Most of the self-help around self discipline that's around is more around building a support structure to enable good habits. However, I've also found that they don't address a fundamental flaw in self discipline help - that you yourself need to want it for any changes to be sustainable.
Let's take getting fit and working out
- Most will suggest working with a partner for accountability
- Most will suggest taking away obstacles (such as finding classes that meet your schedule, a convenient location to work out, etc)
- Most will suggest starting in slow and short steps (ie. start with a consistent 15 min walk every day) and working your way up
However, if you don't really want this beyond superficially saying "I should get fit", then the moment the support structure disappears, you will not be able to sustain the desired lifestyle.
There are certain generic indicators that will indicate that you really do want something beyond the superficial level (again, using fitness as an example)
- If some type of workout isn't working out for you, you will actively try other things (ie. weightlifting not for you, you might give swimming a try) without really talking about "I should maybe try swimming"
- Even during this transitory phase of finding the right activity, you'll get irritated if you don't work out and find some excuse to fit the workout you don't like in
- You'll start to schedule your day around these activities
- Or you'll make time - too late to get to a workout? You'll likely end up buying some cheap equipment to fill in for scheduling (I ended up getting a set of heavy bands since I can't drop dumbbells and barbells in my home)
- Beyond day-to-day, you'll start to show interest in extracurricular activities (partaking in a power lifting event, trying out a triathlon, etc)
- When you travel, you will actively try to add working out into your schedule, whether it be with bringing that heavy band with you, finding a drop-in gym, etc
- Basically, it becomes self sustaining - but likely you wouldn't have needed all of the tips if you had coincidentally started yourself on a whim.
That said, imho these self-help guides are really more about discovering what is sustainable for you, rather than bringing sustainability to anything you don't particularly find value in (or find less value in than your bane...like pigging out on junkfood).
Didn't realize Jordan Peterson got out of rehab in Russia already!