A brief history of self-discipline
How self-discipline has affected human history
What is self-discipline? I think this simple definition from the Cambridge dictionary will serve us well:
The ability to make yourself do things you know you should do even when you do not want to.
I wrote a book about how to avoid addiction and needed to read a bunch about the science around self-discipline. The book is called Addiction, Chaos, Discipline: How to Stay Free from Addiction
While writing this book, I wondered how human history is connected to self-discipline. So, I did a quick research and then I wrote this article.
The birth of mankind
The history of self-discipline starts with the birth of mankind. The problem is that we can only go back as far as the written word has existed to find information about this subject. The only way to go further back is to speculate about the history of self-discipline based on human biology. Self-discipline is not only something one imposes on oneself; it’s part of our physiology. Brain imaging has shown which brain regions are used when exercising self-discipline. Scientists have shown that some people are born with brains better suited for developing high willpower and self-discipline. They have also shown that training your self-discipline is like training a muscle in the gym. The more you utilize your willpower and self-discipline, the stronger it gets. This means that anybody can get a good level of self-discipline. However, a person with very high self-discipline is most likely the result of a combination of nature and nurture. Even if research indicates that genetic and environmental factors are in play, more research is needed to pinpoint how genetics affects self-discipline. If you want to read more about the science behind self-discipline, I recommend the book: The Science of Self-Discipline: The Willpower, Mental Toughness, and Self-Control to Resist Temptation and Achieve Your Goals by Peter Hollins.
One thing that comes to mind is that if our self-discipline is part of our DNA, it must also have played a part in our evolution. I bet those Stone Age people with high self-discipline had a higher chance of survival than those with low self-discipline. For example, the Stone Age human who made the extra effort to hunt for meat would most likely be better off than the one who went for berries. The extra protein would have made them stronger. The one who went out and collected wood and made a fire, even when the weather was good, would have been protected against apex predators during the night. Even if I can’t prove that different degrees of self-discipline have affected human evolution, it is not a far-fetched theory.
The invention of the written language
One of the earliest civilizations known to us is the Sumerians, dating back to around 4500 - 1900 BC in southern Mesopotamia, modern-day southern Iraq. The Sumerians invented the written language around 3500 BC and left a wealth of texts behind that describe their long-gone society. Self-discipline is not directly addressed in their texts, but some things can be deduced about their view on self-discipline by looking at the texts. In the Sumerian culture's texts, they emphasize law, order, wisdom, and education. This indirectly highlights the importance the Sumerians would have placed on personal control and discipline in various aspects of life.
The Sumerians had laws written down. These laws of the Sumerian society show that they needed rules to maintain order. It was expected that everyone would follow these laws. To be able to follow rules, one needs self-control, and self-control is part of self-discipline.
Sumerian literature includes texts discussing the virtues of hard work, wisdom, and proper behavior. For instance, in the text "The Instructions of Shuruppak," one can find advice on how to live a good life, which involves aspects of what we might consider self-discipline. There are encouragements to be diligent in one's work, suggesting a form of self-discipline in daily tasks (Diligence). One can also find advice against excessive behavior, like over-drinking, which implies the value placed on self-control (Temperance).
In Sumerian mythology, gods often punish humans for their hubris or lack of control over their ambitions or desires. This suggests an implicit value of self-regulation. For example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh learns lessons about moderation, the limits of human life, and the importance of ruling wisely. This can be interpreted as Gilgamesh receiving lessons in self-discipline.
The Sumerians learned writing, mathematics, and other skills in Scribal schools. In these schools, students would have had to exercise discipline in their studies. Scribes' rigorous training is an early form of educational discipline.
If you read Sumerian text, you will find that the Sumerian society was highly organized, with detailed records of agricultural activities, trade, and administrative tasks. The smooth functioning of such a complex society would have required individuals to practice self-discipline in adhering to societal roles, schedules, and duties.
Religious discipline
The concept of religion is probably as old as mankind. We do not know much about prehistoric religions, but they have left a trace in history—for example, the earliest known human burial happened about 100,000 BC. Prehistoric religions have influenced the religions from which we have found texts and the ones we have today, and maybe there has always been a trace of self-discipline built into it. Why? A religious person needs the self-discipline to live according to religious laws or ethical standards demanded of the practitioner. The history of religious self-discipline is vast and is found in most cultures worldwide, each with its own practices and philosophical foundations.
