Control – the art of self discipline

self control This is a course in its own right, but it’s also just a small slice of a much larger and much richer cake. 

By the time you finish Control: the art of self-discipline, I hope you’ll be sufficiently impressed to take the next step and sign up to Success Fundamentals .

Success Fundamentals is a BIG course, involving six more extensive modules, all of which are courses in their own right. Unlike this course, it comes with eBook and audio downloads of the entire course. You could listen to the various topics on your way to work, or browse the eBooks and make additional notes at your leisure.

But enough of this shameless self-promotion and on with show!


Why self-discipline?

I know, self-discipline can sound like an off-putting turn of phrase, but stay with me.

Basically, self-discipline refers to the ability to resist feelings, temptations and other weaknesses that would otherwise tempt us to procrastinate, be lazy or handle tasks head on despite weaknesses or hardships.

Self-discipline can also be defined as the ability to control one’s body and will it to carry out a task, or a decision, even when we feel we’d would rather indulge in some other activity that would give some instant gratification.

Many people struggle to complete tasks in time, to follow through with decisions and plan and even to wake up on time. They will often succumb to the need to sleep a little longer or to go out with friends, or lie a little longer on the couch watching TV, instead of doing something that needs to be done.

As a result, they take a lot of time to complete a single task and leave other tasks for as long as possible. These same people often fail to meet deadlines and even when they do, they rarely excel in what they do. This is because being constant procrastinators; they leave work undone for as long as possible and in the end, they have to rush to meet deadlines.


The power of self-discipline

To become the best we can, we must learn to exercise self-discipline and deny ourselves things that would bring immediate satisfaction. We do this so that we can get a better reward at a later date.

It is true that sometimes, it may seem appealing to sleep or go out but willing your body and mind to work harder or to persevere even in the face of hardship, obstacles and temptations makes you stronger and is ultimately more rewarding.

Not only will you be conquering your body and feelings, you will also achieve more in less time and also develop more self-respect.

There is immense satisfaction in exercising self-control and completing more work than you would have thought you were able to. You can be surprised how much more you can achieve by being self-disciplined.

Most successful leaders, business people, and entrepreneurs confess that they have learnt to conquer their bodies and their minds and practice self-discipline every single day.

The ingredients of success include setting goals, knowledge, showing up, putting in a lot of effort and perseverance. All these things require a lot of self-discipline without which achieving set goals, meeting deadlines and persisting even when there are obstacles becomes impossible.

However, self-discipline is not only important in achieving success financially or in becoming a leader, it is actually the key to becoming successful in every single aspect of life.

People who have mastered the art of self-discipline ultimately conquer themselves and are more likely to become successful in all other aspects of their lives.

Here are some of the many ways that you can get a better life and become a better person simply by practicing self-discipline:

  • be happier
  • develop inner strength
  • command more respect
  • be more efficient
  • avoid procrastination
  • surround yourself with positivity
  • stay focused
  • value what really matters
  • set specific goals
  • develop a moral compass
  • be more willing to learn
  • make the best of resources
  • go the extra mile

Unpacking the benefits further

Play the Long Game

If you sacrifice your time and use it to become more productive rather than indulging in activities that would give you instant satisfaction, you will be able to get a set of deferred rewards.

For example, whether you are a student, an author, an artist, or a business person, at one point or another, you may be tempted to postpone returning a call to a problem client or maintaining book-keeping records (for a business person) , skip practice (for a musician) or skipping a week before writing that extra page (for an author).

Either way, you will take longer to complete tasks if you keep postponing them. However, if you strictly adhere to your study, writing, practice, or business plans, you can be sure that you will be able to achieve more success and rewards later in the long-run.


Be Happier

If you practice self-discipline, you will be able to get things done on time and, as such, you will begin to make your life more stress free. For example, when you discipline yourself to wake up earlier, you have more time to effectively prepare for your day.

If you have children, you can spend time with them before they head off to school. You can also prepare yourself for the workday ahead by having a nutritious breakfast and having the time to order the day’s tasks.

These seemingly small things can lead to a smoother and more productive day for all involved. That more productive day, in turn, increases your inner happiness because, overall, you are exposed to less stress.

As they say, from little acorns tall oaks they do grow.


Develop Inner Strength

Most people do not realize how much inner strength they have. They are unaware of their ability to overcome issues or hardships that set them back in their personal lives, in business and in daily interactions with other people.

Practicing self-discipline enables you to recognize the inner strength that you possess and this makes you a better and stronger person.


Command More Respect

Many people actually lack self-discipline and as a result, they easily lose track of their goals. This means that they are often late to appointments, they miss deadlines and generally let the people around them down.

People who possess high levels of self-discipline avoid this trap. They are able to easily earn the respect of their colleagues, partners or clients because they do what they say they will do no matter what.

It becomes a point of honor among the self-disciplined to show that they respect others. This, in turn, earns them respect as well.


Be More Efficient

Being self-disciplined means sticking to set goals no matter what. If you do this, you will be able to achieve more in less time and consequently, you will be able to find more time to indulge in other activities. This will definitely make you a better person.


Avoid Procrastination

Wasting time is one of the major causes of failure. Most people do not adhere to timelines or set schedules and end up missing deadlines on important tasks.

Remember that time waits for no man, and to prosper, you have to make the seconds count. Self-discipline will help you use your time constructively and achieve your goals.


Surround Yourself with Positivity

Show me your friends and I’ll tell you the type of person that you are. When you keep bad company, you are likely to do the same things as them. Good friends will help you stay focused, while bad ones will derail you and keep you from achieving your goals.

When you are disciplined, you avoid the vagaries of peer pressure. You are able to choose the people who surround you.


Stay Focused

When you are disciplined, it’s possible to stay focused and stick to your set goal. This is the best way to achieve success and happiness. A number of people fail to realize their dreams because of an inability to focus on the bigger picture.


Value What Really Matters

There are so many issues that will demand your attention or interest. It’s up to you to value what really matters because that’s the only way you’ll prioritize your tasks on a daily basis. Chasing after every single thing indiscriminately will only leave you frustrated.


Set Specific Goals

Setting life goals is like having a blue print to prosperity. You can only pursue success when you know exactly what you are going after. Without that, you’ll be all over the map.


Develop a Moral Compass

We are all able to choose between right and wrong. It’s simply a matter of set of personal morals or values. When you are self-disciplined, you’ll always want to make the right choices even without supervision.

This will save you a lot of pain in the end, as a real moral compass can help you to avoid the bad or negative consequences of poor choices.


Be Willing to Learn

No single person has a complete command of knowledge. It’s no use acting like a know-it-all, instead be willing to learn from people who have been there before you. A disciplined person knows that.


Waste Not, Want Not

It’s good to treat yourself to the fine things in life, but don’t waste resources. Use what you have wisely. Conserve what you can for the future. Efficiency is the opposite of wastefulness and self-discipline is an efficient philosophy.


Go the Extra Mile

Lazy and tired are two different concepts. You must be ready and willing to go the extra mile even when nobody is pushing you to do it. Hard work pays, and sometimes it even makes up for lack of natural talent.

Self-discipline can help you stay the course you have set, as well as set you apart from your peers. It can help you achieve great success. It is what makes the difference. It is what makes you different.


What now?

We’ve outlined the basics of what this course is about. If you’d like to dig deeper it’s time to sign up.



How much?

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How long do I have access to the course?

Forever! Once you’ve signed up, you’ll have access to the course material for as long as you need. So devour it all in one weekend or take things slow. It’s your choice!

I still have a question, can I contact you?

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