Ep. 256: Start With Discipline

[@lindseythompson7352]

Why have I only just realised that Cal wears the same shirt in every single video? Automation to the max 😂 top notch content Cal. One of the best channels on KZbin

[@richardcarlyon2270]

It’s not the same shirt he has 365 of them

[@pressfinchat]

@@richardcarlyon2270he realistically only needs 2, at max 3, to rotate between, but the thought of him having 365 of the same shirt is funny as shit to me 😂

[@lindseythompson7352]

😂😂

[@sudiptasoumyadarshan5602]

@@lindseythompson7352 I have seen him wear some blue shirts in a few podcasts.

[@falahkharismanuraziz8774]

This is proof that he is very disciplined with the clothes he uses every day 😆

[@SamanehGhaedi-p8k]

As a graduate student, I had writing block for the longest time, but now the following schedule really helps me in the mornings: - Weight lifting for one hour, followed by 10-15 mins steady state cardio/sprinting - Cold shower, smoothie (veggies, and supplements) - Writing meditation (Putting down my concerns, thoughts, goals, etc.) - Breathing meditation - Scheduling the tasks for the day ( I have 2 columns, one for micro steps of the work related tasks and one column for life admin tasks) - I go through tasks while removing all distractions (closing the door, not answering any emails or calls) Note: reminding myself that writing science takes time and deep thinking. I don’t get bothered to sit down and think for two hours and still only come up with one sentence. 😂

[@aciuschristophores7789]

I love your thinking process. May I ask what you're studying and where? I start my graduate studies next year in London.

[@SamanehGhaedi-p8k]

@@aciuschristophores7789 I’m doing my PhD in Chem Eng in US. Good luck with your studies.

[@fbu_channel]

'(Project) ideas are cheap - acting on them is expensive" should become your mantra when choosing your projects.

[@dcmsuccess]

I love the title of this episode. I like to speak in the affirmative. ALWAYS BE DISCIPLINED!! 💪🏾

[@atharvabhosale3529]

Currently reading your book Deep Work and I seriously wanted a good video on how to stay deciplined and consistent because I work really hard but I struggle with decipline and consistency.

[@braindump8527]

It’s been 2 months since your comment. How’s are things going for you?

[@atharvabhosale3529]

@@braindump8527 it was going great for months! then I fell ill for a week and everything fell apart☠️

[@atharvabhosale3529]

@@braindump8527trying to get back on tracks again I wanna build up my discipline before 2024 starts

[@a2b165]

Sir, The clarity of your mind is amazing!

[@2sancap]

This might be my favorite video of Cal’s

[@shotsontaylor]

Always good to remind ourselves to stay focused and patient. Play the long game

[@johnb2476]

This is amazing. There's a lot of motivational videos and books out there that talk about the importance of discipline, but not many are really laying out *how* to do it, or perhaps more importantly, the mechanism by which discipline develops in your life. A lot of the advice boils down to, you just do it. You just find the motivation, and you do it, or else you'll stay a lazy failure forever. This channel and perhaps just a few others (HealthyGamer and Huberman Lab come to mind) are the only ones to really explain discipline as a process, as well as explain and understand why we become undisciplined and reactive in the first place.

[@dominikklein6147]

Cal, you nailed with Extreme Studying. It's totally unsustainable, that "productivity" over the long period of time could harm young/adult people and bring them to unhealthy obsessive discipline (10 hours of studying/working). Critical question: "What's next?"

[@EXPLAINSIMPLE]

I am restarting my life , I think it is a perfect video to begin with ❤

[@Gadl-pq5ey]

What does it mean to "restart" your life, @EXPLAINSIMPLE ?

[@EXPLAINSIMPLE]

@@Gadl-pq5ey I completed bu graduation 🎓 , I am joining my new job this month.