Kemetic Orthodoxy is the religion that was followed in ancient Egypt, from 4500 BCE to 500 CE. Ancient Egyptians practiced self-discipline through rituals, fasting, and purification rites, aiming for spiritual purity to be worthy of the afterlife.
Hinduism is the third-largest religion in the world and the oldest still practiced religion. Its history stretches back to and beyond 3000 BCE. Yoga and various forms of meditation have been practiced for millennia as disciplines for self-realization. Practices like tapas involve self-discipline to generate spiritual heat or energy, through austerity, and asceticism.
Jainism is another old religion rooted in India. It is slightly younger than Hinduism, with its history dating back to around 600 BCE. Known for its rigorous ascetic practices, Jainism promotes non-violence (ahimsa), fasting, and other austerities to purify the soul.
Taoism dates back to 500 BCE in ancient China. Around this time, the philosopher Lao Tzu wrote the main book of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Taoism is a religion and philosophy that emphasizes living in harmony with the universe, also known as Tao. This involves simplicity, patience, and self-restraint.
Judaism is the first Abrahamic religion, formed in 600 BCE. Practices like fasting on Yom Kippur, keeping kosher, and observing the Sabbath are forms of religious self-discipline aimed at obedience to God's laws and spiritual cleansing.
Christianity began in the 1st century as a Judaic sect and is the second Abrahamic religion. Monasticism (monkhood) was initially developed with figures like St. Anthony of Egypt, where monks practiced severe self-discipline through poverty, chastity, and obedience to achieve spiritual purity. During the Middle Ages, mystics and monastic orders, such as the Benedictines, Franciscans, and Dominicans, emphasized prayer, fasting, and repentance for sins. In modern times, the focus has gone from monasticism to personal piety, scripture reading, and self-examination as forms of discipline. If one takes a look at the bible, Jesus is often cited as a profound example of self-discipline, as evidenced by his life and teachings. For example, a dominant theme in his life was living and teaching self-control, forgiveness, and love.
The third and youngest Abrahamic religion is Islam, which originated in Mecca in 610 CE. Ramadan, the month of fasting from dawn until sunset, is a key practice of self-discipline in this religion. Sufism is the mystical branch of Islam, where adherents seek divine love through self-disciplined practices like dhikr (remembrance of God), fasting, and sometimes seclusion or asceticism.
Military discipline
The word "discipline," in general, is closely associated with the military. Organized warfare began around 3000 BCE. Sargon of Agade is generally believed to have formed the first standing (permanent) army of some 100,000 soldiers somewhere around 2250 BCE. Sargon was the first great conqueror of the Sumerian cities of Mesopotamia. Sumerians, again, the pattern does not need any explanation.
One important aspect of the Military is that much of the discipline is imposed. Leaders impose discipline on subordinates. Imposed discipline or external control, where rules, schedules, or consequences are set by someone else, is normal in society. Most of us have had some form of discipline in our lives imposed by parents, teachers, coaches, or managers at work. The motivation for following these can, for example, be to avoid negative outcomes or to gain rewards. However, in the Military, discipline is something very systematic and a constant part of life. However, what does this have to do with self-discipline? The fact is that imposed discipline can eventually be carried over to self-discipline. Most humans who receive a lot of external control will start to internalize these external control structures after a while. We start to understand why these rules exist and how they contribute to personal or collective goals. This is because we recognize the benefits of discipline, structure, and achievements. Sometimes, discipline becomes an integral part of a person’s identity. This identity encourages people to maintain and evolve these behaviors because it aligns with their self-view.
Throughout history, military discipline has served multiple functions:
Operational Effectiveness: Ensuring soldiers perform under stress.
Unity and Cohesion: Keeping units together in the chaos of battle.
Moral and Ethical Conduct: Regulating behavior both in war and peacetime.
Survival: Often, strict discipline is the difference between life and death on the battlefield.
Military discipline has continually adapted to changes in society, warfare technology, and the understanding of human psychology, but its core purpose of creating effective fighting forces has remained constant.
