[Nebuzz]

It has been said that without discipline, nothing much is solvable. Discipline is effectively a set of tools that we can equip ourselves with, that enables us to not only deal with the multitude of challenges that life throws at us, but conquer them too.

Growing up, I remember listening to the news, and often hearing of others’ success stories as Entrepreneurs. There was always someone achieving something great, and as a child, I would think to myself, “Hey, I can do that!” This is where it starts for most of us, the dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur or business owner. Very early on in our lives, we are exposed to certain stories, articles, or movies that may very well serve to aid us along our journey into adulthood!

As the late business philosopher and guru Jim Rohn said, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”

So what does this mean for the business owner?

The question has always been asked“How do I take my business one step further, how do I actually achieve the goals that I am dreaming of?” The simple answer is, a bucket load of discipline, because it serves us when our motivation wanes.

Sure, it sounds simple enough. We all know about discipline – we know how to define it, and we have a vague idea of how to implement it, but most of the time, this is where we all fall a little short.

Before you stop reading, and argue that you already know what you should be doing, I am willing to bet that I have a few tips that could guide you along your journey to truly discovering the power of self-discipline!

Ironically, no matter how we define it – living with, or rather, practicing self-discipline is actually a lot harder than it sounds. Life gets in the way, deadlines fall upon us, and before we know it, we are in a state of utter frustration, and there seems to be nothing that will give us the push that we need to move forward.

In a business sense, there is a lot to be said about punctuality, availability, the ability to meet or exceed expectations and deadlines, or truly cultivate a culture of client satisfaction. This alone is enough to truly make a business leader stand out from the crowd, and become a success story. The ability to get things done right, and get them done on time no less, serves to ultimately attract new clients, retain the right employees, and create a reputation that is worth speaking about. All of this can be accomplished with the power of discipline.

Let’s define discipline a little differently… It is the power to accomplish the seemingly impossible! It is the POWER to TRANSFORM your life, and your business, for the better.

How Is It Achieved?

Own Your Plan

In the same way that a successful business leader will implement a mission plan laden with structure, milestones, and KPI’s, so too should those of us wishing to achieve a specific goal! The plan is critical, and it serves to maintain the focus – on both the long-term vision, and the journey to get there.

Clearly define your goals
Visualize, and then internalize success
List your obstacles, honestly
Define the roadblocks and bottlenecks, and then remove them
Stay your course, but be willing to course correct as needed
Here are some tips to help you cultivate that famed self-discipline we all desire

Own, and Validate your Willpower
How many people do you know who claim they have no willpower? It could be something as simple as sticking to a new diet, “I just can’t, I don’t have the willpower!” In doing so, these people absolve themselves of the responsibility of behaving as though they have willpower, and in turn – give up before they begin. In Psychology circles, this is referred to as a “self-fulfilling prophecy”, have you heard of it? You have the willpower, if you believe that you do!

Own, and Acknowledge your Weaknesses
As much as we don’t like to admit it, we can’t do everything, we are not experts at every trade! At some point or another, cultivating that self-discipline will inevitably mean resisting the temptation to do something more fun, instead of focusing on the task at hand. This happens to all of us. How many times have you ordered out, to save you that hour of cooking while you have some fun? The first step to defeating your weakness is to identify it. These are the things that serve to derail your good intentions.

Own, and Respect your Timeline
It is human nature to feel overwhelmed, in fact, I am willing to bet that each of us feel overwhelmed at least once a day! So overwhelmed in fact, that giving up seems to be the only reasonable option left. For larger goals, break them down into smaller, bite size chunks, and allocate a timeline to each step. This will help you from feeling discouraged while trying to practice the art of self-discipline! Ensure that you have an actionable strategy in place.

Own, and Action your list of Priorities
While self-discipline is akin to self-control, it’s also a lot about making the right decisions! Discipline is choosing actively to tackle that deadline, instead of spending another three hours nose deep in the latest Novel that has grabbed your attention. Prioritization is about making the right choices, in the timeline that is available to you. Important, or high priority tasks are generally the ones that serve to aid your long-term goal, they can also have meaningful consequences! Plan your day, from start to finish, with the end goal in mind!

Discipline is not impossible to achieve, in fact – with the right strategy and tactics, it’s a skill that you can (relatively quickly) add to your toolbox.

[Anonymous]

Discipline is not impossible to achieve 👍

[Peter]

Without discipline, nothing much Is solvable

[Author]

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