Leadership

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Self-Discipline
I define Self Discipline as simply your spirit man issuing positive commands and instructions to your body and your body complying even if it is unpleasant. Self-discipline is one of the most difficult responsibilities we have to undertake each day. In the interview above, Zidane remarked, “Yes. I reacted and of course it is not a gesture you should do. I must say that strongly.”Gary Blair, the Head Coach of Texas A&M University Women’s Basketball team presented an excellent view on self-discipline. He maintained that, “Self Discipline is an act of cultivation. It requires you to connect today’s actions to tomorrow’s results. There’s a season for sowing, a season for reaping. Self-Discipline helps you know which is which.”
Self-discipline is the stimulant that keeps Usain Bolt going. It is the same attitude that pushes Serena Williams to win more championships. Self-discipline is doing the right things at the right time. Whatever race you embark on in this life’s journey, you need self-discipline. Zidane’s inability to control his reaction at that particular moment in time cost the whole nation of France the world cup. He didn’t only disappoint his nation but he disappointed millions of people who supported the French team. Fortunately, he has recovered from this experience and is doing very great things in the world of soccer but it shall be foolish on our part if we do not learn any significant lessons from his experience.
One of the few things I have to do in order to continuously remain green in my field of expertise is to read at least two books in a month. This is very challenging because there are certain times i simply do not feel like reading but I am forced to read because as Blair said, I have my eyes on the season of reaping. Today I do editorials for certain TV networks and I receive a lot emails from readers thanking me for the impact these editorials are having on their lives but what they do not realize is the price I have to pay. Self-discipline is the price everyone has to pay to obtain mastery. You cannot become a master in your trade or craft without the self-discipline to study it in the first place. Feelings must not be the major motivation for an important life’s decision.
Joseph’s story in the Bible is a life that understood the importance of self-discipline. In today’s society, one expression that is so difficult for people to use is the word, “No.” Self-discipline means saying no when it matters most no matter the consequences. We are all sometimes guilty of this that is why we have clothes in our closets we didn’t plan to buy, that is why we continue to give our kids cookies even though we know it is not the best for their health. That is part of the reason we eat junk food and refuse to exercise even though we know it is not the best for our health. That is also partly the reason we put to tomorrow what can be done today. You may call it procrastination. The story of Joseph in Potiphar’s home teaches us that saying ‘No’ and denying ourselves some form of temporal pleasure may not yield instant benefits as we may expect but in the long run, it works together for our good. Joseph had a free ticket to undertake “extra-curricular” activities on the wife of his boss but he said a big No to this offer. In fact the Biblical account indicates that he fled. Joseph a slave boy could have taken advantage of this offer, after all there would have been a lot of other associate benefits coming with this new offer but he rejected it.
Self-Discipline is learning to say no when it matters most. When Sampson refused to discipline his eyes, it was removed for him and placed in his hands. The cost of lack of self-discipline is too high to pay. The troubles King David experienced in his old age was partly as a result of his inability to say no to his eyes and mind when he saw the beautiful Bathsheba. Refuse to learn the hard way the consequences of indiscipline. The experiences of King David, Solomon, and Sampson happened as ensamples unto us: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Self-discipline has no time of maturation. It is a lifelong process. You cannot grow into an age that makes you free from misbehavior. Every stage in life requires its own discipline. Make that commitment today, to say no when it is necessary, to say yes when the circumstances demand, to put the body under control when it matters most and finally to make effective decisions which are not clouded by your feeling which is bound to change within minutes. . Read more on this in my book Develop the Master in You which can be found on Amazon.
Writer
G. K. Sarpong
Author of Building Success,
Develop the Master in You
Answers to Life’s Foundational Questions. Grab your copy Amazon

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