In Discipline...

In Discipline Lies Freedom. Such a simple string of words yet so powerful.

So many people are afraid of the word discipline. They think it means restriction and self denial. Most think discipline is impossible.

Take a look back at your life and you can almost always trace back a failure to a lack of discipline. A lack of discipline to follow through with something, push harder, go longer, whatever the case may be.

In reality, discipline is freedom. Discipline means you restrict yourself now for a greater good.

Discipline in your training means you have the freedom to move. So many are restricted due to a lack of movement and fitness meaning they are confined to their out of shape, decaying bodies. When you discipline yourself to your strength and conditioning you free yourself to play sports, live an active life, and do what you want.

Discipline with your diet gives you the freedom from the thousands of medications made popular due to a poor diet. Don't feel like putting the fork down? Ok. Then be ready for the chains of diabetes and obesity. The freedom lost when discipline is absent far outweighs any immediate discomfort a little discipline takes.

Discipline with your career and finances gives you the freedom to work where you want and when you want. The freedom to not have to worry about where you'll end up after retirement. The freedom to know that you will be taken care of.

Discipline in your thoughts and actions gives you the freedom to be who and what you want to be. You are who you are because you've allowed that. Don't like it? Change it, but guess what? That takes discipline. It takes discipline to squelch those voices in your head that tell you can't do it or that you aren't good enough. It's easy to give in to those voices and live a life of mediocrity.

It took me some small as well as dramatic life-changing experiences to understand this concept fully. I knew what it meant to be disciplined but until I decided to live by it as a code of honor with myself was when I understood what real freedom meant.

Challenge yourself. Adhere to a code and culture of discipline in your life and watch your success in every area of your life dramatically change for the better. It's amazing how powerful and freeing it feels.