Ever wondered how external discipline could transform adult life? Insights from a Personal Trainer and a founder shed light on this intriguing topic. Discover how built-in accountability can be a game-changer and explore the powerful motivator and framework that can revolutionize daily routines. This article compiles four expert insights to guide readers through the benefits of receiving external discipline as an adult.
- Built-In Accountability
- Gaining Perspective and Self-Awareness
- Better Time Management
- Powerful Motivator and Framework
- Gain Adaptability
Built-In Accountability
The greatest benefit of external discipline as an adult is the built-in accountability. Even when you genuinely want to accomplish a task because of its benefits, it’s easy to procrastinate without someone holding you to a deadline.
External discipline from a mentor or teacher provides the push you need to take action and see the task through, knowing that someone else is paying attention. There’s a unique kind of motivation that comes from wanting to meet expectations and avoid the discomfort of admitting you didn’t follow through.
Teresa Cedeno, Personal Trainer, Fitness Manifest
Gaining Perspective and Self-Awareness
As someone who has spent a significant part of my career in law enforcement, particularly in high-stakes situations like leading the response to the Santa Fe High School shooting, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the value of external discipline. One of the key benefits of receiving external discipline as an adult is gaining perspective and self-awareness—especially when working under pressure.
When you’re in a leadership role, whether it’s as a SWAT commander or in the business world, it’s easy to get caught up in your perspective. External discipline offers a constructive check on your actions, helping you see how your decisions impact others and encouraging growth in ways you might not recognize.
External discipline, especially from respected mentors or through structured programs, challenges you to think critically about your choices and behaviors. In law enforcement, for example, every decision can have life-or-death consequences, so the discipline I’ve learned from others—whether it’s through feedback, training, or peer review—has been invaluable. It has taught me the importance of humility and the need to constantly evaluate my actions to ensure I’m always improving.
Receiving external discipline as an adult helps build resilience, enhances decision-making, and reinforces accountability. I emphasize this in my work at my company, where we train officers, military personnel, and private security. When we can reflect on our actions and improve from external feedback, we become better equipped to handle whatever challenges come our way. It’s not about punishment—it’s about fostering growth and keeping ourselves at our best, no matter the situation.
Joshua Schirard, Director, Byrna
Better Time Management
Getting in trouble with someone else as an adult is beneficial since it aids in better time management. It is hard to stay focused on what matters without well-defined goals and deadlines. Having a project manager at my workplace has greatly encouraged the fast completion of tasks. I decide what to do first quickly since I know what has to be done and when it has to be done.
Outside of disciplines, you can also acquire fresh points of view. Another mentor can help me spot time waste or bad habits I might not notice on my own. Along with meeting deadlines, this outside assistance helps me to improve my daily task performance and work quality. I believe that having this type of outside organization has kept me on target and enabled me to provide more value to my clients. Every day I accomplish more since it keeps me on target. I believe that even as a manager, I still need to humble myself to be holistically better.
Filip Dimitrijevski, Business Development Manager, CLICKVISION BPO
Powerful Motivator and Framework
Adult external discipline is a very powerful motivator, and it also kind of gives you a framework where you need to surpass yourself and what you could be putting in place. And I think when you have someone holding you accountable—a mentor, a coach, a trusted friend—you are not so far behind in doubt or resistance. It introduces pressure and outside validation that motivates follow-through even when the motivation gets low.
External discipline has a way of getting the agenda clear and making sure it is always connected to the larger scheme of things. This can be a momentum-based, resilience-building way of working I think because you start thinking of work in terms of responsibility and meaning that might not be natural without the outside structure.
Matthew Goulart, Founder, Ignite Digital
Gain Adaptability
It is good to receive external discipline as an adult because many adults tend to believe they know everything based on their life experiences. Over time, this mindset can make them more rigid and less adaptable, preventing them from learning new things. This unwillingness to learn and grow can hinder their evolution.
Some adults may think they no longer need to learn or grow, but everyone should continue to evolve, no matter their age. Personal growth is essential for maintaining flexibility and improving oneself over time.
I have a friend who has been married for a long time but spends a lot of time at home with his family. When he is out with friends and around others, he tends to get very angry if things don’t go his way, which can be seen as childlike behavior.
After a big argument with my friend, I told him that it’s not always about him and that he needs to consider the opinions of those around him. He realized his mistake. While it may not change him completely, offering a bit of discipline through scolding can help open someone’s eyes, allowing them to see the world from a broader perspective and adapt to it more effectively.
In his eyes, he may not see or understand this, but external discipline could help him realize his actions and become more humbled. It would allow him to interact with others more easily and ease his anger. Disciplining an adult may seem childish, but not everyone is mature in every aspect of life, regardless of age. A little discipline never hurt anyone.
AL Tran, Blogger, 19Learn.com
Conclusion
External discipline can play a vital role in adult growth by offering accountability, fostering self-awareness, and enhancing time management. It challenges adults to remain adaptable, develop new skills, and stay humble in their interactions. Whether through mentorship or structured programs, discipline provides the necessary framework to improve decision-making and resilience. Ultimately, embracing discipline, no matter the age, is essential for personal evolution and maintaining flexibility in an ever-changing world.
