Take control

DISCIPLINE is a really interesting word. In many people’s minds, their first reaction to it is negative, like the act of applying “discipline” to a child, or a work team mate is a bad thing, something that many people will avoid … we are “disciplining” them for doing the wrong things and in our minds trying to steer them to what is right. Or – even worse – the discipline of the rod … spankings and such, which are some primeval form of punishment – a punitive reminder that your victim was wrong in their actions That’s bullshit. There is no such thing as bad kids, only bad parents. No such thing as bad teams, only bad leaders (thanks Jocko) If the learner hasn’t learned, the teacher hasn’t taught. That’s a lot to absorb, and take accountability for… I’m sure some of you have checked out here and are getting ready to stop reading. Don’t do that yet … stick with me for a few more minutes and I’ll make it worth your while. Let’s go on a short ride together and get to the root of discipline in a really positive way.

I’m going to liberally quote some thoughts from three major influencers in my life. You’ve heard some of these before - there’s a reason for that, as every single “great leadership thought” has already been written, and we all speak them in different ways, with different meanings, and the people who read or listen to us all have a different interpretation of what we are saying. There’s a reason for that too… every single person in the world (well over 7B) is a composite of entirely unique experiences – they are all masterpieces – entirely unique individuals. Like snowflakes, no two are the same. Pretty cool to think of, right? There is no “one size fits all” approach to dealing with people … you can have a system, but it needs to be situational and applicable to the unique variation built into human beings … walking marvels, miracles and yes – masterpieces. All totally capable of extraordinary things. So, my “discipline” influencers are many in my life, but I’d like to specifically credit Anthony Robbins, Jocko Willink, and most recently – David Coggins. Most of you know who Tony Robbins is … you may not know that he is 100% authentic and real … not an act, a stage show or a “motivational speaker’. Tony is a very deep thinker, a business strategist, and a deeply thoughtful creator of change in people. Coggins and Willink are Navy Seals (may God bless them and their commitment and sacrifice to our country) Jocko and David will help you understand “discipline” in a way you may have never wanted to understand it before … read their books, study them, and apply them. You are the variable in the performance equation of your life. There is a plenty of proper instruction out there for you to form a mindset that will take you to places you never imagined … your ability to assimilate it, process it, internalize it and TAKE ACTION on it is the only question that remains. Heraclitus, the Persian fighter says it best – “For every 100 people, 10 shouldn’t even be there, 80 are just targets, 9 bring the fight to the enemy, and ONE is a warrior”. What are you? How hard are you playing? What is your personal level of commitment in the game of life? Are you along for the ride? A passenger? Or are you driving … strategically plotting the waypoints and destinations in your life … and when necessary – like a good GPS – recalculating when things get funky. Are your goals defined? Are you committed to them? Is success your duty, or a pipedream?

People get really beat up - and beat down - in life … that’s just the reality of it. You can look at that in a negative way and let it define you … let your baggage drag you down, crush your self-esteem and confidence, and become a passenger on your life’s journey … or worse, road kill. Don’t do that … your past – no matter the tragedy or beat downs, the pain and the sense of failure or price that you have paid, has made you what you are today. If you’re reading this you are a survivor … embrace that and plot the course to your future. If you don’t chart the course of your life, you’ll just get caught up in the current (or the undertow) and end up being a casualty … by failing to make the choice. Decisions lead to commitments, with commitments come accountability, and accountability leads to results.

OK ... so here goes. Let’s talk about DISCIPLINE. The good kind … the kind that can and will provide you with the ability to transform your life – do more, be more, and achieve more. That won’t happen by itself … nobody stumbles into success … it isn’t accidental or incidental … it is purposeful and real, driven by intentional actions and focus. It is an output of vision and commitment. It takes hard ass work. Assuming you are somewhat aligned with that reality, let’s discuss how discipline is the launch pad for transformation. All transformation starts from within. You – literally – can have anything you want once you give up the belief that you can’t have it, that you don’t deserve it, or that your dreams and aspirational goals are beyond your means. If you do believe that you can’t achieve your version of greatness in your life, well you’re right. You can’t. Not because you don’t deserve it or aren’t capable of it … just solely because you’ve decided to believe your own BS (belief system) Whatever you believe is your truth.

Discipline … is doing the hard things because they’re hard – literally. Getting up when you don’t want to, eating and drinking things that build your body and mind, and taking action on the biggest problems and opportunities in your life … owning it, and being accountable to yourself. Your mind can talk you out of doing the things you know you should do … show it that you are stronger than it is … you tell it what you’re going to do, not the other way around. Don’t rationalize yourself out of taking action … if you do, it will bleed into all areas of your life and you will be an excuse maker, not an action taker. If you want things to become better, YOU must become better. Work harder on yourself than you do on anything else … and that personal growth will carry into every area of your life in a very positive way. By doing the work and finding the path to instilling rigid discipline in my life, I have less worry (none actually), sleep better, work out more, read more, do deeper work, have better relationships, and perform better in every aspect of my life. I am more relevant, mission-focused, and learn at an exponential rate because through discipline, I have stopped making excuses and wasting time. I control my time now … it works for me. Take control of your life and learn to fly.