Contact me at www.BobGalletta.com/call
Discipline can be perceived as a dirty word, conjuring images of toil and labor as we strive towards impossible goals that we inevitably abandon. But discipline doesn’t need to be about deprivation and drudgery. It can become your ally, helping you to live your best life. The word “discipline” has all sorts of connotations. You can instantly feel straitjacketed by a sense of strictness, regulation, and restraint. Our lexicon for living well has changed in recent years and we now gravitate towards terms like “flow”, “acceptance” and “presence”, whereby we feel a sense of ease and calm.
The notions of discipline and flow are not mutually exclusive, though, and don’t need to be in opposition. Taking a disciplined approach to life can lead to a sense of true autonomy whereby you can create the space to relax and pursue what really matters in your life. In tandem, they can lead to a meaningful outcome. Discipline should not be seen as a denial of having fun but rather as saying yes to those things at the right time. There is nothing better than treating yourself after you have done something to earn it. Ironically, discipline is all about achieving balance and harmony, which are, philosophically speaking, modern tenets of life as we combat a chaotic world.
Moreover, discipline doesn’t have to be 24/7 but rather should be incorporated into daily life. However, the problem with sleeping-in, especially if it becomes the norm, is you don’t get anything done. Consequently, jobs bank up, you end up playing panicky catch-up and even lose control, lamenting your lazy, opt-out approach. Ultimately, this attitude to life leads to stress. Discipline, on the other hand, can liberate your life. We all know that feeling of self-recrimination when we’ve given in to laziness or allowed ourselves to be distracted by YouTube videos. You can feel quite down on yourself when you know you’ve avoided things that needed to be done or squandered time that could have been used more productively. You can make excuses that you’re relaxing but you know deep down this is not the case. Avoidance and procrastination can become chronic and even lead to more serious mental health issues.
Being disciplined in no way means you have to “go hard or go home”. But many take an all-or-nothing approach. Everyone can relate to the pain and pitfalls of setting tough goals only to fall down at the first hurdle. Take the perennial problem of losing weight. We’ve all heard of or been victims of yo-yo dieting and part of the reason we fall for fad diets is that we want fast results. We live in the age of instant gratification as products and services have become so accessible. You can stream programs instantaneously and binge-watch your favorite shows. From food to fashion, everything is available on-demand. As our attention spans have shortened, we’ve become more impatient and less tolerant.
Playing the long game is simply not an option for many, but for those who are prepared to do the hard yards, albeit in small bite-sized chunks, results are forthcoming and they tend to be permanent. Discipline is synonymous with habit. Good habits performed daily create lifelong change. In the example of losing weight, rather than go on a diet to lose kilos fast, only to succumb to the late-night proverbial junk food hit in desperation, the slower approach of maintaining a nutritious regimen over a longer time will inevitably yield better results. You see this in all areas of life.
Going hardcore at the gym for two weeks will barely create a difference in your physical wellbeing, but doing a workout three times a week for a year will produce a change in size, shape, and fitness. Moreover, once you’re in the habit or have adopted a set routine, it’s much easier to stay in that groove. The stop-start approach means we never get into momentum and are often left feeling demoralized and frustrated. When we see amazing sportspeople we marvel at their incredible talent. But what we don’t see is the days, weeks, months and years of working on their craft to achieve that level of performance. By reframing the discipline as a talent, you can embrace it and more readily apply yourself to tasks. You can submit to routines and rituals. You don’t have to be obsessive; you just need to be regular. That’s the trick.
In our Fundamental Transformation and Motivational Journey, we will show you the beauty of discipline and it can apply to every area of life. What at first can be laborious, or even boring, can transform into a meaningful and beneficial experience. In effect, intention becomes the purpose, which becomes the realization you may need in your life.
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Contact me at www.BobGalletta.com/call
