Your resolution is to have discipline and put in the work

I have been thinking about the topic of discipline the last few months and I have some thoughts to share as people set New Year’s resolutions and sharing them on their blogs or socials. Your resolution isn’t to be better at taking notes, be more organized, or focus on fitness. Your resolution is to have discipline.

Note: This is all just my opinion. I think it is a wise opinion, but it doesn’t make me right. I’m also not a fake Substack journalist that will handpick data and put in a bunch of graphs no one will fact check.

There isn’t a system, tool, or app that will magically make you better at something.

Constantly researching and trying new tools or systems is a form of procrastination.

The reality is you just need to get to work. Do the work. Put in the time. Do the thing, regardless of the system, tool, or tech. Those things will come as you do the work. Finding a new note taking app isn’t a goal, it is a tactic used to delay you doing the real work of writing things down.

It is the same for all resolutions.

Focusing on fitness doesn’t get unlocked by signing up for the gym. You still have to make the time and do the workouts every day. Your resolution isn’t fitness, its having the discipline to workout every day.

Being better at notes doesn’t need you to research what apps are out there and making a list of the features that notes app needs to have before you use it. You need the discipline to start writing everything down. You don’t need to learn bullet journaling or go all in on Obsidian. You just need to write shit down.

Reading more books is just the discipline of sitting down and reading more, regardless of the books. Just read, you will eventually find books you love. Trying to find the right books before you start reading is procrastination. The way you become a reader is to read.

Saving money is the discipline of not spending it. Being a saver is literally the act of not spending.

Dining out less is the discipline to eat what you have in your house. You need to suck it up and eat what you have, not get some kitchen gadget.

Being more organized is the discipline of putting shit away, not the system you follow or the special bins you need to buy.

Spending less time on your phone is the discipline to turn it off and leave it in the other room. You don’t need a Light Phone, you need to just turn it off and have the discipline to walk away.

I am an avid note-taker and I have been asked about how I take so many notes. I get asked what app I use and what system I follow. My answer is always the same, I could use any app and I don’t use any system. Yes, there are probably better ways to do it. But, my real system? After I do anything, the first thing I do is write some notes. Every morning I write down notes. When someone says something I want to remember, I write it down.

My business partner struggles with organization. A turning point for him was he stopped trying to find the right containers, bins, and system for organization. He just started putting things into places that made sense for him and over time he has organized things the way he likes it. He stopped trying to find the tools and started putting in the work.

Long story short: Put in the work and focus on the discipline of doing. Start with what you have and put in the work, the rest will come.

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