinking. And you’re over the limit. You’ve had more than enough of that. But not of working. There you’re still below your quota. You don’t love yourself enough. Or you’d love your nature too, and what it demands of you. People who love what they do wear themselves down doing it, they even forget to wash or eat.

Do you have less respect for your own nature than the engraver does for engraving, the dancer for dance, the miser for money or the social climber for status? When they’re really possessed by what they do, they’d rather stop eating and sleeping than give up practising their arts.”

Amor Fati – Feel free to share this with anyone you think can benefit from it.