Good self-discipline has been essential since the earliest recorded histories of organized warfare. Soldiers who try to dig in for the night will be more protected than those who don’t. Those who take time to care for their feet can walk longer and work harder than those who slack on foot maintenance. Self-discipline is often the difference between life and death, winning and losing.
Ancient Times
Sparta: Perhaps the most famous example from ancient times. Spartan boys were trained from a young age in the Agoge system. They entered the system age 7, and aged out at the age of 30. The system was designed to produce disciplined, physically fit, and loyal soldiers. Discipline was severe, focusing on endurance, pain tolerance, combat skills, and absolute obedience.
Rome: The Roman legions were known for their discipline, which was key to their success. Training included marching, formation practice, and the use of weapons. The Roman military's discipline was enforced through strict laws, with severe punishments for disobedience. Much of what we know about the military of the later Roman Empire has been recorded by Flavius Vegetius Renatus. Flavius was an author who lived around 400 CE.
China: Sun Tzu was a military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer who lived around 500 BCE. His treatise The Art of War focuses on military strategy but emphasizes the importance of discipline and the psychological aspects of warfare. For example, Tzu writes that discipline in military training translates into personal discipline. He also links good leadership to self-discipline. Tzu states that a leader must exhibit self-control, patience, and calmness under pressure, qualities that are foundational for personal discipline.
Medieval Period
Feudal Japan: Bushidō, or the way of the warrior, is a moral code concerning samurai attitudes, behavior, and lifestyle (during the Edo period, 1603–1868). The samurai followed the code of Bushido, which instilled a rigorous discipline focusing on loyalty, martial prowess, and honor until death. Their training included both physical combat and mental discipline.
Europe: Knights were bound by chivalric codes that included elements of self-discipline, though not consistently enforced as in other military cultures. These chivalric codes were informal and varying codes of conduct developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220 and were associated with the medieval Christian institution of knighthood.
Early Modern Period
Ottoman Empire: The Janissaries were the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops. They underwent strict training and lived under monastic-like discipline. Later on they becamoe a core part of the Ottoman army. They were known for their military prowess, especially in the 15th and 16th centuries
Swedish Empire: Gustavus Adolphus (1594-1632), also known as Gustav II Adolf or the “Lion of the North”, inherited three wars from his father (border conflicts with Russia, Denmark, and Norway). He was in a tough spot because all his foes were richer states, but he made the best of it. Gustavus was a king known for leading from the front, which boosted morale and set a standard for bravery and discipline. It is said that his presence on the battlefield often inspired his troops to maintain discipline in the face of pressure. Instead of mercenaries, he shifted to a more national army. The change promoted discipline due to the shared identity among the troops. Gustavus might not be as well known as Napoleon, but he is regarded as a great commander, using an early form of combined arms. His brigades combined infantry, cavalry, and artillery in a way that needed coordinated action and discipline. In modern times, Gustavus has been called the “father of modern warfare” and is said to have inspired other great military leaders.
Prussia: Frederick the Great (1712-1786), was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled King in Prussia. In his early life he was more interested in philosophy than war. However, when he became king, he changed his ways. He first attacked and annexed the rich province Silesia (part of Austria). Under Frederick's leadership, Prussia became one of the great states of Europe. He vastly expanded Prussia’s territories and created an impressive military strength. The Prussian army became a model for modern military discipline by introducing extensive training of soldiers, the manual of arms, and strict adherence to orders, making the Prussian army one of the most efficient in Europe.
Napoleonic Wars: Napoleon (1769-1821) is the most documented person in history. He revolutionized military organization and training. His armies utilized mass conscription but also emphasized discipline to maneuver large bodies of men effectively on the battlefield. Napoleon immortalized part of his knowledge in his officer's manual called “Maxims of War”. Some of the maxims concerns discipline, like for example maxim 16: “The first quality of a soldier is constancy in enduring fatigue and hardship. Courage is only the second. Poverty, privation, and want are the school of the good soldier.” This maxim highlights the importance of discipline in enduring harsh conditions.
