Book SummaryThe Power of Discipline, by Daniel Walter

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The Power of Discipline

Forcing yourself to be productive when there’s almost anything you’d rather do is difficult. In fact, it’s part of our nature to choose temptations and instant gratification over hard work and long-term goals. However, in The Power of Discipline, Daniel Walter explains that the ability to self-discipline—to act in your best interests despite temptation—is the foundation of achieving any amount of success in your life. Luckily, he notes, self-discipline is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened over time by developing good habits.

Walter is a Canadian author. After graduating from Yale University with a degree in cognitive neuroscience, he chose to use his passion for...

The Power of Discipline Summary What Is Self-Discipline and Why Do We Struggle With It?

Self-discipline is the ability to make healthy and productive choices, fight against temptations and instant gratification, and ultimately act in your best interests. Walter notes that having self-discipline is crucial because it pushes you toward actions that breed success—fully committing to your goals, developing good habits, and consistently putting in hard work.

(Shortform note: In Discipline Equals Freedom, Jocko Willink agrees that self-discipline is crucial for committing to goals, developing good habits, working hard, and ultimately becoming successful. However, Willink’s definition of self-discipline is less detailed than Walter’s: He simply defines self-discipline as an internal force that drives you to take action and be better. This arguably misses an important nuance from Walter’s definition: that self-discipline also encapsulates the ability to fight temptations and instant gratification (in other words, the actions that weaken our ability to self-discipline).)

Despite the importance of...

The Power of Discipline Summary Improve Self-Discipline With Good Habits

Now that you understand the biological tendencies that inhibit self-discipline and how to overcome them, it’s time to focus on strengthening your ability to self-discipline. Walter argues that the best way to improve your ability to self-discipline is to get rid of bad habits and replace them with good ones that support discipline.

Habits are things that we do regularly without even thinking about them: for example, scrolling on social media every time we feel bored. When we allow ourselves to form habits that are contrary to our best interests, we lessen our chances of adopting positive habits and thus weaken our ability to self-discipline.

(Shortform note: While Walter argues that building good habits is one of the best ways to strengthen your self-discipline, Gary Keller explains that this might actually drain your ability to practice self-discipline (what he calls willpower). In The One Thing, Keller says that we have a limited supply of self-discipline. Doing things like building new habits uses up our discipline allotment quickly and...

Shortform Exercise: Overcome Temptations and Instant Gratification

Walter explains that one of the biggest threats to self-discipline is acting on your impulses without thinking—most commonly, giving into temptations and instant gratification. However, if you can identify your weaknesses and determine strategies to overcome them, you’ll be able to strengthen your self-discipline and engage in productive behavior.

What are three of the most common unproductive impulses you encounter in your daily life? (For example, do you feel compelled to eat a bowl of instant pasta instead of a nutritious meal? Do you struggle with the urge to play video games instead of cleaning the house?)