Almost everyone wants to be disciplined, right? But for some reason, we just can’t seem to be consistent. Maybe we can start strong and do really good at the beginning…but in the end, our energy dies a slow but sure death.
We have all heard stories of great self-discipline and immense self-control. These stories usually involve famous people, tech founders, or professional athletes, who accomplished the impossible and somehow worked hard enough and long enough and eventually signed large contracts.
But most people think that those kind people have superpowers. They think those people have something we don’t have. They were born with something the rest of us just don’t have. No matter what you do, you just can’t get yourself to do what you need to do. So why bother?
I am here to tell you: this mindset is garbage. It’s the main reason why most people will remain in mediocrity when they could have complete financial freedom and be their own boss.
Here’s something that will happen once you start being consistently disciplined: people will think you’re weird. They might even attack you for it.
You’ll get confused looks and raised eyebrows when you tell people what you do (this is my case):
“I wake up at 5 a.m. every day? Even Saturdays and Sundays.”
“I am not training for a triathlon like my friend Cyril Rocke, but I play tennis every day at 6:30 a.m. —for the last 40 years.”
“I am putting 25 percent of my paychecks into savings.”
Consistency, being as rare and difficult as it is, scares people when they see it live. It’s awesome. But it also elicits jealousy and resentment.
But great power lies in doing the absurd, especially if you think it’s crazy. Never forget, many of us have grown up in an environment that teaches mediocrity and falling in line. If you want what you’ve never had, you’ll have to do stuff you’ve never done.
Great power lies in doing the absurd. When you start to get those confused looks and passive-aggressive “compliments,” you’ll know you’re going the right way!
This is how many people live their lives. They have big dreams but how can they possibly be disciplined after a long day at work? How can you use your brain when you’re so tired from the day? The answer is simple: make a commitment to perform, and you will.
When you design an environment to produce success, you remove all the energy-wasting dilemmas of “Should I go to the gym, or stay home?” You just go to the gym, because that’s what you do.
Pretty soon, you catch on and just start following the rules. You removed myself—your tired, exhausted, cranky self—and lived by the rules. Make a set of rules, and stick to it.
I love this statement of Arnold Schwarzenegger: “The only way you become a leading man is by treating yourself like a leading man and working your ass off. If you don’t believe in yourself, then how will anyone else believe in you?”
As mentioned above, statistically speaking, most of us grew up in the low and middle class. We learned the specific behaviors, mindsets, actions, and lifestyles of those around us in our same social class.
But if we want to develop incredible discipline and achieve an upper-class lifestyle, we need to shed the beliefs of the poor and middle class.
When I say “upper class,” I don’t mean those rich snobs who inherited money and spend their parents’ money. What I mean by “upper class” is the kind of people who manage fair amounts of money, fame, influence, and popularity and consistently make the world a better place with their gift.
So how are you going to do what you’ve never done before? Be consistently self-disciplined by doing things you’ve never done.
You can have whatever you want if you do whatever it takes. Every level of success starts with discipline. Take yourself and your laziness out of the equation. Make a plan, and commit to it.
Do the things successful people do. Success isn’t complicated; the fundamentals are simple.
But once you commit to discipline, you will look like you have superpowers; the people in your life will marvel at your results.
Enjoy your trip to discipline. When you start to get those confused looks and passive-aggressive “compliments,” you’ll know you’re going the right way!
I am looking forward to your feedback; contact me at [email protected]