19th Century
British Empire: The British Army's discipline was infamous, with practices like flogging (though this was eventually abolished). Their discipline was a key factor in managing a global empire. The British self-discipline brought vast conquest and riches that transformed the nation. Between 1815 and 1914, approximately 400 million people and roughly 10 million square miles of territory joined the British Empire.
20th Century
World Wars: The scale of conflict necessitated even greater emphasis on discipline for coordinating complex operations involving millions of soldiers, logistics, and technology.
Boot Camps: Most countries have basic training for their soldiers. For example, when the U.S. Army entered World War I in 1917, it introduced a 16-week basic program to train its soldiers. Widely, these types of programs are designed to instill discipline quickly in recruits.
Science: Nations invest more money and time researching how to train and make better soldiers. For example, the training of the U.S. Marine Corps is made to psychologically change a young person into someone capable of performing in combat situations. To do this, time and effort have been spent to create a training program; that weeds out the people who can’t take the pressure and change the ones who do, to conform to the new military community. To create a program like this and find methods to achieve these goals, one of the many sciences used to achieve this is psychology (for example performance psychology and cognitive behavioral theory).
Post-WWII and Cold War: Military discipline has evolved with changes in warfare, including psychological operations, covert missions, and the integration of technology. Special forces units like the U.S. Navy SEALs, Green Berets and British SAS emphasized extreme self-discipline for unconventional warfare.
Modern Era
Professional Armies: Today's militaries are often all-volunteer forces where discipline is maintained through professional training, a code of conduct, and military law.
Technological Warfare: Discipline now also includes adherence to complex rules of engagement, handling sophisticated equipment, and cyber discipline.
Disciplined philosophies
The ancient Greek word "philosophy" means "love of wisdom." It’s the activity people undertake when they try to understand the world, themselves, and the people around them, and how these concepts relate. Self-discipline of various degrees is something all people have and, therefore, is something philosophers philosophize about.
Accident Philosophy
Buddha (c. 563-483 BCE) was an Indian spiritual teacher who achieved enlightenment through meditation and self-discipline. His teachings encourage detachment, self-control, and moderation as paths to wisdom and peace. Buddha taught the Middle Way, which includes practices like meditation, mindfulness, and the Eightfold Path, all requiring significant self-discipline to achieve enlightenment or Nirvana. From its inception around the 5th century BCE, Buddhism has advocated for self-discipline. The Eightfold Path includes elements like Right Effort, which is about cultivating positive mental states and self-discipline. If anyone wonders why I wrote down this under philosophy, it is because Buddhism is not a religion in the usual sense; it is a way of life.
In ancient China, there was a philosopher called Confucius (551-479 BCE). His teachings, called Confucianism, emphasized self-discipline, respect, and morality. Confucius’ text Analects detail practices and virtues for achieving self-mastery and ethical leadership. He emphasized self-cultivation as a lifelong task. Virtues like "Ren" (benevolence) and "Li" (proper behavior) require self-discipline to maintain social harmony.
The Stoics, like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, emphasized self-control and fortitude as virtues. Stoicism taught that one should live in accordance with nature and reason, which requires self-discipline to overcome destructive emotions and act rightly in the face of adversity. Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE) is the most famous ancient Stoic. He was a Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, known for his book Meditations, which emphasizes self-discipline and resilience. He maintained a rigorous work ethic and controlled his emotions in the face of personal and political hardships.
Enlightenment and Modern Philosophy
Philosophers like Immanuel Kant discussed moral independence. If I understand correctly, he believed that morality is based on duty, not on consequences or personal desires. That means that self-discipline is necessary to act according to ethical rules that have emerged from experience.
The Victorian Era emphasized self-improvement and moral character, and self-discipline was required for personal and societal progress. Outward manners were very important during this time, and for the most part, and definitely when in public, the Victorians obeyed the codes of good behavior.
Sports
If you want to get anywhere in any form of sport, you must show up for your training. It’s not enough to have talent; to perform well in sports, you must have self-discipline to go beyond that. Both advanced amateurs and elite athletes spend their days with a strict eating and training regimen. Self-discipline and sports have been two things tightly knitted since the first ball was kicked and the weight was lifted.
