You are not a naturally disciplined person. The morning routine does not stick. The to-do list grows faster than it shrinks. The deadlines are missed, the projects are started, and the projects are not finished. The chaos is familiar. The chaos is also, in many ways, the source of the creativity, the energy, and the engagement that are the foundation of the unique contribution. The chaos is not the problem. The chaos is the source of the unique value. The discipline is not about eliminating the chaos. The discipline is about building the structure that allows the chaos to be productive, rather than destructive. The discipline is the framework, and the framework is one of the most important, and most under-developed, resources for the naturally chaotic person.
The discipline blueprint is the structured, deliberate, and gradual process of building the conscientiousness that the naturally chaotic person often lacks. The blueprint is not about becoming a different person. The blueprint is about building the structure that allows the existing person to be more effective, more consistent, and more sustainable in the pursuit of the things that matter. The blueprint is the foundation of the more engaged, more effective, more meaningful life.
What Conscientiousness Is
Conscientiousness is one of the Big Five personality traits, and the trait is one of the strongest predictors of professional success, relationship quality, and longevity. Conscientiousness includes several components, including orderliness, self-discipline, reliability, achievement-striving, and deliberation. Each of the components is the source of the effectiveness, and the combination is the foundation of the success.
Research on personality change by Christopher Soto and others has shown that conscientiousness is one of the most changeable of the Big Five traits, particularly in adulthood. The changeability is the source of the hope, and the hope is the foundation of the engagement.
Research on the benefits of conscientiousness has shown that more conscientious people are more likely to achieve their goals, maintain their health, build strong relationships, and live longer. The benefits are the source of the motivation to develop the trait.
Why the Naturally Chaotic Person Is at a Disadvantage
The naturally chaotic person is at a disadvantage in modern life for several reasons. The first is the structure bias. Modern professional life, with its deadlines, its projects, its expectations of consistency, is built on the assumption of conscientiousness. The chaotic person is operating in a system that is not designed for them, and the operation is the source of the disadvantage.
The second is the self-criticism bias. The chaotic person often internalizes the failure to meet the expectations as a personal failing, rather than as a mismatch between the person and the system. The internalization is the source of the chronic low self-esteem, and the self-esteem is the source of the disadvantage.
The third is the the creativity-cost bias. The chaotic person often suppresses the natural creativity in order to fit the expectations of the conscientious system. The suppression is the source of the cost, and the cost is the source of the disadvantage.
What the Discipline Blueprint Is Not
The discipline blueprint is not about becoming a different person. The blueprint is not about suppressing the chaos. The blueprint is not about forcing the conscientiousness. The blueprint is about building the structure that allows the chaos to be expressed in a way that is sustainable, effective, and aligned with the values. The blueprint is the framework, and the framework is the source of the engagement.
Research on personality and creativity has shown that the chaotic person often has higher levels of creativity, openness, and flexibility. The chaos is the source of the unique value. The discipline is the source of the channel for the value, and the channel is the foundation of the effectiveness.
The Components of the Discipline Blueprint
The blueprint includes several components, each of which can be developed independently.
The first component is the external structure. The external structure is the system, the tool, the routine that the person builds around themselves. The external structure is the source of the consistency, and the consistency is the foundation of the effectiveness.
The second component is the small habits. The small habits are the tiny, repeatable actions that are the foundation of the larger change. The small habits are the source of the consistency, and the consistency is the foundation of the change.
The third component is the time-blocking. The time-blocking is the deliberate allocation of the time to the activities that are aligned with the values. The time-blocking is the source of the prioritization, and the prioritization is the foundation of the effectiveness.
The fourth component is the accountability. The accountability is the external witness that the person uses to ensure the follow-through. The accountability is the source of the consistency, and the consistency is the foundation of the change.
The fifth component is the rewards. The rewards are the small, frequent, and aligned reinforcements that the person uses to celebrate the consistency. The rewards are the source of the motivation, and the motivation is the foundation of the change.
The sixth component is the re-evaluations. The re-evaluations are the regular check-ins that the person uses to ensure the continued alignment of the structure with the values. The re-evaluations are the source of the adjustment, and the adjustment is the foundation of the continued effectiveness.
How to Build the Blueprint
1. Start with one habit. The most effective way to begin the blueprint is to start with one small habit, repeated daily. The small habit is the source of the consistency, and the consistency is the foundation of the change.
2. Anchor the habit to an existing routine. The anchoring is the source of the integration, and the integration is the foundation of the consistency.
3. Make the habit as small as possible. The smaller the habit, the less activation energy is required. The less energy, the more likely the consistency. The consistency is the foundation of the change.
4. Track the habit visibly. The visible tracking is the source of the awareness, and the awareness is the foundation of the consistency.
5. Celebrate the consistency. The celebration is the source of the motivation, and the motivation is the foundation of the continued consistency.
6. Add a second habit after the first is established. The graduated addition is the source of the sustainable change, and the sustainability is the foundation of the effectiveness.
7. Tolerate the discomfort of the structure. The structure is uncomfortable for the chaotic person. The tolerance is the source of the engagement, and the engagement is the foundation of the change.
The Role of the Environment
The environment is one of the most powerful, and most under-appreciated, components of the discipline blueprint. The environment is the source of the cues, the nudges, and the constraints that are the foundation of the consistency.
Research on choice architecture by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein has shown that the design of the environment is one of the strongest predictors of the behavior. The design is the source of the consistency, and the consistency is the foundation of the change.
The most effective environmental design for the chaotic person includes the visible reminders, the friction for undesirable behaviors, the convenience for desirable behaviors, and the accountability structures. Each of the components is the source of the consistency, and the consistency is the foundation of the change.
The Limits of the Blueprint
The discipline blueprint is not a cure-all. The blueprint will not eliminate the chaos. The blueprint will not turn the chaotic person into a methodical person. The blueprint is the structure that allows the chaos to be expressed in a way that is sustainable, effective, and aligned with the values. The blueprint is the foundation of the engagement, but the engagement is still the engagement of the chaotic person. The chaos is the source of the unique value. The structure is the source of the channel for the value. The combination is the source of the effectiveness.
The Takeaway
The discipline blueprint is one of the most important, and most under-developed, resources for the naturally chaotic person. The blueprint is the structure that allows the chaos to be expressed in a way that is sustainable, effective, and aligned with the values. The blueprint is not about becoming a different person. The blueprint is about becoming a more effective version of the existing person. The next time you find yourself failing to meet the expectations of the conscientious system, pause long enough to ask: what structure would allow me to be more consistent? The answer is the source of the blueprint. The blueprint is the source of the engagement. The engagement is the source of the more meaningful life.
