“In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves … self-discipline with all of them came first.” - Harry S. Truman
Is Self-confidence Earned or Given?
Many people might consider that the co-founder and chairman of Nike, Phil Knight, is the epitome of a “natural entrepreneur.” To them, his success derives from innate gifts that led to easy success. Phil Knight, however, attributes his success to tackling first the jobs he hated the most: the tasks he felt were not his forte. He and fellow co-founder Bill Bowerman learned to approach unpleasant tasks eagerly in order to overcome innumerable obstacles while they bootstrapped Nike into existence.
No entrepreneur begins with all the talents required for realizing their vision. Regardless of the talents they possess, those would be for naught without the master key of self-discipline. Natural talents that lack dedicated application are diluted. However, self-discipline leads many an average person to astounding accomplishments. Studies confirm that self-discipline is a stronger indicator of potential achievement than IQ.
If you feel a little short on self-discipline, be encouraged that it is something anyone can develop and grow. Changing your mental preconceptions about self-discipline can help.
Stop Ceding Control to External Influences
Too many of us rely on motivators outside ourselves to grapple with tasks we would rather put off. When you depend on the stress of an impending deadline to jolt you into action or make excuses for a poor job by blaming it on the weather, you surrender control over your own actions. If you do not have a deadline, make your own and stick to it. Whatever the task, find a way to set the bar a little higher. Steps like these flex your inner motivators and grow your discipline muscle.
Take Action to Feelings
Too often, we procrastinate to avoid feeling failure or disapproval. Emotional roadblocks can be conquered with logic and willpower, but an easier way derives from understanding that the connection between feelings and actions is not the one-way street most people think it is.
The next time you find yourself thinking, “I just don’t feel like doing it,” act as if the task is the one thing you most crave in life at that moment.
If you dread cold calling, act as if you are the best cold caller on the planet. Stand up, put a big smile on your face, raise your fists high in the air and shout with fervor your confidence in closing the deal. Go to a private room if you need to, but put your all into it. It helps if another person cheers you on. Wild horses cannot keep you from that phone. Your feeling of dread will have no place to hide. It will be vanquished by enthusiasm and eagerness.
Do Not Punish Yourself
The word discipline invokes negative connotations of punishment or denial. Self-discipline is not that. It is a skill for obtaining your long-term goals. On the entrepreneurial journey to success, there are many forks in the path. You already have the mental map to your objectives, so the best branch to take is clear. One leads directly to your goal, the other path is longer or never reconnects to the objective. On a daily basis, invoke enough self-discipline to turn tension into simple choices based on your ultimate objectives. Be vigilant about your level of motivation, if you find yourself weighing choices between activity and non-activity however.
“We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
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