Last week I shared with you the first and most important trait of a Warrior-Preneur: History. This week it’s a tough, but powerful one to incorporate into your life: discipline.
Do you have the discipline to do what needs to be done? Where are the areas in your life you need more discipline? How will you remind yourself to do those things?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
Discipline seems like it can overwhelm an audience. Takes awhile to earn credibility from it depending how one is perceived.
Discipline isn't about an audience, it's about building a life that is far greater than what is happening now. Warrior-Preneurs are never afraid of discipline! AND discipline is a private journey, you never say “I'm disciplined” to people But somehow they know and respect that you are, and THAT is where the credibility comes from it.
This is great, because it is so true. I know exactly what I need to do, it is making time to do it. I have wanted to chart it out, pencil it in, so that it happens because I think its going to be the next step.
Ann-Your message on discipline is perhaps the most important differentiator between people who are succeeding in their businesses (and life!) and those that are not.
And the most important act regarding discipline that you drove home in your message is that 'you do the thing that you know you need to do whether you feel like it or not!' If people just got that and acted on that, their life would transform and they would see effortless results unfold for them. Thank you for being you and for inspiring messages. L,R
Good point you raise, Ann, Thank you. Sometimes, it is so difficult to drag myself to the task at hand, to the thing that needs to be done. Often, for me, it is fear which leads me to put it off. Other times, it is simply that I don't know how to do something, especially if related to a computer application. And sometimes, I simply forget. I find making lists helps to keep me more disciplined. Forgiving myself for being fearful seems to help me move past the fear to the task at hand. At any rate, I see discipline to be most important in the growth of my business.
Carolyn CJ Jones
http://www.gatelady.com
Wow – this sounds like such a disciplined, mature businesswoman! I am impressed – of course I always knew you had what it takes and I love this idea of discipline. Along with accountability, perhaps the hardest element for many entrepreneurs to achieve. Thanks for the reminder of its importance!
Thanks, Ann, for pointing out that Discipline is Key. Sure, it's wonderful to Do What You Love, and to Love What You Do, but all of us need to stay on top of Doing What's Important, and Discipline keeps us there. Wouldn't it be nice if we developed the habit of Loving to Do What's Important? Hmmm, sounds like another way to describe “Discipline”.
GREAT video and GREAT message, Ann! Discipline is the catalyst to so many things we often believe we cannot achieve; once implemented, and put into play as a HABIT, “miracles” happen! Thanks so very much for the nudge to keep us on track!
Nicely done, Ann! Congrats…
I'm going to put a link to this in my July KPG E-NEWS YOU CAN USE! to help spread the word.
Best, Karen
You are absolutely right! In order to be successful in business and in everyday life you must have discipline! It is like wanting to stay thin. You cannot just eat and drink everything in sight. If you want to be successful you have to ACT on it!
JR Nuerge
http://www.jrnuerge.com
Ann, I liked the Brian Tracey quote. You made a good point about discipline. I think that leads into some time management questions. I would love to see a piece on that. How much time per day to you spend on emails and facebook/twitter? Speaking of procrastination and discipline, did you know there was a study that showed people would rather miss a month of sex rather than have to cold call. LOL Thanks for all you do. Marie K.
This is a subject very close to my heart and it goes hand in hand with time management. It's so tough to stay disciplined, but I've been really working on this aspect of my personality. It's so easy to get distracted by a video (ha ha) etc.
Not only do I need to develop better discipline with how I use social media I need to do a better job carrying out my plan. The 30 minutes twice a day isn't even the problem, its knowing what to say when I get to the site. I spent 2 straight weeks & weekends writing a facilitators guide for a client. That took a lot of discipline and enabled me to meet the deadline. During that time I didn't talk to anybody, pay much attention to television, etc. so trying to find something to say on the social media sites is like being constipated….I KNOW something is in there IT JUST WON'T COME OUT! I will be working on better engagement on the social media sites in the coming months.
