Seri: 365 days with self - Discipline

 ---------------Week 4--------------

Day 24: On Happiness Through Self-Discipline

 It is one of the strange ironies of this strange life that those who work the hardest, who subject themselves to the strictest discipline, who give up certain pleasurable things in order to achieve a goal, are the happiest. When you see 20 or 30 people line up for a distance race in some meet, don’t pity them, don’t feel sorry for them. Better envy them instead.

 —Bruce Hamilton

 For a person who has never tested their self-discipline over a long period of time, it’s hard to believe that giving up pleasure can lead to immense happiness. Most certainly, it doesn’t feel that way when you’re fighting against the craving for chocolate, compare exercise to torture, or feel sad that you have to set money aside and can’t spend it on this new cool gadget.

 However, in the long haul, based on my personal experience, subjecting yourself to a strict discipline does lead to a happier life — and it can be a powerful motivator in the moments of doubt.

 Let me explain why…

 Firstly, as we talked about in Day 1, living your life the hard way makes it easier. People who voluntarily expose themselves to challenges are more capable of handling unforeseen hardships.

 Moreover, giving up certain pleasures (such as unhealthy food and sitting all day in front of the TV) can lead to immense improvements in one’s well-being. Maintaining a healthy weight and beneficial nutritional habits doesn’t just lead to physical improvements; it also affects self-esteem, reduces the risk for depression, and improves your body image 24 .

 Giving up on pleasurable things (such as spending money without control) can also help you avoid crushing problems in the future. Today it might be inconvenient that you can’t spend your entire salary, but tomorrow your savings can save you from bankruptcy or pay for an urgent medical intervention.

 Lastly, self-discipline is in itself a manifestation of your higher being, and is connected with nobler strivings. A human being, reduced to its primal form, has little ability for self-control. Operating in “scarcity mode” and left to its own devices, your primal brain will stuff your body until you won’t be able to walk. It will make you cheat on your partner with every passing stranger. It will assume that every step outside the comfort zone is a danger, and so you’ll never grow.

 Exerting self-control is working against the dominance of your primal brain. You forego primal urges in order to reach bigger and more important goals or to cultivate values that are important to you. You can live your life in a way that is congruent with who you are as a deeply complex human being, not a mere animal with the ability to reason. This leads to experiencing a wide variety of experiences that life has to offer; many of them are immensely more gratifying than merely satisfying the most basic human needs.

Vocabulary

irony /ˈaɪrəni/

[uncountable, countable] the funny or strange aspect of a situation that is very different from what you expect; a situation like this

It was one of life's little ironies.

 the irony (is) that… The irony is that when he finally got the job, he discovered he didn't like it.

strict/strɪkt/

that must be obeyed exactly

strict rules/regulations

There are strict guidelines on how the work is to be carried out.

The head teacher imposed very strict discipline.

She's on a very strict diet.

He told me in the strictest confidence (= on the understanding that I would tell nobody else).

He expected strict adherence to his rules.

pity /ˈpɪti/

[singular] used to show that you are disappointed about something

SYNONYM shame

 a pity (that…) It's a pity that you can't stay longer.

‘I've lost it!’ ‘Oh, what a pity.’

What a pity that she didn't tell me earlier.

This dress is really nice. Pity it's so expensive.

Oh, that's a pity.

It would be a great pity if you gave up now.

 a pity to do something It seems a pity to waste this food.

envy /ˈenvi/

the feeling of wanting to be in the same situation as somebody else; the feeling of wanting something that somebody else has

SYNONYM jealousy (1)

 envy (of somebody) He couldn't conceal his envy of me.

 envy (at/of something) She felt a pang of envy at the thought of his success.

They looked with envy at her latest purchase.

Her colleagues were green with envy (= they had very strong feelings of envy).

immense /ɪˈmens/

xtremely large or great

SYNONYM enormous

There is still an immense amount of work to be done.

The benefits are immense.

a project of immense importance

To my immense relief, he didn’t notice my mistake.

craving /ˈkreɪvɪŋ/

a strong desire for something

 craving (for something) a craving for chocolate

Don't give in to those food cravings.

 craving to do something a desperate craving to be loved

torture /ˈtɔːtʃə(r)/

the act of causing somebody severe pain in order to punish them or make them say or do something

Many of the refugees have suffered torture.

the use of torture

terrible instruments of torture

 under torture His confessions were made under torture.

