Spartan Discipline

By Dominic Mann. This book can be found here. Mann gives tips, tricks, suggestions and analogies from Spartan's lifestyle to illustrate how to develop self-discipline and be productive in our lives.

Summary

full bellies never plough fields
choose delayed gratification over the instant one
accept minimalism as it allows to inculcate lazer sharp focus, by eliminating distractions. For someone with no junk in kitchen shelf, eating healthy becomes easier.
willpower is like muscle. More you exercise it, the stronger it becomes
your body can stand almost anything. It's the mind that's the bottleneck
Mind over matter!
a healthy mind and body can go a long way in developing self-discipline
external events are not under your control, but how you react to them is
start with the end in mind (what do you want people to say at your funeral)
conquering yourself is the first step to conquering the world.
use your emotions as a tool rather than becoming a tool for them.
Conquer your emotions, not the other way around!
there are 2 kinds of wants
- wants of the body
- wants of the mind
it is the wants of the mind that you truly want
go all the way in or don't even start. Don't give yourself any exceptions, or else, those exceptions can become the norm.
to make big gains avoid tiny losses
it is through hardship, challenges and adversity that we grow in life
developing discipline in one key area of life also leads to being disciplined in all areas of life. It's called developing a "keystone habit"
Spartans used to not ask how enemies, but where they are. If you truly want to do something, find a way to do it.
give your 100% in everything you do.
do one thing at a time, but with lazer sharp focus. Intensity beats extensity
you just only need enough willpower to get a habit in motion. Once habit takes over, no willpower is required
we eventually get adjusted to new circumstances and get back to our normalcy. So we'll be just as happy with a disciplined life as we were if continued to be lazy and comfortable