“You don’t have to change that much for it to make a great deal of difference. A few simple disciplines can have a major impact on how your life works out in the next 90 days, let alone in the next 12 months or the next 3 years.” – Jim Rohn
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Success – however you happen to define that – is less about luck and brains than it is about self-discipline. The old Aesop’s tale about the tortoise and the hare epitomizes that basic truth: steady, daily, disciplined action beats sporadic, hectic, undisciplined action almost every time. Discipline isn’t something that happens occasionally. To be effective, it needs to be applied on a daily basis.
Following are the 10 daily disciplines I use, which have made a big difference for me. Go here for a fuller explanation.
- Review your goals (1-2 minutes)
- Review your personal mission statement (1-2 minutes)
- Do relaxation and visualization exercises (10-15 minutes)
- Spend a few minutes thinking about what you’re grateful for (2-4 minutes)
- Exercise (30 minutes)
- End your day before you start it (5 minutes)
- Limit negative intake. Spend 30 minutes or less daily reading the paper, visiting online news sites and blogs and watching the news.
- Get your rest. Shoot for at least 7 hours.
- Read or listen to positive, empowering material (15-20 minutes).
- Sharpen your professional saw (15-20 minutes). Read or listen to something related to your profession.
These may or may not suit you, but the key learning point here is to consciously think about and apply daily disciplines that move you forward personally and professionally. You are awake 17 hours every day. Devoting 70 to 80 minutes to organizing your time, managing your energy, fine-tuning your outlook and learning can make the remaining 16 hours very productive.
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“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” – Jim Rohn