I heard stories of gruesome tortures in prisons.

hardship /ˈhɑːdʃɪp/

a situation that is difficult and unpleasant because you do not have enough money, food, clothes, etc.

economic/financial, etc. hardship

People suffered many hardships during that long winter.

The two men endured great hardship during their trek across Antarctica.

It was no hardship to walk home on such a lovely evening

noble /ˈnəʊbl/

having or showing fine personal qualities that people admire, such as courage, honesty and care for others

a noble leader

noble ideals

He died for a noble cause.

She died in a noble cause.

It was very noble of you to go so far to take him home.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Translate

For a person who has never tested their self-discipline over a long period of time, it’s hard to believe that giving up pleasure can lead to immense happiness. Most certainly, it doesn’t feel that way when you’re fighting against the craving for chocolate, compare exercise to torture, or feel sad that you have to set money aside and can’t spend it on this new cool gadget.

 However, in the long haul, based on my personal experience, subjecting yourself to a strict discipline does lead to a happier life — and it can be a powerful motivator in the moments of doubt.

 Let me explain why…

 Firstly, as we talked about in Day 1, living your life the hard way makes it easier. People who voluntarily expose themselves to challenges are more capable of handling unforeseen hardships.

 Moreover, giving up certain pleasures (such as unhealthy food and sitting all day in front of the TV) can lead to immense improvements in one’s well-being. Maintaining a healthy weight and beneficial nutritional habits doesn’t just lead to physical improvements; it also affects self-esteem, reduces the risk for depression, and improves your body image 24 .

 Giving up on pleasurable things (such as spending money without control) can also help you avoid crushing problems in the future. Today it might be inconvenient that you can’t spend your entire salary, but tomorrow your savings can save you from bankruptcy or pay for an urgent medical intervention.

 Lastly, self-discipline is in itself a manifestation of your higher being, and is connected with nobler strivings. A human being, reduced to its primal form, has little ability for self-control. Operating in “scarcity mode” and left to its own devices, your primal brain will stuff your body until you won’t be able to walk. It will make you cheat on your partner with every passing stranger. It will assume that every step outside the comfort zone is a danger, and so you’ll never grow.

 Exerting self-control is working against the dominance of your primal brain. You forego primal urges in order to reach bigger and more important goals or to cultivate values that are important to you. You can live your life in a way that is congruent with who you are as a deeply complex human being, not a mere animal with the ability to reason. This leads to experiencing a wide variety of experiences that life has to offer; many of them are immensely more gratifying than merely satisfying the most basic human needs.

For a person who has never tested their self-discipline over a long period of time, it’s hard to believe that giving up pleasure can lead to immense happiness. Đối với một người chưa bao giờ kiểm tra kỷ luật bản thân trong một thời gian dài, thật khó tin rằng việc từ bỏ niềm vui có thể dẫn đến hạnh phúc to lớn. Most certainly, it doesn’t feel that way when you’re fighting against the craving for chocolate, compare exercise to torture, or feel sad that you have to set money aside and can’t spend it on this new cool gadget. Chắc chắn nhất là bạn sẽ không cảm thấy như vậy khi bạn đang chống lại cơn thèm sô cô la, so sánh việc tập thể dục với sự tra tấn hoặc cảm thấy buồn vì bạn phải đặt tiền sang một bên và không thể chi tiêu cho thiết bị thú vị mới này.

 However, in the long haul, based on my personal experience, subjecting yourself to a strict discipline does lead to a happier life — and it can be a powerful motivator in the moments of doubt. Tuy nhiên, về lâu dài, dựa trên kinh nghiệm cá nhân của tôi, việc tuân theo kỷ luật nghiêm ngặt sẽ dẫn đến một cuộc sống hạnh phúc hơn - và nó có thể là động lực mạnh mẽ trong những thời điểm nghi ngờ.

