“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” Jim Rohn
Discipline holds the key to both our progress and our self esteem. This is because unless we are disciplined we can rarely harness our full potential. Subsequently when we look back if we experience more regret than the pleasure of achievement we find it hard to forgive ourselves for it. In effect we botch up the possibility of pulling up our socks and salvaging the rest of our potential because we are brooding over what is lost and cannot be retrieved. Similarly self esteem flowers when the mind and body can savor the fruits of discipline in terms of success and achievements .
The challenge of being disciplined is managing to be clear, committed and conscientious. A simple illustration about the comparison between disciplined people (like those in the armed forces who are in excellent physical shape) and the average citizen (who is often overweight and sloppy) would bring home the point about the criticality of discipline in a person’s life. With this example in mind lets us analyze why each of those 3 C’s have such a major bearing on our life and our happiness. Clarity of purpose is often the first stumbling block. Part of the problem stems from the fact that we have ample choices and our natural inclination is to take the most convenient option. As a result we spend time in rationalizing our wrong choices rather than in discerning the right option. Even more dangerous is the tendency to be uncommitted to our choice because we are still not really convinced that we got that right. Most students if quizzed on their career choice are unclear about it for their heart might be in something that the head says will not meet societal and parental approval. E.g. A brilliant student opting to choose fine arts or dramatics or music as a chosen field of study is certain to find a lot of well meaning friends, relatives and teachers gently but firmly persuading him/her to reconsider the decision. The net result is a very confused person ultimately pursuing what is essentially forced upon. Without clarity, self doubt keeps the person confused and leads to indisciplined effort / work ethics.
Irrespective of the fact that a choice exercised was done whole heartedly or thrust upon a person, once he/she begins to traverse that path, there is no option but to be commitment whole heartedly. The difficulty here is that many a time the heart will rebel, the mind will waver and the spirit will droop, particularly when way seems long, winding and dark. The challenge in commitment comes from inside ourselves when we are tempted far too often to throw in the towel. Team sports offers us the vivid example of how, many an aspiring player toiled in hope, faith and pluck before they made the cut. Of course there would be many more who would have been left along the wayside but succeeded in using the learning to carve a niche elsewhere. Commitment is the glue that marries the clarity of purpose with the conscientious approach that would ensure that success is a real possibility. To be conscientious involves toil, sacrifice and pain. It forces one to repeatedly hone ones skills, if possible keep improving and at the very best achieve perfection by regular repetitive rigor. This can be summed up by the phrase’ Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle’.
Remember:“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.” Lance Armstrong
Try this:
- Outline the 3 most important New Year resolutions that you really want to achieve. Alternatively make a list of 3 important things that you want to achieve. Work out a plan of action and put it down on paper. Starting now go on implement it. (eg. If I plan to lose weight and want to start walking at 6 am from tomorrow, right now I will set the alarm for 5.30 am)
- Attempt the following
- Threading a needle (try to improve your timing also)
- Put 5 consecutive 3 pointer basket ball shots. (later try this from different angles)
- Attempt to burn a piece of paper using a magnifying glass and natural sunlight.
(If you only read the TRY THIS and do not attempt it, ask yourself why you lack the discipline to effectively use the learning from the blogs; is it lack of clarity about the purpose of the exercises/ you don’t want to take on the commitment / you find it hard to be repeatedly attempt and fail)
This post is courtesy www.actspot.com
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