“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
Thomas Edison
I have three boys and one of them is nearing the teenage years. He is a great young man, but likes to test the boundaries as all teenagers do. One of those boundaries is the expectation to do chores in a timely fashion. At times he will put them off until the last possible minute unless there is a consequence to motivate him such as losing time in front of one of the multiple screens he is permitted to use.
For some reason in certain areas of life we don’t grow out of this habit of procrastination. The reality is we resist discipline. I decided to look up the definition of discipline and I found a couple.
The first came from the online dictionary and said: “the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior”
Wikipedia, which may or may not be reliable, provided the second: “discipline is action or inaction that is regulated to be in accordance with a system of governance.”
I found the second definition more appropriate for what we are talking about. Discipline is required in order to act and accomplish that we are pursuing. As a person with a family and many responsibilities discipline is critical for my success in leading at work and home. I have found there are multiple areas where I need to grow in my discipline. As I provide this short list maybe it will prompt you to think of an area you need to grow in your discipline.
Thinking – A leader must create time to think into their results. I know some people who find the time they spend thinking into their priorities and where to focus their leadership to be the most valuable time they have. This time may be guided with a coach or other resources. If I am constantly doing and never thinking intentionally then it will hinder me living and leading at my full capacity.
Health and Fitness – I have always enjoyed exercise and it keeps my eating addiction at bay, but I have found this to become a time at the beginning of my day that provides more time to think and release some stress. Now I need to grow in my discipline of the amount of sweets I eat because I have a lack of discipline in that area.
Mindset – I can be a very self-critical individual. I can play stories in my mind that prevent me from moving into action to accomplish my personal and professional goals. I have some big goals and I need reminders to be courageous and Bible verses help me, but for you it may be a quote such as the one at the beginning of this post. I have to keep my mind filtered and not listen to the excuses, but instead focus on that which will move me toward my goal. I will have to dive deeper into this topic in another post, but know we need to discipline our minds by focusing our thoughts on what will keep us positive.
Growth Habits – I don’t know what you lead and what you are pursuing, but let me share with you some of the habits that leadership expert John Maxwell has each day that helps him grow. He reads, he writes, and thinks each day plus a couple other habits. Are these first two habits you need to develop so you can continually grow as a leader? Maybe it is reading a specific book each day on your field of study or on how to lead better or studying the life of a successful leader. I don’t know what your growth habits would be, but I know I need to be intentional about reading so I can bring value to you and writing helps me clarify my thinking.
The quote from Thomas Edison at the top summarizes the challenge we all face. Will we develop the discipline (which requires hard work) to set us up for taking advantage of opportunities when they come our way. Take a few minutes today and look at your daily or weekly schedule. Where can you exchange time that is spent doing activity that is not purposeful for time to develop one of the disciplines above? Maybe exchange thirty minutes in front of the TV for reading time or fifteen minutes mindlessly looking at social media for some intentional thinking? Whatever the discipline, put it on your calendar, tell someone who will hold you accountable, and as I have heard a successful individual say: Dream big, start small, and do something. Grow your discipline in one area and watch as you become a better leader at work and home. If you need a coach to help you through the process, contact me and let’s talk. Lead well my friend.
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