Discipline yourself!

**h0ju** · 11-09-2005 07:44 PM

Just an exercise to keep your mind working and disciplined. If you would like to participate:

Starting tomorrow, wake up and write in your dream journal as usual, if you don't have one then start one!. Beside the most profound dream of the night write a note about something you would like to accomplish that day. Don't make it something easy such as taking a shower

(Unless this is an unusual task in your day, in which case get right on that one) at the same time don't make it unreasonable. Say this task to yourself a couple times (outloud if possible) and REALLY mean to do it. Then go about your day.

If you forget or just don't have the urge to finish your task start again tomorrow DO NOT GIVE UP. If your task was just too ridiculous then correct this problem and learn from your mistake. This is not a race, this is all about you you YOU. Pace yourself and be honest.

As you do this from day to day you should and I believe WILL start noticing improvements be it small or large. This is the time to start making the things increasingly difficult ie: achieve your goal more than once a day at different times or, achieving your goal at a specific time. Again do not go overboard, discipline is the key here.

Share your progress if you can. I believe support from others plays a big part in growth.

NOTE: I don't want this exercise to dominate your mind all day. In fact you will probably notice after a while when the time for your task comes up you will simply know it.

**Callista** · 11-10-2005 03:37 AM

Hmm. Sure, why not? An extra phrase or so to write in my DJ won't be a problem. Could be interesting.

**Nugget75** · 11-10-2005 07:07 AM

I'm confused, achieving a daily goal is supposed to help induce lucid dreams?

**kimpossible** · 11-10-2005 08:13 AM

I think it's intended to improve self-discipline.

Of course, for the right amount of money, I'll go buy some boots and a whip and come over every morning and help-out.

**Ex Nine** · 11-10-2005 08:22 AM

I just heard the sound of a hundred guys checking their wallets.

**eXistenZ** · 11-10-2005 10:38 AM

Originally posted by h0ju

Share your progress if you can. I believe support from others plays a big part in growth.

I read something similar in LaBerge's book, but you're right that here in DV one would have a sort of external control and that would bolster the willingness. And LaBerge suggests pointless drills, rather than tasks.

The big part is to honestly choose the task... I have in mind a bunch of apparently simple tasks that for me are uncomfortable to accomplish.

Ok, that's my task, I tell you before so you're the "witnesses": today (Thursday 10th) I will smile to and greet someone stranger to me. It's not so easy as it seems and it is a small step.
If I will not accomplish this task, well... you're free to use towards me your preferred flaming line. Well... you can flame me regardless the task

eXistenZ

**h0ju** · 11-10-2005 11:42 PM

Originally posted by Nugget75
I'm confused, achieving a daily goal is supposed to help induce lucid dreams?

Its actually amazing what discipline and routine (learning to LD requires both) can change in many aspects of one's mind, not to mention body and life. These daily exercises not only help your memory they also get you into a place where goal setting and achieving can become natural and no longer a chore. I will give in to the possibility that this may not work for all people but it has for me, so I thought I would share.

eXistenZ :
Thats an awesome choice for the day! I believe I may have to do that one myself.

**eXistenZ** · 11-11-2005 10:19 AM

Here my results: something quite interesting...

I took the commitment to greet someone stranger to me before the end of yesterday (my time). Well I didn’t comply with this commitment. Partly because I didn’t remember the task and partly because I didn’t feel at ease gretting a stranger, as expected.

Then this morning something unexpected happened: when I was walking, a woman totally unknown to me, said me “Hello”…

Probably is just a coincidence. Or maybe the task was somehow running in my head, fostered by some night dreaming, and she somehow saw in my expression that I was open to greet persons. Or (well… I’m going quite far now) I communicated in some way to others my willingness and openness and the task became something collective.

Whatever it’s the explanation, that is what happened.

Ok, I don’t forget my sanction… As promised, since I didn’t accomplish my task, you’re free to flame me…
Please don’t be too hard

eXistenZ

**Tanman** · 11-13-2005 01:36 PM

hey existenz. had to reply to you post dude, i was so in your position a few weeks ago,

a hi and a smile wont make anyone pissed off at you dude, go for it, say hi to every girl you meet, and that fear will totally wear off after a few days, honestly. worked a charm for me

**kichu** · 11-15-2005 08:18 AM

Wow, this is definitely something I need at this exact time in my life. Awesome, thanks for the suggestion.

**kichu** · 11-16-2005 08:09 AM

Did my first one. Totally didn't want to, but I did it becuase I wrote it in my dream journal and I didn't want to flake out. This is a REALLY good way to get all those things done around the house that you keep putting to the side and then go veg in front of the tv instead. Again, great suggestion.

**eXistenZ** · 11-16-2005 08:54 AM

Congrats kichu! The task that you assigned to yourself seem quite boring, so well done!

eXistenZ

**h0ju** · 11-16-2005 10:13 PM

Great work! My first ones sound similar to yours if you're doing house work

**kichu** · 11-17-2005 03:40 AM

Day 2 of this task thing was hard. I haven't put it in my journal today yet, but I decided that my task would be (kinda weird) to not chew the inside of my mouth when I'm on the bus on my way to and from work. I do it every single day and every day I tell myself to stop doing it because I probably look like a goddamn idiot with my cheeks all sucked in. Especially when I'm a few stops away from my last stop on the way home, I just go nuts. I think I'm just anxious to get home and if I'm not concentrating on reading or something I resort to this as a distraction from the waiting. Sometimes I'll tell myself to stop, I'll stop, and then literally 1 second later I'm doing it again, and then I repeat that about 10 times. Then I stop for a minute or two, and then start the same cycle over and over. It's mental! Anyway, it was REALLY hard to do, but I managed to really control it because I didn't want to fail my "task."

I think this exercise could be really helpful for people trying to break some sort of habit. I'm going to continue this one until I've finally stopped. I think it's just a matter of telling yourself that you'll try it for one day, and then if it goes well you want to keep doing it.

AGAIN.......great suggestion.