We all have great ideas and passionate starts but sadly only a fraction of good finishes. Today I ponder Self Discipline. I like this quote from Will Smith.
“Every day we are making choices that are not in our own best interests.”
Is this what constitutes self-discipline? To make choices that are in our best interests. My question then moves to how do we maintain the capacity to choose?
How do I maintain the choices that are congruent with my initial goal?
My career included working as General Manager of Life Fitness NZ Ltd. During that time, I learned this statistic.
18% of members actually go to the gym consistently. Out of those who actively use their gym membership, 49.9% get to the gym at least twice a week.
I am sure that when they purchased their membership, they intended a much higher commitment to attendance.
Let me be the first to put my hand up to having made many great starts filled with passion and excitement only to make choices along the way that were not congruent with my goal. I can also think of the commitments I have made and have followed through to the end.
There came a realisation that having left dairy farming with a list of skills and accomplishments I entered the business world and corporate life sadly lacking in the relevant qualifications. This led to a naïve choice to embark on the completion of an Executive MBA as the fastest path to securing credentials relevant to my new career path.
How little I knew of the work involved. I remember the first day when I received a massive folder of readings and two hefty textbooks. Two things went through my mind. “This is a lot of work” and, “At least I have two years to work my way through all this” I was then informed that the material in front of me was just for the next 6 weeks! I was also working full time as a General Manager.
Two years later I graduated with my Executive MBA from Waikato University. It was hard work. During this project I maintained choices that served me. I think it came down to the passion and determination I felt for the end goal. The passion and determination assisted me to maintain the choices that served me.
Dr Joe Dispensa states the need to, “think about what we think about”. I like this quote from Stephen Covey, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Self-discipline is perhaps having a level of awareness or mindfulness to forego the enticement of an immediate pleasure in exchange for the path towards your goal.
Getting out of a warm bed on a winter’s morning to go to the gym when you can hear the rain is a challenge. If we think about what we are thinking about perhaps we can bring to front of mind the health and fitness goals, with which we commenced our gym membership and keep the ‘main thing’ as our best choice.
Self-discipline is not a form of punishment. It is the exchange of immediate pleasure for long term self-respect. Will Smith states, “self-discipline is the definition of self-love. When you say that you love yourself you have behaviours towards yourself which is loving and caring.”
To win the war against your own mind you must offset the distractions from your path by feeding your passion. Thinking about the end goal. The benefit of the outcome and the joy of accomplishment along the way. Nothing comes easy. There is little overnight success. Keep the main thing the main thing. Think about what you think about.