The Power of Discipline

“If you don’t have discipline, forget the trophy because all champions possess discipline.”

Unknown

It’s been a little while yes I know! Nevertheless, I remain totally committed to sharing my life lessons with you. To be honest, life has a way of getting overly busy at times causing us to go off track or delay pursuit of other important goals and dreams; yet I have come to realise that the secret to our future lies hidden in our daily routine.

Applying a considerable degree of discipline as part of your development game plan is key to sustaining both personal and professional progress. Discipline helps to build the level of consistency necessary to not only achieve but sustain success. Best Selling Author, John Maxwell says “there are two types of people in this world. The persons who wait until they feel like it before they do it and the persons who say they have to do it so they feel like it.” Now may be a good time to closely examine where you fit?

You are the single biggest influence in your life….

Let me say upfront, you will never always be motivated (never) so you must learn to be disciplined. Discipline is what keeps us going on the days you just don’t feel like moving out of bed. Furthermore, it provides the will power to push to complete a task or project that no longer motivates us but still needs to get done. The ability to perform above average, meet deadlines and keep your life on schedule are all key benefits of self-discipline.

“The best kept secret is that the distance between your dreams and your reality is the level of discipline placed in your daily routine.”

The truth is that you have to adopt a disciplined approach towards accomplishing your goals, especially in today’s competitive work environment where leaders are looking to retain their best talent. Mind you, even those fortunate enough to be born into wealth, display a high degree of discipline because they understand the importance of securing their assets. Being discipline is not always easy and sometimes literally requires a paradigm shift in how we train our mind, thoughts and actions.

“Anything worth doing, simply needs to get done!”

ABE

Many persons ask me all the time “how do you do it or when do you find the time to be involved with so many activities”? First of all, I try to invest my time in activities that I am truly passionate about and secondly, once I commit to something, I give it my all. Don’t be fooled, many times because of my busy schedule tied to the demands of my job, this calls for endurance and a heavy reliance on my discipline to take me across the finish line. Focusing on the end state or desired outcome generally helps to sustain commitment throughout the journey.

My real test came when I was completing my MBA program. Balancing a highly demanding job where I supported over 20 regional Senior Executives, raising a two-year old and dealing with crippling migraine headaches; trust me I was so ready to give up.

My life was full to capacity causing me to constantly ask myself “what the heck am I doing? Is this really worth it? How will I ever get this done?” I literally had to force myself to develop a new level of discipline in order to press on. By the end of this highly intense phase of my life, I had a greater appreciation for the fact that endurance doesn’t always break you; in addition to the importance of focusing on the purpose behind what you are doing in order to finish what you started.

Discipline as your new Super Power

The ability to control your thoughts and actions is probably one of the greatest super powers you will ever possess. The world’s greatest leaders all speak about how essential discipline is in order to unlock your fullest potential. The ability to push yourself past procrastation, low motivation levels, and even frustration are tied solely to your overall attitude and level of discipline.

In the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell suggests that “momentum is a leaders bestfriend”. I can absolutely assure you that you will fail to build any real momentum without discipline and consistency. Balancing life in general can be very challenging. The practice of knocking off routine tasks early in your work week or day can prove very effective and even create some quick wins that help to build that much needed momentum. As an added benefit, this level of consistency allows time for creative thinking and strategic planning of other key projects.

The simple truth is that people who possess the strength of discipline are better equipped to accomplish so much more than others. So go ahead, embrace that “can do – will do” attitude supported by self-discipline. You will be amazed at how much more you can get done…..