Success Follows Discipline

Successful people have an oomph and are overtly attractive. They have an aura about them. Trust me they were not born like that. They do certain things, build up some practices that really sets them apart.

This one sentence I read long back, put things in perspective for me – My overnight success came after years of hard-work. The World sees your overnight success, but no one knows your journey and the years of toil and sleepless nights you go through.

Look into the life of any popular sport person… identify the level of their self-discipline in their diet, physical fitness regime, their goal setting…they aim high.

With ordinary efforts, we will remain ordinary throughout our lives. We can admire the successful but to be successful , we have to go through our own grinding progression.

Like a Diamond, which thoroughly passes through rigorous cycles of mining, grinding, polishing before it actually starts shining.

There are no short cuts.

The one and only important attribute to becoming successful is self-discipline. It helps you stay focused on reaching your goals, gives you the ability to stick with a difficult path, and allows you to overcome obstacles and discomfort, as you push yourself to new heights.

Practices to set your Discipline –

1. Set the direction, before you set out

99% of adults live their lives without clear, specific, written goals.  This is the same as setting off across an unknown country without a roadmap.  You may get somewhere eventually, but it will take you much longer and it is far more likely that you will get lost. Practice to plan your trip/ Goal carefully, with a roadmap, and full information about the future terrain, before you start out.

2. Set Clear Measurable Goals

Goals are important to focus on and work towards achieving. Measurable is the magic Word here. Always set Goals that are Measurable. For e.g., I want to lose weight; No its vague, the Goal should be specific and measurable –  I want to lose 5 kgs in 30 days; With clear target , you can plan a precise calories/work out chart aligned with time. Conducting regular reviews is a good practice. Regular reviews don’t need to take long, but they can help you keep on target and working hard.

3. Know very clearly that everyday matters

Disciplined people value their time and the time of others. They arrive early to meetings and are fully prepared when the opportunity comes knocking. We need to  make it a habit to keep our meetings, goals and deadlines on a calendar and do all we can to meet our goals in a timely manner. We need to understand Kaal /Time as the most valuable asset. Everyone has limited time and even the richest and more powerful can’t buy more time. For the disciplined people, the time is Now. Respect every day, every moment.

4. Believe in the plan – Adjust methods to get there, not the Goal

As you track your progress toward your goals, you might see that certain paths are no longer relevant. Be flexible and open to adapting to the situation. Don’t give up or make your revised goals too easy. Try to keep them realistic and reasonable.

5. Build a no matter what attitude mindset

If we want to succeed we have to be willing to work harder than anyone else. Disciplined people are not satisfied living an average life. They crave testing the edges of who they are and what they can become. They do not mind working extra hours or going that extra mile if it means they learn something valuable that gets them more quickly and efficiently to the result of their desired outcome.

6. Plan a Routine

The important discipline we need to develop for success is the discipline of planning.  Many people think that they are too busy to plan.  To be successful we need to have an organised system to operate from.  We should keep handy notes, lists, have calendars, reminders set on our phones and a daily schedule of events we organise our efforts around. The more organised we are, the less chaotic our daily events will be. We need to put our organised system into action each day which would allow us to maximise our time and opportunities to the fullest.

7. Stay Committed to the Routine

All great success in life is preceded by long, sustained periods of focused effort on a single goal, the most important goal, with the determination to stay with it until it is complete.  Every man or woman who has achieved anything lasting and worthwhile, had engaged in long, often unappreciated hours, weeks, months and even years of concentrated, disciplined work, in a particular direction.  It can be learned by continuous practice, over and over, until you master it.  Once you have mastered the ability to discipline yourself to keep your attention focused on the most important task in front of you, there is virtually no goal that you cannot accomplish and no task that you cannot complete.

8. Understand the transformation Process

 Success is not an event, but a process. Disciplined people understand that  patience is their greatest virtue. Patience doesn’t mean waiting and doing nothing until things manifest. Disciplined people continue to work hard. They know that with time comes the opportunities they are seeking.

9. Rise above Mood swings and feelings

Successful people are careful about the thoughts they allow to occupy their mind. They make the conscious choice to think only in terms of success. The attitude they keep is positive. Success isn’t going to always come easily therefore, they view their failures as promotional opportunities which guide them toward their next more successful direction. Disciplined people understand that the way they think will either destroy them or continue to evolve them.

10. Find the pleasure in the hard work and reward on small wins along the way

Wins are satisfying, but it’s important to remember there is joy in the journey itself. There is joy in the work. Joy even in the suffering — in the lessons you learn, the strength you gain, and the self-confidence that builds as you gain experiences, wins, and even losses. In order to stay motivated and energised, it’s important to recognise and celebrate small wins along the way. There are a variety of ways you celebrate small wins, but the easiest way is to treat yourself to something a little out of the ordinary. Think of experiences and luxuries you desire, determine the reward for each small win, and then work toward your goals so you can celebrate.

Everlasting Success comes with Discipline and not by luck or chance…