[@martinnyahasha3810]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🤔 The Deep Life Stack focuses on transforming a shallow and reactive life into a more intentional and deep one. 04:17 🎯 To cultivate a deep life, it starts with discipline rather than values because discipline helps shift your mindset to internally powered goals. 08:53 💪 Internally powered goals involve trusting yourself to make progress on important objectives even when motivation fades. 11:14 📅 Discipline involves selecting daily disciplines that are challenging but tractable, marking your progress consistently, and building trust in yourself. 14:40 📝 Creating an essential repository to track your systems and disciplines is part of discipline. 21:21 🔄 Shifting your mindset to embrace internally powered goals through discipline is essential before addressing other layers of the Deep Life Stack. 22:05 🚀 Maintain a disciplined mindset to handle internally powered goals even when motivation fades. Prioritize choosing a reasonable workload and creating streamlined, sustainable systems for your projects to avoid burnout. Consider making your workload seasonal to allow for periods of relaxation and recharge while maintaining consistent systems and mindset. 42:55 📚 Consistently working on one project over time can lead to more opportunities and impact than working on multiple projects in a frenzied burst. 43:10 🎯 Focus on fewer things and patiently build your skills in one area rather than spreading yourself thin with various interests and projects. 45:02 📖 Specializing in a single area and consistently improving in it can lead to significant long-term success and open up interesting opportunities. 46:12 🏆 It's often better to do fewer things exceptionally well rather than juggling many activities with a heavy workload. 52:34 🎓 Recognize and accept your ambitions but seek sustainable strategies to achieve them, focusing on quality rather than excessive quantity. 57:12 🕰️ Working excessively long hours without a clear endpoint can lead to a one-dimensional life and diminish overall quality of life. 01:00:54 💡 Slow and intentional development of skills and talent often yields better results than simply working longer hours. 01:01:23 🌟 Success is not solely determined by the number of hours worked but by the quality, innovation, and impact of one's work. 01:02:21 🏢 Pursuing success without a clear endpoint can lead to a never-ending cycle of overwork and a lack of fulfillment in life. 01:02:35 🚀 Fast-paced, overworking strategies like working 10 hours a day may seem appealing, but they go against the idea of a deep and intentional life. 01:03:03 🎯 Young people are often attracted to extreme productivity methods they see on platforms like KZbin, but these are often more about generating views than actual productivity. 01:03:30 📺 Creating content for KZbin, such as counting to a high number or unusual feats, is designed to capture attention and generate views, not to be a genuine productivity strategy. 01:04:11 💧 Element is a good option for replenishing electrolytes after physical activity, especially in hot and humid conditions. It provides essential electrolytes without added sugars. 01:05:20 💪 Element is recommended as a post-workout drink with options for full or half packets depending on your level of activity. 01:06:00 💡 My Body Tutor is an online coaching program that helps maintain consistency in health and fitness goals, providing personalized plans and daily check-ins with a coach. 01:07:27 💰 Deep Questions listeners can get $50 off their first month with My Body Tutor by mentioning the podcast during sign-up. 01:09:27 🐢 The story of Harrison Ford's journey to success as an actor highlights the effectiveness of slow and sustainable productivity. Sticking with a small number of goals over time, making adjustments, and maintaining forward momentum can lead to deep accomplishments. Made with HARPA AI

[@anjanitripathi4447]

Thank you Cal for your amazing Videos and books. Love you so much 💖❤😊

[@ChrisPatrick8199]

I love the Harrison Ford story at the end.

[@asies2023]

Thank you Cal! I'm 100% with you about starting with discipline. Great help

[@Fahodinho]

ayy my question got answered 26:32, thanks Cal :)

[@DiLLZGFX]

When did you submit your question btw? I've submitted a few but idk he's gonna answer all of them or just picking a few? Thanks

[@Fahodinho]

@@DiLLZGFXlast year actually, I gave up hope that he isn’t gonna answer it but he did. I think they group up the questions that are related to some topic and answer them together.

[@asifrana232]

fahad where are you from?

[@Fahodinho]

@@asifrana232 saudi

[@asifrana232]

@@Fahodinho assaalamu walaikum

[@daviemar8972]

Having read a couple of your books, I found this video insightful and highly practical. Hopped over from another video you did on How to Reinvent yourself. Timely no matter one's age. Discipline is a core life skill, and we can all get better at it.

[@cosymoments]

👇 Jesse appreciation button

[@unknownpara7]

This is what I was looking for! Thanks alot Cal ❤

[@itsjohnmavrick]

The first two answers targetted to younger people was very relatable and informational, seeing as I'm turning 20 this year and am trying to balance my different responsibilities and re-establish my previous discipline. Thank you so much Cal and team for including the questions part of the podcast :)

[@seankim7912]

yo John! didn't expect to see you also enjoying Cal's content ahahaha

[@itsjohnmavrick]

@@seankim7912 woah, what a coincidence 🤯 and yes, ive actually been binging his podcast and taking notes on it on my published notes - i think his ideas are a refreshing perspective for being productive in a fulfilling and balanced way. how about you?

[@ankitaagarwal6737]

Excellent podcast

[@Spreadthep0sitive]

Great video. Love your point about what is good on KZbin not necessarily working IRL.

[@2sancap]

Very helpful as they always are

[@angiewoodward4166]

Love all your work !

[@modernaghoritrending5600]

lots of love brother

[@a7xfanben]

Great insights!

[@dcmsuccess]

It’s like working towards something. That’s what I thought about when you talked about Rich Roll

[@G.g.g-q5n]

Hey cal l wish you fame like huberman podcasts

[@setapartt]

The story about Rich Roll… he asked his wife if she would help him do a diet because she ate healthy - vegan so she put him on a vegan diet as an experiment. After a grueling detox, he had so much energy, he started running and kept up with it.

