In a recent podcast with GM Avetik Grigoryan, founder and CEO of ChessMood, he called me the most disciplined person he knows.
I laughed. Because honestly? I see myself as a very undisciplined person.
I struggle to eat healthy when I have sweets at home.
I struggle to work when I don’t write a clear plan.
I struggle to go to the gym unless I force myself to do it first thing in the morning.
What might make me seem disciplined is this:
I still manage to get the important things done.
But the truth is — I don’t rely on discipline.
I rely on systems.
Systems that help me (or frankly, force me) to do the things I know I should do… but would never do on my own.
Let Me Give You Some Examples
Alessia hides all the sweets from me at home.
Seriously. I’ve asked her to do it.
Because if I see sweets, they’ll be gone. Within a day.
I kid you not; I can easily eat 100g of chocolate… in 5 minutes. Actually, that was one of my habits in my high school days. Come back home from school, eat a full chocolate bar, and start relaxing.
I’ve tried a million things. The outcome remains the same. If I have sweets at home, I eat them fast.
So, instead of relying on willpower, I just don’t buy them. Or I make them invisible.
Out of sight, out of snack zone.
When it comes to work, I’ve found that I’m terrible with flexibility.
As I am my own boss, I have complete freedom in my workday. But whenever I say,
“I’m just working whenever I feel like it today,”
I generally get nothing done.
That’s why I’ve structured my days with strict working hours.
Clear, deep work slots. Defined times for admin.
If it’s not in the plan? It probably won’t happen.
Again — this isn’t discipline. It’s me knowing my own weaknesses, and building around them.
My Real Strength: Making One Decision That Removes a Hundred Others
What I do believe is one of my greatest strengths is this:
I can make committing decisions when I feel motivated.
And those decisions change everything.
For example, I signed up for a half marathon (coming up in April) back in November. Then, I committed to following a simple training plan together with a friend.
That one decision made it much easier to train for the following five months.
Suddenly, the question wasn’t, “Do I feel like running today?”
It was, “What is on my training plan today?”
Same with poker.
There was a time when I realized I was playing more online poker than I wanted.
It was fun. I really like the game, and I have a positive expectation in most tournaments I play.
But deep down, I knew it wasn’t aligned with my long-term goals.
So, instead of battling with myself every morning —
Should I work or play poker?
I just banned myself from the poker sites for a few months.
That one decision eliminated six months of daily willpower battles.
This is something I’ve come back to again and again:
Make a good decision once, while motivation is high — and let that decision carry you through the moments when motivation disappears.
Why I Need These Systems: My Family History with Addiction
There’s another layer to this too — something more personal.
Nearly everyone in my direct family smokes or has smoked a lot for most of their lives. My uncle even sadly died early because he smoked his entire life.
Over-working is the norm.
And spending full days gaming instead of learning or working? Well, I’ve been there and seen that.
It seems like there’s something in our genes — a tendency toward addiction, overconsumption, or going “all in” on things that give short-term dopamine.
I feel it in myself, too.
That’s why I’ve chosen a different path — a stricter path.
I’ve never even tried a cigarette. Not one.
Because I knew: if I tried one, I probably wouldn’t stop at one.
As a professional chess player, I didn’t allow myself to explore video games or poker, even though I was tempted.
Because I knew how easy it would be to get hooked.
I don’t trust myself to “just play a little.” Or “just relax a bit” and not get carried away.
So instead, I build rules. Hard lines.
Not because I’m disciplined — but because I know where undisciplined behavior can lead me.
I Would Love It to Be Different
I really would.
I would love to be the type of person who wakes up full of intrinsic motivation.
Who naturally chooses broccoli over chocolate.
Who feels inspired to write just by sitting at the desk.
But the reality for me has been this:
If I have to make a decision in the moment, I often favor short-term fun over long-term improvement.
I’ll end up watching 5 hours of YouTube videos instead of working.
Eat chocolate and ice cream, and drink a soft drink – all within 15 minutes.
That’s just how I seem to be wired.
And instead of fighting that, I’ve accepted it — and built systems that guide me toward the life I actually want to live.
The Power of a Clear Plan
That’s why clear, strict plans work so well for me.
They’re not limiting. They’re liberating. It is why Jocko Willink’s Discipline Equals Freedom resonates so much for me.
When I follow a plan and do what matters, I feel truly free in my time off.
I can relax better when I know I’ve done the things that move me forward.
I can lie on the couch and watch a film in the evening — guilt-free — because I crushed a workout in the morning and stuck to my deep work block.
That’s not discipline. That’s clarity.
The Takeaway
So, no, I don’t think I’m disciplined. Actually, by now, I think it should be pretty obvious I’m the opposite of it.
But I’ve built a life that helps me do what matters — despite my lack of willpower in the moment.
And maybe that’s a better form of discipline anyway.
One that doesn’t rely on constant motivation.
One that works, even on the hard days.
If you ever feel like you’re not disciplined enough — maybe the answer isn’t trying harder.
Maybe it’s designing your environment and schedule so that the right thing becomes the easy thing.
Or maybe it’s about making one strong, intentional decision today — that saves you from making a hundred tough ones tomorrow.
That’s what’s worked for me.
And it might just work for you too.
Keep improving,
GM Noël
PS: If you do all the things you want to without a plan, or strict rules, hell yeah, congratulations, you’ve won at life. Just don’t expect everyone else to have the same superpower 🙂
PPS: This article was initially sent out to my Newsletter list. If you want to get chess improvement advice for free in your inbox, join 17,000+ chess improvers by signing up for Friday Grandmaster Insights here.
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