 Let me explain why…

 Firstly, as we talked about in Day 1, living your life the hard way makes it easier. Thứ nhất, như chúng ta đã nói ở Ngày 1, sống cuộc sống của bạn một cách khó khăn sẽ khiến nó trở nên dễ dàng hơn. People who voluntarily expose themselves to challenges are more capable of handling unforeseen hardships. Những người tự nguyện phơi mình trước những thử thách có khả năng đối phó với những khó khăn không lường trước cao hơn.

 Moreover, giving up certain pleasures (such as unhealthy food and sitting all day in front of the TV) can lead to immense improvements in one’s well-being. Hơn nữa, từ bỏ những thú vui nhất định (chẳng hạn như đồ ăn không lành mạnh và ngồi cả ngày trước TV) có thể dẫn đến những cải thiện đáng kể về sức khỏe của một người.Maintaining a healthy weight and beneficial nutritional habits doesn’t just lead to physical improvements; it also affects self-esteem, reduces the risk for depression, and improves your body image 24 . Duy trì cân nặng hợp lý và thói quen dinh dưỡng có lợi không chỉ giúp cải thiện thể chất; nó cũng ảnh hưởng đến lòng tự trọng, giảm nguy cơ trầm cảm và cải thiện hình ảnh cơ thể của bạn.

 Giving up on pleasurable things (such as spending money without control) can also help you avoid crushing problems in the future.Từ bỏ những thú vui (chẳng hạn như tiêu tiền không kiểm soát) cũng có thể giúp bạn tránh được những rắc rối trong tương lai. Today it might be inconvenient that you can’t spend your entire salary, but tomorrow your savings can save you from bankruptcy or pay for an urgent medical intervention. Hôm nay có thể hơi bất tiện khi bạn không thể chi tiêu toàn bộ tiền lương của mình, nhưng ngày mai khoản tiết kiệm của bạn có thể giúp bạn thoát khỏi tình trạng phá sản hoặc chi trả cho một can thiệp y tế khẩn cấp.

 Lastly, self-discipline is in itself a manifestation of your higher being, and is connected with nobler strivings. Cuối cùng, kỷ luật bản thân tự nó là một biểu hiện của con người cao hơn của bạn, và được kết nối với những nỗ lực cao hơn.A human being, reduced to its primal form, has little ability for self-control.Một con người, giảm về hình dáng ban đầu, có rất ít khả năng tự kiểm soát. Operating in “scarcity mode” and left to its own devices, your primal brain will stuff your body until you won’t be able to walk. Hoạt động ở “chế độ khan hiếm” và để các thiết bị của chính nó, bộ não nguyên thủy của bạn sẽ nhồi nhét cơ thể bạn cho đến khi bạn không thể đi lại được.It will make you cheat on your partner with every passing stranger. Nó sẽ khiến bạn lừa dối đối tác của mình với mỗi người lạ đi qua.It will assume that every step outside the comfort zone is a danger, and so you’ll never grow. Nó sẽ cho rằng mỗi bước ra ngoài vùng an toàn là một mối nguy hiểm và vì vậy bạn sẽ không bao giờ phát triển.

 Exerting self-control is working against the dominance of your primal brain. Tự kiểm soát bản thân đang chống lại sự thống trị của bộ não nguyên thủy của bạn. You forego primal urges in order to reach bigger and more important goals or to cultivate values that are important to you. Bạn đã bỏ qua những thúc giục ban đầu để đạt được những mục tiêu lớn hơn và quan trọng hơn hoặc để trau dồi những giá trị quan trọng đối với bạn.You can live your life in a way that is congruent with who you are as a deeply complex human being, not a mere animal with the ability to reason. Bạn có thể sống cuộc sống của mình theo cách phù hợp với con người của bạn với tư cách là một con người phức tạp sâu sắc, không phải là một con vật đơn thuần với khả năng suy luận.This leads to experiencing a wide variety of experiences that life has to offer; many of them are immensely more gratifying than merely satisfying the most basic human needs.

Điều này dẫn đến việc trải qua nhiều trải nghiệm mà cuộc sống mang lại; nhiều người trong số họ vô cùng hài lòng hơn là chỉ thỏa mãn những nhu cầu cơ bản nhất của con người.