Fourteen years ago I wrote and began leading a workshop called The Art Of Self-Discipline. People who attended that workshop reported significant results working with my template.
I continue to use this template to stay on track professionally and personally, and to course correct if I think I am not going to reach some of my targets. This is one way I leverage what I teach in Twenty First Century Leadership.
Below are the ideas I focused on in my workshop:
Using a pen and paper I…
- Design a plan and work the plan.
- Build some “distraction time” into my plan.
- Stay current with where I am and where I am headed.
- Keep an eye on my time-line and adjust my action steps in order to accomplish my tasks by the date(s) I chose as my deadline.
- Finish what I started while making my transition into my next phase, checking items off my action steps list as I proceed.
I motivate myself through…
- Beginning with the end in mind.
- Being proactive.
- Being courageous and rewarding myself for what I accomplish.
- Keeping a journal.
- Asking, when I experience temptation, “Is this going to help me get where I want to be – to further my purpose?”
- Setting up and using a buddy system or team system.
- Being as organized as I know how to be and prioritizing.
- Bringing enthusiasm to every task at hand.
In short, I believe that people who are “on their game” exercise self-discipline when thinking on paper, relentlessly finding ways to overcome what they believe are their limits, knowing when to say, “Yes,” and when to say, “No,” and keeping up with their industry. People in the process of winning remain aware of the value they are creating practicing this kind of self-discipline instead of viewing this process as a burden or sacrifice.
If I “fall off of my game”, become less self-disciplined or experience irritability, I view this as an indicator rather than a condition. I remind myself of the ideas expressed in this article. Similarly, if I allow my enthusiasm to wane, I course correct by paying more attention to constructively creating the experiences that contribute to my feeling of success/fulfillment.
“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.” Life’s Little Instruction Book – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.