[@uptownautomations661]

very good video, should have viewed the podcast sooner

[@anjanitripathi4447]

10 hours of study is not good strategy but it is a good strategy for KZbin views. Nicely elaborated😂

[@larss4119]

He doesn’t even blink. He’s definitely not distracted.

[@EXPLAINSIMPLE]

Take feedback , adjust and get better

[@ohunkunofan]

Hello Cal. With respect to your statement - 'working on a small number of things over a long period of time' - does this apply to reading books as well, e.g. taking 5/10 pages or maybe chapters per day. Does the statement apply ?

[@omeirai124]

If you're counting the number of pages you're reading per day, are you really getting immersed in the book?

[@stacyjamesnear]

During the last segment of the show when addressing the last question that mentions the plug-in that takes away recommendations. Funny enough, I only found this page because of the recommendations. However, I do dislike how my recommendations will shift based off what I watch and I can see the algorithm shifting even throughout the day. Might try to find this plugin

[@martinsosamonti5532]

First comment. Have a good day Cal

[@KhoaNguyen-qu3ic]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🧠 *Discipline is the starting point for cultivating a deep life, according to Cal Newport. This approach involves shifting from externally powered goals, driven by momentary excitement, to internally powered goals, rooted in a sense of efficacy and long-term fulfillment.* 04:31 🤔 *Newport addresses the question of why discipline is at the bottom of the Deep Life Stack instead of values. He emphasizes the importance of developing a mindset comfortable with internally powered goals before diving into values or other layers.* 08:53 🔄 *Success in the Deep Life Stack depends on being comfortable with internally powered goals. Without this mindset, values, finding calm through control, and planning for the remarkable will likely falter as they require consistent, disciplined actions.* 11:27 🏋️ *The first layer of the Deep Life Stack, discipline, involves starting with small, daily, and tractable disciplines in key areas of life. These disciplines serve as a bridge to shift one's mindset towards internally powered goals, enabling success in subsequent layers.* 14:40 📚 *Creating an essential repository for systems and disciplines is a crucial part of the discipline layer. This repository becomes a central place to track daily disciplines and other systems developed as one progresses through the Deep Life Stack.* 20:55 🔄 *Discipline, often manifested through seemingly arbitrary actions, can lead to a mindset shift and identity change. Examples from figures like Rich Roll, Jocko Willink, and Cheryl Strayed highlight how starting with discipline lays the foundation for intentional life transformations.* 22:05 🪒 *Henson Razor for Smooth Shaving: The Henson razor, designed with precision for the aerospace industry, offers a smooth shave with a 10-cent safety razor blade, minimizing burns and nicks. It's a durable and cost-effective alternative to subscription services.* 26:39 🧠 *Overcoming Dual Personalities: If you struggle with alternating between productive and unproductive phases, consider focusing on the choice of projects. Be mindful not to overload yourself and ensure your plans are evidence-based and logical for sustained motivation.* 32:38 🤔 *Maintaining Discipline for Students: For students like Fahad (21 years old), choosing projects carefully and developing a disciplined mindset can mitigate the struggle between productivity and unproductivity. Setting proximate goals and building a discipline layer can lead to better sustainability.* 39:11 🔄 *Addressing Seasonal Discipline: Jacob (20 years old) faces seasonal discipline challenges. Cal Newport suggests a mindset tune-up with daily disciplines and a thorough examination of systems to minimize friction. Seasonal workloads can be fine, but systems should remain consistent.* 41:47 🛑 *Avoiding Project Abandonment: Loyad from India struggles with abandoning projects halfway when they get hard. Newport recommends a mindset shift towards internal motivation, coupled with the careful selection of projects. Simplifying and focusing on one project at a time can enhance long-term impact.* 43:10 📚 *Focus on fewer projects and build skills patiently; choosing one thing can lead to more significant long-term success.* 45:44 🔄 *Slowing down, doing fewer things, and sticking to a sustainable pace over time is a key approach for impactful and fulfilling productivity.* 46:38 🎓 *In student advice, prioritize doing fewer things exceptionally well over a high quantity of activities; quality often beats a crowded schedule.* 48:29 🔄 *Emphasizes the importance of students doing much less, focusing on manageable loads, and seeking sustainable strategies for pursuing their ambitions.* 54:39 💼 *Working 10 hours a day is not sustainable and lacks a clear endpoint, questioning the purpose of such extreme productivity and emphasizing the importance of balance.* 56:03 🎥 *Critiques the trend of productivity KZbinrs showcasing extreme 10-hour study sessions, stating that it's a stunt for engagement rather than a sustainable lifestyle.* 59:47 🔄 *Advocates for slow productivity, emphasizing the value of consistent, intentional, and sustainable work over time for meaningful and impactful results.* 01:02:47 🚀 *The trend of showcasing extreme productivity on platforms like KZbin may not be the most effective or sustainable strategy for building a life of intentionality and depth.* 01:03:30 📈 *Creating content for views on platforms like KZbin doesn't necessarily translate to a productive life strategy; it's more about capturing attention than fostering real productivity.* 01:04:11 🥤 *Element is highlighted as a sponsor, offering a science-backed electrolyte drink mix with no sugar, artificial ingredients, or fillers, suitable for hydration after activities.* 01:06:31 💪 *My Body Tutor, an online coaching program, is introduced as a solution to the consistency problem in health and fitness, offering personalized plans and daily check-ins with coaches.* 01:08:21 🛠️ *Harrison Ford's story of starting as a carpenter before becoming an actor emphasizes the value of a slow and sustainable approach to achieving goals, prevailing over competition with patience.* Made with HARPA AI

