“The Five in Hand” Approach
Deconstructing a path toward discipline
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As far as accomplishing personal transformation is concerned, I don't believe in the strength of motivation when compared to discipline. I also don't believe in a "one true" way for any process that involves personal transformation and growth. I do think the following:
Growth requires patience and purpose.
Your discomfort may scale proportionally with the nature of your growth.
Introspection and repetition are keys to cultivating discipline.
There are likely tens of thousands of articles/videos, seminars and retreats, gurus, and experts that offer solutions and frameworks on the subject of discipline. I want to provide my framework for free—here it goes— I call it "The Five in Hand."
I understand the following to be true regarding discipline:
Have a clear objective in mind.
Comfort is not a requirement of the path.
You must be willing to analyze each attempt— success AND failure.
Repetition is essential.
Honesty with oneself is essential.
I have a little story that demonstrates how this has worked for me. When I was in college, I was without a car and often found myself walking a long distance from my university to my home. One of my favorite paths was cutting through my university's arboretum, which connected to a meadow and patch of woods bordering my community walking path. During the summer, I'd get home using this path with sunlight to spare, but during the late autumn and winter, the trail grew dark quickly, making it difficult to continue.
To get going with ample daylight, I needed to be intentional about my time on campus. I created a routine that allowed me to maximize my time:
Photocopy lab assignments.
Visit a professor during office hours.
Catch up with a few friends.
Grab a bite to eat in the student union.
Focus for 1 hour in the library, working through assignments.
The routine above is an example, but I have failed to commit dozens of times. Failure isn't a problem since each new iteration of a routine post-failure is a potential step toward flawless execution. I've found that The more straightforward and focused routines offer the most excellent chance of success over time. After about two semesters of applying "The Five in Hand," I effectively got home before sunset while enjoying meditative time walking on my favorite path.
These days it may be more challenging to focus and simplify due to the constant noise and distractions. “The Five in Hand” method works, but you must be brutally precise with your attention and time, going so far as to turn off devices, disconnect and opt for more analog methods of recording your tasks. Don't give up; accept failure and adjust until each day reflects your priorities.
-XO
Ogami