Philosophy of the month:
Self-Discipline
“ We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into
reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication,
self-discipline, and effort.”
–
Jesse Owens
When examining the vital characteristics of great leaders
and successful people, one characteristic seems to stand out
above all the rest: self-discipline. Why? Because life is
full of unforeseen challenges and problems on the path to
success and achievement. To overcome these challenges,
leaders must learn to demonstrate the four key ingredients
to living a self-disciplined life, including self-control,
motivation, persistence, and goal setting.
In a world where children have limited experience with
delayed gratification and lives are saturated with messages
of instant gratification from technology and advertisements,
it is important, now more than ever, to teach the value of
self-discipline. The frantic pace of family life and
extremely busy daily schedules provide very few
opportunities for people to think before they act. As a
result, it is increasingly more important to develop the
personal discipline to make sound decisions and take the
responsibility to complete tasks. Having self-discipline
means you control your actions: your actions do not control
you. Just like your muscles can get stronger, so can your
self-discipline with exercising and using your inner
strength.
Here are some ways to strengthen your self-discipline:
1. When you come home from work or school, train yourself
to complete needed tasks around the house before watching TV
or playing video games
2. When you are mad or angry, stop and think about what you
are going to say before saying things you might regret.
3. If you make a mess or get something dirty, clean it
before you are asked.
4. Begin to make healthier choices when it comes to
choosing snacks and food, regardless of cravings or wants.
5. Keep a journal and note your successes. This will help
you stay motivated and on track.
6. Learn moderation. Sometimes, there is too much of a
good thing. Recognize how having too much is having an
effect on your life and begin to scale back.
7. Reward yourself when you stay on course or in control,
despite difficulties or temptations.
These are only a few ways in which you can strengthen your
self-discipline. Keep in mind, as a martial artist, you set
an example for others to follow. Continue to make sure you
are taking the steps to create a disciplined life so that
you accomplish goals and influence others. |
