How To Be More Disciplined, Instantly

How to be more disciplined when studying:

• Core technique: Lower the barrier to starting, not finishing. Just get your books out, sit down, begin.
• Visual tracking: Print a calendar, mark an X for every study day. Seeing consecutive X’s creates momentum.
• Research shows: Starting is 80% of the battle. Once you begin, continuation becomes automatic.

Why it works:
Discipline isn’t willpower—it’s removing friction. Making studying easier to start than to avoid creates sustainable habits. Applied to any exam prep: candidates who study 1 hour daily for 300 days outperform those cramming 3 hours sporadically.

Most exam candidates fail not because they lack intelligence, but because they lack consistency. They study intensely for two weeks, burn out, then avoid their books for three weeks. This cycle repeats until exam day arrives and they’re underprepared.

I discovered a simple technique that transformed my study discipline—not through willpower, but by removing the psychological barriers that make starting feel impossible. It requires only a calendar and a pen.

Here’s how I went from chronic procrastinator to studying consistently for 300+ days straight.

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How I went from full-time couch potato to crazy everyday runner, overnight.

At the start of my running efforts, I had to contend with a powerful demotivator – I hated running. I am not one of those types that naturally love to run or exercise – I am probably the laziest slob on the face of the earth.

I detested running fervently, made worse with the less-than-stellar London weather. However it was the easiest and most convenient way to exercise, so I decided to stick with it and instead, see how I could motivate myself better.

My observations after a week or so of running were interesting: 

the majority of the barrier to overcome my demotivation to running is to simply make time, put on my running gear and get out of the door.

Once I forced myself out, I found that motivating myself to run became much easier. After all, I was already out, the time was already spent, so I might as well run and get some exercise out of it.

So from then on, I’d motivate myself this way – every day, I’d tell myself to just get on my running gear and get out. If I really didn’t feel like running after doing that, I would allow myself to just turn right back home, and take the day off. No hard feelings.

The result? For 3 months, I never took a single day off.

I eventually switched to a combination of gymming, running, and others, but for that 3 month period, this simple motivational tool worked wonders.

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How to be more disciplined in your studies? Try this simple tool.

What is the ‘barrier’ that is most difficult to overcome in your exam studies?

For me it’s actually getting started – getting my books out, clearing a space, actually dragging my lazy ass to the table.

If you can just tell yourself to get started, and focus less on how much you have to get done, your success rate will grow by leaps and bounds.

I guarantee it.

Here is an additional tip to reinforce this: get an old-school calendar and print it out.

Keep it somewhere in your house where you will see it every day, such as your refrigerator, or next to your bed. Below is a cheery example:

Just get started.

For every day you do manage to ‘set yourself up’ and put some quality time into studying (even if it’s a little bit), mark your calendar with a big fat X.

Eventually, your calendar may look something like this:

This simple habit will help you enforce the habit and routine of studying almost every day.

Not only will this encourage you to hit the books more often (since the calendar tells no lies), it also allows you to be more honest with yourself about how often you’ve studied.

Small, simple tweaks like these are the key to changing your routine to becoming a more effective exam candidate.

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Why “just start” works: The psychology of discipline

Research in behavioral psychology shows that task initiation is the hardest part of any activity. Once started, what psychologists call “task inertia” takes over—continuing becomes easier than stopping.

A 2009 study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that habit formation averages 66 days, but the critical factor wasn’t duration—it was consistency of the starting cue. People who focused on “just showing up” (low barrier) formed habits 3x faster than those focused on “completing 2 hours” (high barrier).

For CFA candidates, this means:

High-barrier goal (fails frequently): “I will study Ethics for 3 hours tonight.”

• Procrastination triggers when 3 hours feels overwhelming
• Skip studying entirely when you only have 2 hours available
• Guilt accumulates, further reducing motivation

Low-barrier goal (succeeds consistently): “I will open my Ethics notes and read one Learning Module.”

• Easy to start even when tired
• Often continues naturally once started (task inertia)
• Builds confidence through consistent small wins

The calendar X-marking technique leverages this psychology. You’re not marking “studied 3 hours”—you’re marking “I started.” This reframes discipline as achievable rather than aspirational.

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5 additional discipline strategies that compound with calendar tracking

1. The 2-minute rule (study edition)

Commit to studying for just 2 minutes. Tell yourself you can stop after 120 seconds.

Why it works: Starting for 2 minutes activates the same neural pathways as studying for 2 hours. Once you’re in “study mode,” stopping at 2 minutes feels harder than continuing. 80% of the time, you’ll keep going naturally.

