>Discipline is really the one trait that I guess leads to success in the above process, and probably everything else in life. Who knows how much of that is natu

>Discipline is really the one trait that I guess leads to success in the above process, and probably everything else in life. Who knows how much of that is nature vs nurture. There was a recent EconTalk podcast about this. The author/guest is an expert in this type of behavioral change. Her opinion (which is the most informed I've read), is that discipline is not very important trait w.r.t. behavioral modification. Discipline is an active process and one must be constantly vigilant at a cortical level to execute it. Her view was situational control was the most important. With situational control, we learn to not put ourselves into situations beyond our control. For example, not buying a bag of Doritos is _MUCH_ easier than not eating a bag of Doritos sitting in front of you. Not going to a Casino is _MUCH_ easier than not gambling away all your cash for a gambling addict. Some thing for alcoholics etc.