Not only do I need to develop better discipline with how I use social media I need to do a better job carrying out my plan. The 30 minutes twice a day isn't even the problem, its knowing what to say when I get to the site. I spent 2 straight weeks & weekends writing a facilitators guide for a client. That took a lot of discipline and enabled me to meet the deadline. During that time I didn't talk to anybody, pay much attention to television, etc. so trying to find something to say on the social media sites is like being constipated….I KNOW something is in there IT JUST WON'T COME OUT! I will be working on better engagement on the social media sites in the coming months.
Ann, at times it can be difficult to be disciplined. As a solopreneur, it gets harder because you don't have a “boss” to answer to 🙂 I like that definition of discipline from that book. It really hits home. I've been very good with getting things done when they need to be done but there's always, always room for improvement.
Discipline is so important! Doing the right thing, at the right time is also what it takes to finish a novel or write a great article!
I'm learning discilpline as I get busier and busier. Lists help I think.
Hi Ann, boy last year was the year of attaining new clients and gaining real life experience as a social media consultant. By the end of 2010, I realized the importance of planning my week out in advance, including blog posts, blog talk radio show tweets/promotions, client work, client preparation/planning, invoicing/billing/expense tracking and oh, working out. I calendar everything, and use a spreadsheet to plan out each week. My husband is helping me with getting to bed BEFORE midnight! :>)
Where i’m at now Mizzz Novak :). Really looking at the numbers, tracking what stays whats goes etc. Feels good to be in the real know now.Still much to learn just have to develop my systems.
Discipline: Word of the week! Very difficult for me working from home and for myself. Nobody to account to. I love the video and need to remember this word when I am distracted
Michelle- when I fist started working from home it was the HARDEST! Then when I realized my family wasn’t taking me seriously- asking me to run errands, do a load of laundry etc., I set office hours!
This is a good reminder for me to set my timer! And, self-discipline is so important especially working from home. Love this.
Thank you, Ann, for the timely reminder. It’s been easy to get distracted lately, but I always feel so much better when I do what needs to be done when it needs to be done!
Jillian
http://www.jilliantodd.com
Portrait Couture
Damn straight!! Um i can of course say that now, as of this year, at the age of 40 something that I’ve been bitten by the self discipline bug. The decades before, not so much, though I was able to achieve much I did unfortunately did it with plenty of kicking and screaming. What a waste of energy!! I was more exhausted after all the resistance that once I gave in and actually did what needed to be done was always left with the thought “gee that wasn’t so bad at all!” Kicked that bad habit to the curb! Not a coincedence I just got to your email and listened in this eve 🙂
Love that definition….and pushing through the pain! I get it done, but as you said to push to the next level, I need to market more! That is where I need to focus and be disciplined. Thanks for the reminder:)
Hi Ann!
Thank you for this thought-provoking article/video! I am finding it hard to be disciplined right now, and it’s mostly because there are several new avenues presenting themselves to me right now. Your video got me to thinking that if I don’t get organized about a daily/weekly schedule of tasks and get disciplined in executing those tasks, I could really fail! It’s great to have opportunities, but if I don’t approach them in a disciplined and focused way, I won’t get to that next level of my business–beyond just having an income! Thanks for the prompting!
thanks Joan! and so true what you said!
This message couldn’t be more timely for me, Ann! As I’m beginning to restructure my business day around my personal day, this message just works really well. This is one piece, for sure, that I’m going to listen to many times over…to keep me on the right path and I’m going to figure out how to make it my ringtone on my cell phone!
Excellent topic you share Ann. Discipline is one of the 4 D’s: Desire, Decision, Determination and Discipline.
For sure, you light up my actions in discipline. Thanks a lot Master.
Discipline is very important in getting everything done that we need to in a day’s time. I haven’t figured out a way to have more than 24 hours in a day and so I guess I should continue working on getting disciplined!
Yep, discipline is what is needed and there are areas where I am well-disciplined, but others I am avoiding. So I appreciate this reminder to push through the discomfort and resistance and pain, bite the bullet and do what needs to be done but that I don’t really want to do!