“Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you think first and act afterward.”
–Napolean Hill
I sure did NOT want to go to the gym this morning. There were so many other fun things I wanted to do. I enjoy yard work, and the pansies at Yellow Rose Nursery have been calling my name now for a couple of weeks. My flower pots are empty and begging for attention. I needed to write this email, too. Heck, it’s been a busy week, some retail therapy would be rewarding…then I thought of last night’s dinner.
I was too lazy to cook, my hubby and I went to the Burger Ranch and I had a Tillamook Cheese and Bacon Burger accompanied with sweet potato french fries. Oh, yeah. It was soooooooooooooooooo good. However, that dinner was not aligned with my goal of living to 105 years with a great quality of life:)
I went to gym.
I am still amazed at how easy it is for a good habit to be sidetracked by simple thought. If I entertain a thought, even for a moment, that seems to make my life more fun, easier, or more comfortable, I can easily be derailed. “I just don’t want to do it,” is an excuse that can stop me cold, as well.
It’s even tougher to commit to making a positive change and stick with it. We are such creatures of habit. It’s so easy to live inside our comfort zone. Change can be difficult especially if we don’t change our thinking.
While I was diligently working off that cheeseburger, I thought of some ways to help us discipline ourselves:
1. Think of what you really desire. What do you want to have? Who do you want to become? Will the thought or temptation you are entertaining move you closer to your goals and dreams?
2. Think of the outcome. What will happen if you act on that thought? Will the outcome really accomplish the best for yourself or others? What if you don’t act out what you are thinking? (This is my favorite.)
3. Take that thought captive. Move that thought into “thought jail” and replace it with another. We can only think one thought at at time. Instead of drooling over a Tillamook Bacon Cheeseburger, I could have thought about salad. Yeah,
I could have. When I first sobered up, Jose Cuervo thoughts went to jail immediately. Those thoughts were dangerous for me. There are times when I am thinking of saying something less than edifying. Those thoughts need to go to jail, especially if they don’t add value or aren’t loving or caring for the recipient.
Thinking about the outcome works the best for me. If I take the nano second to remind myself how I will feel if I do the thing I am procrastinating, I am often able to be self-disciplined. That feeling of doing what I desire, rather than giving into lesser actions is awesome! I know the more I overcome thoughts that side-track me, the closer I get to becoming the person I want to become. That person I want to become will achieve more, be more fulfilled and will be able to add more value to others.
What steps will you take to help with self-discipline? What steps will you take to become the person that you really want to be?
So glad I went to the gym!! It’s off to Yellow Rose for me.
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