Ancient Times
The Olympic Games date back to ancient Greece, 776 BCE. The Greeks placed a high value on physical excellence. Athletes practiced a form of self-discipline known as "askēsis," which involved rigorous training, diet control, and sometimes celibacy to focus purely on athletic performance. The Greek ideal of arete (virtue or excellence) was not just about physical prowess but also moral integrity, both of which require discipline.
Romans were fanatics of fitness and well-being in general. Gymnasia were public buildings, founded in and after the time of Agrippa. Typically, these were large structures containing spaces for each type of exercise as well as a stadium, palaestra (what we today call gyms), baths, outer porticos for practice in bad weather, and where philosophers and other "men of letters" gave public lectures and held disputations.
While not athletes in the modern sense, the Roman gladiators were required to maintain strict discipline in their training, diet, and lifestyle to survive in the arena.
Medieval and Renaissance Periods
Knights in medieval Europe underwent disciplined training regimes as part of their chivalric training. The goal was to excel in tournaments and war and embody the virtues of chivalry, which included self-control and discipline.
During the renaissance, humanism brought about a revival of interest in Greek and Roman ideals, including physical fitness. This period saw the beginning of structured physical exercises in schools, with an emphasis on discipline.
18th and 19th Century
Public Schools in Britain, like Eton and Harrow placed a heavy emphasis on sports as part of character building. Sports were seen as tools for instilling discipline, teamwork, and moral values.
The concept of amateurism in sports (amateur athletics) promoted playing for the love of the game and personal improvement, requiring self-discipline to compete without financial incentives.
Modern Era
The modern era starts with the introduction of the Olympic Games, in 1896. The Olympic Games promote competition and ideals like "Citius, Altius, Fortius" (Faster, Higher, Stronger), which inherently require discipline and dedication.
Professional sports involve athletes being paid for their participation in these sports. As a result, the demand for discipline has increased. Training is more scientific, diets are more controlled, and athletes often manage their lives around their sport, leading to a lifestyle of discipline.
The introduction of sports psychology in the 20th century highlighted the importance of mental discipline. Techniques like visualization, goal setting, and self-regulation have become integral to athletic training.
Cultural Shifts: Movements towards wellness and holistic health have influenced sports, where discipline is seen not just in training but in overall lifestyle choices aimed at peak performance and longevity in sports.
Self-discipline in sports has evolved from being a cultural and moral practice to a highly scientific, individualized approach where mental and physical disciplines are intertwined for optimal performance. This reflects broader societal changes in health, education, and the commercialization of sports.
Famous and ordinary people
When I began writing this article, I intended for it to focus more on specific individuals and their impact. Yes, I have sprinkled some historical names throughout this article, but most of it focuses on the interplay between nature and nurture. Self-discipline is part of who we are, and we inherit some of it from our ancestors. At the same time, self-discipline is an integral part of the environment in which we live. Some environments foster more self-discipline than others; for example, the military environment.
It is hard to pick any specific people to discuss regarding self-discipline because there are so many worth mentioning. Throughout history, millions of disciplined people have advanced technology and society. Most of these individuals are anonymous; only a few have gained fame for their accomplishments. We find them all over our history and in every corner of society; some have been mentioned earlier in this article. But take your favorite famous person and read about them, and you will probably find a highly self-disciplined individual. For example, Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Florence Nightingale, and Albert Einstein are all renowned individuals with well-documented high levels of self-discipline.
Let me get back to the rest of us, the ordinary men and women—the ones with no fame. There are hundreds of millions of self-disciplined people in our world, and society would crumble without them. Millions of people wake up early to make the world a better place. You can pick any first-line responder as an example. To become a firefighter, you must pass rigorous physical tests, and then you are continually tested at regular intervals to maintain active duty. This means that firefighters must engage in daily physical training to pass these tests and perform their duties effectively. This is just one example among many that demonstrates how society would cease to function without self-disciplined individuals.
What do you think?
I wrote this as an experiment to find out what interesting things I could find in our history to write about around self-discipline. It looks like there is plenty to write about. It feels like I barely scratched the surface. Maybe I will write a not-so-brief history of self-discipline in the future. However, there are probably many things I missed that you think are important, please leave a comment below about what you think I missed.