I once heard someone define self-discipline as the ability to do things today that you don’t feel like doing so that some day you can do the things you really want to do. In other words, self-discipline is the strength to prepare yourself for tomorrow.

I am sure that self-discipline has been an issue for every generation since the beginning of time but my premise is that today, given the huge number of distractions that technology has brought into our lives, self restraint and discipline are harder than ever. And yet, self discipline and its cousin, delayed gratification, are more important than ever because competition on a global basis requires that each one of us maximize our potential abilities and skills and put ourselves in the best position to achieve our goals.

Self-discipline is a subset of mental control and toughness. Those who learn to exercise mind control are more likely to have the ability to do the right things (or avoid the wrong things) that will help them build for the future. Mind control is a huge discussion, of course, and so in this article I can only skim the surface. But, here is what I have learned after 30 years of study of this subject

1. Mind control is first and foremost about recognition – understanding what is going on in your mind at critical times. Eckhart Tolle, author of (The Power of Now and A Whole New World), makes the point that we are not our thoughts. We can observe our thoughts and make adjustments as required. The first step is to be aware of what we are thinking when we, for example, are at a crossroads: Door A may be something we would like to do even though we know it is not good for us and Door B may be delayed gratification. By analyzing our thinking at these critical junctures, we are taking the first step to exercising control.

2. Think of thoughts as “things.” Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich wants his reader to think of thoughts as “things” and, like any other material object, to exercise dominion over them. What is important here is the imagery. If you are faced with a decision and you recognize negative, unhelpful thoughts in your head, you visualize moving these thoughts out of your mind – just as you would move any other physical object. The great martial artist and actor, Bruce Lee (who died much too young) used to visualize the physical act of spitting – ejecting harmful thoughts from his mind. When you think of thoughts as material objects, there are many ways to push them out of your consciousness.

3. Realize that your mind is capable of processing only one dominant thought at a time. Great athletes and other performers are able to focus entirely on positive thinking by limiting themselves to one dominant thought at crucial times. Here is a quote from Gary Mack, who wrote a great study of top athletes called: “The mind can concentrate on only one thing at a time.” And here is what Tiger Woods says about focus: “Mental toughness … [is a] gift to my game from my dad. He wanted to make sure that my powers of concentration could withstand any and all distractions. … [the] winner’s attitude to handling pressure … focusing solely on what they need to accomplish.”

By mastering your mind, you can do just about anything. Recognizing your thoughts at critical times, visualizing your dominion over these “things,” and permitting only one dominant thought (positive ones) are important steps to developing your self-discipline and building for your future successes. return to front