Article #577

Author: Rich Weissman

At the end of the day, it is your decision that counts when it comes to the direction that you wish to take in your life. Nobody else can take charge or become accountable of your personal decisions, so you must try your best to improve self control. If your long term and short term goals give you the general idea on how things should be done, self control lays down the foundation for the rationale or motivation to do it. Self control is a self preserving mechanism that brings out the best in you.

To improve self control will entail a lot of short term sacrifices that are actually very rewarding in the long run. In addition, if you are triumphant in your efforts to improve self control, you will be able to further fortify your self confidence, self mastery, inner strength, and willpower.

You might say that self control is a very limiting concept because you might deprive yourself in the process, but believe it or not, efforts to improve self control might just be the most liberating thing that you can do for yourself. Simply put, self control is a means to minimize your tendency to act according to impulse and momentary reactions – it brings back logic and order in your frame of thought. So how can you improve your self control? The following are just a few easy steps that can give you a head start:

• Divert your attention to more important things. But first, you must identify the things that truly matter in your life – it can be your family, your future, or your aspirations. Make these serve as your inspiration not to fall into the usual triggers and temptations in your life. Triggers and temptations can take a lot of forms – it can be a thing, a person, or even an idea. So in order to emerge victorious, you should dwell on the things that truly matter.
• Confront your triggers and temptations and face them with due courage and self mastery. It is pointless to avoid the triggers and temptations because they are virtually present anywhere you go. And definitely, you cannot eliminate any of these from your daily struggle. It is best to be continuously put into the test. By facing the triggers and temptations every single day and declaring victory over the usual road blocks to improve self control, you can strengthen your confidence and fortify your resolve.
• Keep your eye on the prize. What is it to gain from the process of developing your self control? Actually, the answer to this question is simple: you will be able to take your life back. If you will be able to improve self control, you can take charge of your life again. It is very liberating because you do not have to rely on other people again. You dictate your pace and your direction. This way, you get to achieve your goals.

Truly, self control is more complex than it sounds. But it is a virtue that we all aspire to possess in the long run. In your journey to improve self control, always put into your mind the things that truly matter. That will be a very strong start.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/three-easy-steps-to-improve-self-control-5919498.html

About the Author

Rich Weissman is a featured and syndicated expert columnist on the topic of self-improvement for the Secret Enquirer. For more self-improvement tips and articles, visit http://www.SecretEnquirer.com now.