CFA application: Set a timer for 2 minutes and read one LM. When the timer ends, you’ll likely finish the reading. Then you’ll likely do one practice question. Then another.

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2. Pre-commitment through public accountability

Share your study goals with someone who will follow up—not judge, but simply ask “Did you study today?”

A 2015 study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that people with accountability partners achieved goals at 2x the rate of solo goal-setters. The key is regular check-ins, not harsh judgment.

CFA application: Send a study buddy your calendar photo weekly. Seeing your streaks encourages them; their streaks encourage you. Or post progress updates on LinkedIn monthly—the public commitment increases follow-through.

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3. Environment design: Make starting automatic

Your environment determines behavior more than willpower. Design your space so studying requires zero decisions.

Implementation:

• Leave CFA notes open on your desk overnight (visual cue)
• Put phone in another room before studying (remove distraction)
• Study same time/place daily (routine reduces decision fatigue)
• Create “study uniform” (specific hoodie/location signals brain: it’s study time)

Why it works: Willpower depletes throughout the day. By removing decisions (“Should I study now? Where? Which topic?”), you preserve mental energy for actual studying.

Research from Duke University shows 45% of daily behaviors are habitual, triggered by environmental cues rather than conscious decisions. Design your environment to trigger studying automatically.

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4. The Pomodoro technique (adapted for CFA)

Study in focused 25-minute blocks with 5-minute breaks. After four blocks, take 15-30 minutes off.

Why CFA candidates benefit:

• Matches typical attention span (20-30 minutes before mental fatigue)
• Makes long study sessions feel manageable (4 Pomodoros = 2 hours)
• Forced breaks prevent burnout
• Creates clear “study unit” you can mark on your calendar

Implementation: Use a physical timer (not phone apps—checking phone breaks focus). Set 25 minutes, study one LM or 10 practice questions, take 5-minute break (walk, stretch, water). Repeat.

Mark your calendar X only after completing at least 4 Pomodoros (100 minutes of actual study time). This ensures X’s represent substantial effort, not 10 minutes of procrastination.

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5. Habit stacking: Link CFA study to existing routines

Attach new habits to existing strong habits. Your brain already has automated routines—leverage them.

Formula: “After [EXISTING HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT].”

CFA examples:

• “After my morning coffee, I will review 5 flashcards.”
• “After lunch, I will do 10 practice questions.”
• “After dinner, I will read one LOS.”

This works because existing habits trigger the new behavior automatically. You don’t rely on remembering to study—your daily routine prompts it.

A 2019 study in Health Psychology Review found habit stacking increased behavior consistency by 40% compared to standalone goal-setting.

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When the calendar method fails: Common problems and fixes

Problem 1: Broke your streak, lost motivation

Why it happens: You miss one day, feel like you “failed,” and abandon the entire system.

The way to fix this is implement the “never miss twice” rule. Missing one day is life. Missing two days consecutively is a pattern that destroys habits. If you miss Monday, Tuesday is non-negotiable.

Also, start a “comeback streak” below your broken streak. Don’t erase the old X’s—they’re proof you can do it. Just start marking new X’s below.

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Problem 2: Marking X’s without actually studying

Why it happens: You gamed the system—opened books for 5 minutes, marked X, closed books.

Fix: Define minimum viable study session: “X = minimum 2 Pomodoros (50 minutes) of focused study OR completion of one topic reading with end-of-chapter questions.”

Write this definition at the top of your calendar. No X unless you meet the standard.

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Problem 3: Calendar creates guilt instead of motivation

Why it happens: You see blank days and feel terrible rather than motivated.

Fix: Reframe blank days as “recovery days.” Mark them with an “R” instead of leaving blank. Even elite athletes take rest days—your brain needs them too.

Aim for 5-6 X’s per week, not 7. This makes streaks sustainable long-term rather than leading to burnout.

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Problem 4: Study time but not retaining anything

Why it happens: You’re physically present but mentally checked out (passive reading without comprehension).

Fix: Mark different symbols based on study quality:

• X = Focused study with full comprehension
• / = Studied but distracted, need to review again
• O = Reviewed previous material

This creates accountability for study quality, not just quantity. If you’re marking mostly “/” symbols, you’re not disciplined—you’re procrastinating while appearing productive.

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Study discipline & habit formation FAQs

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Meanwhile, you may find these related articles of interest:

• The Productivity Habit: A 7-Step Plan To Building Effective Routines
• 7 Motivational Techniques to Remain Sane While Studying, Job Hunting and Working
• Get 300Hours’ Free Study Planner: CFA exam | FRM exam | CAIA exam