[@peterpiper5300]

looking back at my school days, i wouldnt mind studying 8 hours per day.

[@pedrolucasmartins-ep4ey]

Hello, brasileiro aqui🇧🇷

[@ktuluflux]

watching this with some cool ranch doritos in bed at 5:01 after work because fml. The mind is willing but the body and spirit are deep under 3 bedsheets.

[@barbconquest]

I'm struggling with which bucket earning money falls into

[@barbconquest]

BTW, I'm 60 years old

[@danielfarmer7372]

33:54 - "Potential hair surgery" 🤣

[@alexmckenzie9978]

Does anyone know the KZbin plugin that they mention around 55:10?

[@ryan.h]

Not sure if it's exactly the one they're talking about, but there's one called "unhook" that does this

[@saym2756]

Just to take Jocko as an example of…. a flawed example. Jocko was born with abnormally high drive. For example, he states that during boot camp, it *never once, not for one second* occurred to him to give up. The army was also something he always wanted to do.

[@k14pc]

yeah, the problem with these anecdotes is that we don't know how much of it had to do with the person's particular traits rather than some system they implemented. i guess it's worth giving the system a shot because the risk/reward is great, but yeah the evidence isn't particularly strong

[@sandperera5192]

Here u say u don't have to work for 10 hours saying slow productivity is best. But as a alvel student we must keeep on track with weekly class exams assignments and clases everyday its hard to gain slef study time inorder to get it must sacrifice extra time and as u say to not to overload work but as a alvel student we can't minimize the work as it's compulsory for us

[@omeirai124]

That guy you're using as a strawman who did lots of things other than writing books might have a much more open and rich outlook on life now.

[@fatemehhosseini305]

I always feel like jessy hates the podcast :)))))

[@alib7489]

The best form of discipline is to pray five times a day and connect with your creator - look into Islam everyone. 🙂

[@pinkifloyd7867]

How long x5 ?

[@CurrentAssistant]

@@pinkifloyd7867each prayer is made up of units of a flow of movement. The minimum amount of units in a prayer is 2. The maximum amount of units in a prayer is 4. In each unit of prayer you are to recite from the Qur’an. You can recite long verses or short verses and this would ultimately dictate how long it takes you to complete each unit of prayer / each total offering of prayer. The standard way to go about it by most laymen Muslims is to recite the shortest chapters of the Qur’an which are comprised of between 3-8 verses for each unit of prayer. As such, I would say the average amount of time it takes to pray 4 units is about 13 minutes.

[@CurrentAssistant]

@@pinkifloyd7867 dawn prayer is 2 obligatory units. 7 mins or so if we go by the short chapters to recite. Ps. If you want to see the short chapters they are predominantly found towards the end of the Qur’an, with the longer ones being more at the beginning. Anyhoo, after dawn prayer is the noon prayer which is 4 units. 13 mins. Mid afternoon prayer another 4 units and 13 mins. Then the prayer at sunset is 3 units. So like 10 mins. Then the night prayer is 4 units. So an average muslim may spend about 56 minutes daily performing their obligatory units of prayer. Some may perform the prayers much quicker, but this is more disliked as people shouldn’t be heedless in their prayer and instead really zone in on it for the meditate experience it is as well as body conditioning and of course above all else, a very special appointment with God that should be given it’s due focus and respect. On top of the obligatory units there are some recommended units of prayer that one can perform during those aforementioned time phases in following with the instances of prayer opportunities that the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to perform. The ones that he would never miss, and thus to follow in his footsteps would be a good idea if Muslims never missed them too - amounted to a minimum of an addition 15 units of prayer daily. So if a Muslim prayed these units that are obligatory and also the ones which the prophet pbuh never missed, and when doing so only recited the shortest quranic chapters, but not being too hasty with the movements - then ur looking at a very fulfilling almost 2 hours of praying per day.

[@lionroaring7021]

Praying to God through Jesus. The only way!