self-dis-uh-plin
(the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses)
“Self discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do. Simply, self discipline enables you to think first and act afterward”
Napoleon Hill
I see Self Discipline as the strength to overcome the temptations of instant gratification in favor of the efforts required to attain sustainable and significant rewards.
The Traditional Martial Artist is focused on delayed gratification. We see this behavior every day in the Dojo. We train hard today and every day for a belt grading that is months or even years away. We sweat in class drilling self-defenses in preparation for an attack that we all hope will never happen. This is Self Discipline.
In everyday life delayed gratification is practiced by skipping desert to help lose a few pounds; or by not giving into a nicotine craving, because we want to quit smoking to live longer and healthier. This is Self Discipline.
The first step to success is Self Discipline. Do what you need to do, when you need to do it, whether you feel like it or not, because you know that you should. In the long run the rewards will be far greater than any instant gratification can ever offer.
“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who overcomes his enemies, for the hardest victory is the victory over self.”
Aristotle
“Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it’s a kind of order that sets me free to fly”
Julie Andrews
