SACRIFICE + DISCIPLINE = GROWTH

Note: This is part 2 of a 3 part series on "Discipline." Read part 1 here. Read part 3 here.

DISCIPLINE LEVERAGES SACRIFICE

The greater the discipline, the greater the reward.

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goals; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

The key to moving beyond average is doing what exceptional people do, not wanting what they have. When you see others doing what you want to be doing, the question you must answer is not, “Do I want to be doing what they are doing?” but rather “Do I want to do what they had to do to get to do what they are doing?”

Your answer to the first question communicates you have an interest in doing it. Your answer to the second question communicates if you will have a chance to do it. Deciding to do something and paying the price to actually get to do it are two very different things. Deciding to do something doesn’t require sacrifice. However, paying the price to do something will require sacrifice.

Remember, sacrifice is giving up something. The amount of discipline you develop will determine the value you are able to leverage from the sacrifice.

For example, if you decide to enroll in a college class or to attend some type of development seminar, the sacrifice will be the money and the time. Because you are sacrificing your money to grow and develop yourself, you will not be able to use it for anything else. It will be gone. It won’t be available for dining out or to put toward a weekend getaway. And, the time you invest in attending the required class(es) cannot be used to do anything else.

The sacrifice only creates an opportunity for growth. It does not create the growth. Only discipline will create growth and allow you to make the additional sacrifices of time necessary to study, learn, and apply what you’re learning.

Discipline leverages sacrifice.

It’s a two part formula: SACRIFICE + DISCIPLINE = GROWTH.

The growth cycle must be repeated constantly. Sacrifice something. Demonstrate discipline. Achieve growth. Sacrifice something. Demonstrate discipline. Achieve growth. Sacrifice something. Demonstrate discipline. Achieve growth.

If you have the discipline to repeat the growth cycle, you can become exceptional in your area of interest (passion/purpose) quickly. Why? Because most people will only do what they have to do, which is not much.

Most people can become an expert in their area of passion and purpose in just a few years by simply reading books, magazines, and articles followed by application of what they are learning. Most will not have to attend college or receive any formal education. They must only apply themselves by choosing to invest their time instead of wasting their time.

Obviously, if you want to enter a profession that requires a formal education such as practicing law or medicine, you must earn a college degree(s). However, the growth cycle must still be consistently applied. The cycle is a principle for growth. It applies in all situations.

If you don’t repeat the growth cycle, you will become stagnant and begin to slip backward. As the world changes at ever increasing speeds, there is no option to remain still. You are either growing or slowing, moving forward or backward. Everything around you is constantly changing. You must also be constantly changing. If not, you may think you’re holding steady, but you’re not. At some point, you will pay the price for not having the discipline to continue growing and developing yourself as you get passed by those who do.

Another way to leverage sacrifice using discipline is to execute efficiently and effectively. In other words, you must have the discipline to develop an effective plan that allows you to address the most important things you need to learn and do on the front end. You must be methodical and intentional to leverage discipline.

Take the time and do the work necessary to determine what the most important thing that must be done is. Brainstorm a list of all the things you’re aware of that must be done to move you from where you are to where you want to be. Then, ask yourself, “What’s the most important thing that I must do?” Identify the one thing that if you don’t do it, the other things won’t matter? Now, do it. If you haven’t invested in personal growth and development, that’s usually the first place to start.

Too often, people without discipline focus on doing the easy things first. Why? Because it’s easy. They jump from one easy thing to the next. Unfortunately, most people who attempt to leverage their sacrifice this way end up wasting their sacrifice. They simply don’t have the discipline to do the hard work of doing what’s most important first: personal character development.

Don’t accept your circumstances. Design them.

“We are not victims of our situation. We are the architects of it.” ~ Simon Sinek

Note: This is part 2 of a 3 part series on "Discipline." Read part 1 here. Read part 3 here.

https://bluecollarleaders.com/transformation/

https://bluecollarleaders.com/transformation/

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Mack Story

I help leaders engage the front line to improve the bottom line.