Webster’s defines discipline as:
Main Entry: 1 dis·ci·pline
Pronunciation: \ˈdi-sə-plən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from
Latin disciplina teaching, learning, from discipulus pupil
Date: 13th century
1: punishment
2 obsolete : instruction
3: a field of study
4: training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character
5 a: control gained by enforcing obedience or order b: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior c: self-control
6: a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity
— dis·ci·plin·al \-plə-nəl\ adjective
OK? Now what?
Do you want to gain control of you life?
Do you want to have more time with your family and friends?
Do you want to finally get control of your finances?
There are four areas of your life that will give you a clue to whether you possess discipline.
The first area is with concern to your self.
Are you continuing to learn?
Are you continuing to improve?
Are you controlling your emotions?
The second area is with concern to your finances
What do you earn?
What do you spend?
What do you save?
What do you invest?
What do you give away?
The third area is with concern to your fellow man
Family
Friends
Co-workers
Customers
Others
The fourth area is with concern to your ability to motivate yourself
Do you do the things you commit to?
Do you stay healthy?
Do you set goals?
OK?! Now you can measure personally whether you possess discipline. What happens if you find that you don’t have it? What can you do?
First, choose your underlying philosophy or value set.
Second, start small. Small victories encourage us to larger ones. Set a goal to master one area. When you have mastered that area, move on to the next one. Don’t overload your self with all of the areas at once.
Third, set reachable, definable time frames to finish and move to the next one.
You will find that these small steps will lead you to a lifestyle that is disciplined and yet not too cut and dry.
Rob Wheeler
