Do You Keep Your Promise?

It's day 180 of documenting 2025.

Happy Sunday, my friend ☺️ 

Can you believe it's 20 days to day 200?

I'm super psyched!

Day 200 might not be a blast...but it's sure a great achievement.

Fingers crossed 🤞🏼 

Not much going on right now, except for the fact that I'll soon change how I write the posts here.

Very soon, it'll be less about my life and more about my research and findings.

The world doesn't revolve around Duon Ada, right? 😏

Let's get into Highlights now...and after I'll share another chat I had with my friendly psychologist.

More like a sequel to yesterday's post.

365 Days With Self-discipline 

📌 On Paying the Price as Fast as Possible

"No matter how long a situation continues, there’s always a way to get out. But the sooner you handle it, the easier it is.

Whenever I can I choose to pay in advance. But if I become aware of a mistake, I want to pay the price as fast as possible and clear the record. I’ve become fanatically intolerant of permanent irritants."

Quote by Harry Browne

Small irritating things tend to grow into bigger problems the longer you let them continue. 

Moreover, the longer the situation continues, the more difficult it

is to resolve it.

For this reason, it’s important to develop a habit of paying the price as fast as possible: engage in something a little unpleasant today to resolve the situation before it gets worse and more difficult to handle.

Yep! The takeaway for today.

Remember this, my friend 🙂

Use your self-control to handle any irritants, no matter how small they might be, right away.

You’ll not only get rid of the problem, you’ll also exercise your willpower muscle each time you decide to act immediately instead of postponing it.

Speaking of willpower muscle, it's kinda related to what I discussed with my friendly psychologist.

It's about discipline and the most common analogy used to explain it.

A muscle 💪🏼 

Here's how it went:

Me: How does discipline shape us?

ChatGPT: Discipline trains your mind to choose what matters most over what feels good in the moment. It builds inner strength and shapes you into someone who can trust themselves.

Me: Wow 😳 

That sounds far ahead...

How can you break it down?

ChatGPT: Think of discipline like a muscle. Every time you do the hard thing instead of the easy one—like waking up early, saying no to distractions, or finishing what you started—you strengthen it. 

Over time, it becomes part of who you are, and it gets easier to do what’s right, even when it’s tough.

Me: Yeah, I can relate to that now 😄

The muscle concept...

I'm curious tho...is that the only analogy you can use to explain discipline?

ChatGPT: Not at all 😄 

Discipline can also be seen like planting a seed. At first, there's just effort—digging, watering, waiting. Nothing shows for a while. But with time, consistency, and care, it grows into something strong and fruitful. You don’t always see progress right away, but the roots are forming underneath.

Me: Nice 🙂 

Now, tell me...

How can one build discipline from the little things?

ChatGPT: Start with one small promise to yourself—something simple like making your bed, journaling for 5 minutes, or drinking a glass of water when you wake. Keep that promise, daily. 

It teaches your mind to trust your actions. Over time, those small wins stack up and strengthen your ability to take on bigger challenges.

Me: So, it's all about fulfilling promises to yourself?

ChatGPT: Exactly. Each fulfilled promise, no matter how small, tells your mind: I show up for myself. That quiet consistency builds discipline and self-respect over time.

Me: How about discipline when it comes to not responding to certain people?

ChatGPT: That’s emotional discipline. It means choosing peace over reaction. Not every message needs a reply, not every trigger deserves your energy. Silence can be your strength.

Me: What does mental discipline entail?

ChatGPT: Mental discipline is the ability to guide your thoughts instead of letting them guide you. It’s choosing focus over distraction, calm over chaos, and long-term growth over short-term comfort.

Me: How can one get started with emotional discipline?

Assume they're a beginner.

ChatGPT: Start small—notice your feelings without reacting immediately. Take a breath, pause, and ask yourself what you really want to do before acting. Practice this bit by bit, and over time, you’ll build control over emotional impulses.

Me: And mental discipline?

ChatGPT: Mental discipline begins with training your focus. Start by setting small goals—like concentrating on a task for 5 minutes without distraction. Gradually increase that time. 

Also, challenge negative thoughts by questioning their truth. It’s about creating habits that strengthen your mind’s ability to stay calm and clear.

Me: Is there a way to measure progress when attaining certain levels of discipline?

ChatGPT: Yes, progress shows up in small wins—like resisting distractions more easily, staying consistent with habits, or feeling less overwhelmed by challenges. You might track how often you follow through on commitments or how quickly you bounce back from setbacks. It’s less about perfection and more about steady improvement over time.

Me: Less about perfection?

So that means, if we take one small disciplined action, even if it's less than usual....that counts too?

ChatGPT: Exactly. Even a small, disciplined step matters. It builds momentum and rewires your habits bit by bit. 

Consistency beats intensity—doing something every day, even if small, is way more powerful than occasional bursts. So yes, every effort counts.

Me: I needed to remind myself that 😌

Could you give a conclusion to our discussion on discipline, poetry style?

ChatGPT: Sure thing:

Discipline’s not a mountain tall,  

But tiny steps, each rise and fall.  

A promise kept, a moment’s grace,  

Building strength at your own pace.  

No perfect path, no final race,  

Just steady moves in time and space.  

With every choice, your spirit grows

In discipline, true freedom flows.

True freedom flows...

Most people don't understand what true freedom means.

And you know what's funny?

It's not that we don't know what discipline means or how to go about it.

It's just that we need to be reminded 😌

Well that's how it is for me....it may not be same for you.

Anyways, I will repeat my new mantra for the rest of this week.

"Growth lives just beyond the pain".

Hopefully, I can improve by 7%.... that's 1% per day.

That's all for today.

Thanks for reading 🎀 

I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

I wish you more blessings, lessons and reasons to smile.

If you can spare a few minutes of your time, kindly take the reader survey I created.

I would love to hear from you 🥲

I'm Duon Ada.

I'm documenting 2025.

And I'll see you tomorrow 

Ciao 💕