My Top Ten Thoughts on Discipline
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"I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:14)
I have developed some pointers on this grand topic of discipline to offer you for encouragement. You may be reading and thinking to yourself that you are the least disciplined person in the world. First, I don't believe it, and second, let me offer you some help. God has blessed me with this intangible, hard to define, inner drive called discipline. We may have a hard time defining it, but when we see it, we recognize it, kind of like integrity or influence. In order for the Apostle Paul to press toward the goal, he had to exert discipline, and he most certainly did. What an example for us to emulate today!
Mike Young was my father in law, and at the end of his life, he told me, "Dan, you are like a pitbull dog with a rag in his mouth. You just don't let go." I still remember those words spoken over me 15 years ago. God has blessed me with discipline, and I am grateful. In my PhD, the D is for discipline; I really mean that! I was certainly not the fastest to compete in the Ironman race last year in the Woodlands, TX. It took me 15 hours and 30 minutes. But here's the thing: I finished!
Discipline is not a dirty word. It is an essential trait of those who accomplish much in life. There is no discipline pill that you can take that will give you desire and motivation to accomplish all your goals. It takes inspiration and perspiration. The rewards and blessings of life come to those who are by and large disciplined, not waiting on chance or luck, but doing the best they can with what they have.
Here are some helpful tips to assist you to become more disciplined:
- Recognize the value of a disciplined life. The blessings and rewards go to the one who is disciplined. Olympiads and professional athletes, yes, they are naturally gifted, no doubt, but more than that, they are extremely--yes, you guessed it--disciplined. In our spiritual lives, those who are disciplined and read the Bible, pray, and share their faith are blessed indeed.
- Ask God for help so you become more disciplined. In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus tells us to ASK.
- Start small and gain little victories. I remember training for my first triathlon and swimming to the end of the pool exhausted. Next time, I swam a little farther. Within a couple of years, I swam 2.4 miles in 1 hour and 29 minutes in my first Ironman competition.
- Quit making excuses. Excuses are funny things. They placate our minds and make us feel better about failure. As long as we don't think we have time or are not smart enough or athletic enough, etc., then we will remain in our complacent state of being. We miss out on so much and look back with regrets. One of my mottos in life is, "Be able to look back and say, 'I have no regrets.'"
- Learn from those who are disciplined. Look to others and learn from them so you can accomplish your goals, and then you in turn help those coming behind you to accomplish their goals.
- Do not quit. Trials will come; they always do. Don't give in; persist. The one word Andy Andrews wrote in a book he signed for me after I heard him speak was simply this, with no elaboration: "Persist!" Andrews' story is quite amazing and inspiring, especially if you are coming across him for the first time and have not read one of his many best-selling books. He started out homeless in his 20s and has become one of Americas' most beloved authors and speakers today. Anybody can quit, but those of a disciplined mind and heart choose not to quit.
- Resist the urge to look into the future. The task at hand is what you have to lean into. Stay in the moment. Do what has to be done today. Let tomorrow worry about itself, as Jesus said in Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
- Take one step at a time. Even if they are baby steps, that is OK; at least you are moving forward. While competing in the Ironman last April, I had a tough break with my bike gears. It took me over 7 hours to complete the riding portion of the race. I had little energy left for the marathon. Toward the end, I got a little lightheaded, so I had to decide to walk or take the risk of not finishing. I walked a while until the end when I heard the crowd still cheering, even though it was 10:30 at night. I could hear them shouting, and wow, that was exhilarating. Put one foot in front of the other, and yes, soon you will be walking into accomplishment and success.
- Just do it. Nike's logo is a memorable one. Just do it; no excuses or delays, just put your heart, hands, and mind to it, and do it.
- Start today! Pick a goal that will require some discipline and start incorporating some of what you have heard today that encouraged you or spoke to you.
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A little meme for my younger readers. :)
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God has been so good to me and allowed me the time, health, energy and discipline to accomplish many of my goals. There are still some major ones left, with the two greatest ones being to finish well and to be able to say, "I have no regrets."
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Podcast of the Week
10 Principles for Effective Living: Discipline
Pastor Danny focuses this episode on the principle of Discipline, discussing what it really means to have personal discipline in various areas of life, including diet, exercise, sleep schedule, & most importantly, one's relationship with God.
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