Ok, so self-discipline is all about being able to get yourself to do things you don’t want to do. So to work on that we’re going to do some things we don’t want to do. The first week is devoted to doing things that serve no functional purpose whatsoever. These activities aren’t going to help you lose weight, or affect any area of your life other than your self-discipline muscle. In most other respects they are completely useless. That’s okay. Some of this will probably seem childish because doing something for no reason is the type of thing children do. But just try to get past that this week. Next week we will focus on doing things you don’t want to do that are actually beneficial in some way.
So here’s the plan:
Day One – With your feet together, stand in one spot without moving or shifting your weight for 5 minutes. Realize that this simple act is something you’ve probably never done before unless you’ve worked as a human statue.
Day Two – Buy a bag of sunflower seeds. Count the number of seeds in the bag.
Day Three – At some point today, put the palm of your right hand on your forehead. Keep it there for 15 minutes.
Day Four – When you’re out somewhere, find someone you don’t know, who is not physically attractive to you, and who is not wearing a jacket you like. Say to them, “I like that jacket.” This will be very easy for some of you to do, and very difficult for others. That’s okay.
Day Five – Take a shower. At the end of it, turn the water to cold and stand under it. This will be unpleasant. Stay under the cold water and say the pledge of allegiance at a normal pace, then you can get out.
Day Six – Get a metal spoon and put it on the table. Stare at it for 5 minutes and try to bend it with your mind. Don’t let your mind wander. This is not about looking at a spoon while you think about your day, this is about concentrating for 5 minutes on bending the spoon. This is a particularly useless exercise because psychic powers don’t exist. It doesn’t matter. Try it anyway.
Day Seven – Get a sheet of paper and write this sentence 100 times, “I don’t want to write this sentence.” Fold it up and put it in your wallet or purse.
At the end of the week you will have done seven things that you did not have any natural inclination to do. Good job. That’s how it starts.
