Self Discipline: The Secret to Success is Revealed

Imagine a car, a sleek, stylish formula one car with a powerful engine but without a steering wheel. This car may have immense potential, it may be the best featured of all the cars gearing up for a race. But without a steering, all the potential is a waste as the car would never get a direction and hence never reach the finish mark. If this car has to race, there must be a steering installed first. Without a steering if the one races in this car, definitely the car would meet with an accident causing damage to itself and may be to others.

Same is the case with people. One may be the most creative, the most scholarly, the best actor, the best speaker or simply putting it, the most talented person around. But if there is no discipline to steer the talent, to tap into the immense potential, one can never win the race. Discipline needs to be inculcated first for one to be successful in life. If one fails to do so, all the talent is a waste and when such people look behind, they only get depressed and this affects themselves and those around them.

There is no such thing as instant gratification. People susceptible to such myths often are at loss in the long term. Whether you want to be an ace sportsperson, run a successful business, excel in your job, become a union leader or prosper in your studies, discipline is the key. Any other method that gives to success is not really success. It is only a mirage of success and is often short lived.

Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment 

– Jim Rohn

The greatest leader and the most successful people in life have certain common factors. Discipline is the most important among them. Institutions that do not compromise with values or quality emphasize immensely on discipline. Schools and armed forces are fine examples of such places where disciple is taught and practiced. Character and personalities are molded because of it.

Self discipline can be mastered over. There are instances where the most undisciplined people have also recovered. Bankrupt people have risen to become billionaires. Discipline is a key factor that can help you become wealthy. However getting into a disciplined lifestyle is not a piece of cake particularly when you have spent years running away from it. It will require immense will power and uncompromising practice.

Self discipline is a habit and like all habits no one is born with it. It has to be learned. To start of you can break up your target into small goals. Make small but regular changes in your regular habits. For example, you may not be able to wake up at 5 am if you have a habit of waking up at 9 am. So you can try waking up at 8:30 am to start with and eventually achieve the 5 am target. If you have difficulty managing your salary, and your expenses are such that you aren't able to build up savings, do not know where to invest, etc., you can try simplifying things and just restrict your expenses first and bring in discipline in your spending habits.

Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most 

 – Abraham Lincoln

You may face great difficulty in doing it initially. But once done, the actual test begins. The important part is to continue. Sustaining needs strong power of will and diligence. But what is more important than succeeding in your effort to bring in self-discipline is that that if you fail, do not get forget to get up. Forgive yourself and move forward. Soon it will become a part of your life and yourself an inspiration for others.

Be in any field of life, disciplined people are more successful, happy and idealized. This one virtue has many rewards.