Why Self-Discipline is Vital
It seems to me that nowadays self-discipline has become associated with suppression and repression, with not being true to one’s self. There is a tendency to see genuineness, authenticity, and being a free spirit as something antithetical to self-discipline.
Turning away from self-discipline actually reinforces an attitude of blame, victimhood and helplessness. It enables individuals to look beyond themselves for remedies to whatever excesses or negative behaviours they may be challenged by. It becomes a convenient way-out of personal accountability and responsibility.
No doubt, self-control is not easy, but then again, any skill when first practiced takes time to learn to implement and to put into practice on a consistent basis. Yet, self-discipline is quite simply a fundamental ingredient to all endevours. It is the foundation and sustaining power - the glue if you like - behind everything. Creativity, imagination, and inspiration need self-discipline. Talent, mastery, wellbeing, are fueled by self-discipline. Think about any achievement you have made, whether it be learning to play a sport, a musical instrument, use a new software at work, grow vegetables, you name it, without a sustained, and recurring input of your energy, little is accomplished or endures.
The importance of self-control as an essential practice has been observed by many. Here is what some renowned individuals had to say on the subject:
- Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways. H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
- With self-discipline most anything is possible. Theodore Roosevelt
- If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. Napoleon Hill
- By constant self-discipline and self-control you can develop greatness of character. Grenville Kleiser
- 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
Without sustained effort, i.e., self-discipline, one can fall victim to all manner of disruptive behaviours that are counterproductive to the health of our mind, body and spirit. Without self-discipline, we allow ourselves to be led, swayed, and impacted for better or for worse, by external stimuli from the moment we get up to the moment we go to bed.
Far from cramping self-expression, our feelings and preferences, self-discipline gives us the opportunity for self-empowerment! It does this by training the mind to get into the habit of not over-reacting, of pausing to think through the sources of our upset, of questioning ourselves when we want to give up on a new habit we have taken up like exercise, healthy eating, learning a new skill/hobby, etc. In short, self-discipline provides a built-in self-challenge function to help us be self-aware of what motivates our responses, choices and conditions so we can make decisions that support our prosperity, productivity and wellness in all spheres of our life.
As far as I’m concerned, self-control is the answer to many of the situations that rock our boat!
Where do you stand on self-discipline? Drop me a line and share your thoughts and experiences at: info@sublimitypathways.com