The Art of Self-Discipline

If you recall, I blogged a few months ago about small changes making a big difference. Well, I have to admit that I failed to follow my own advice after a while, and that same principle started to work adversely! My small change was a large Peanut Butter Avalanche every day from The Dairy Bar. In a matter of one month, I packed on a whopping 10 pounds! It certainly made a big difference! So that's what leads me to today's blog post -- self-discipline.

Self-discipline takes a made up mind. Speakers and trainers often refer to Benjamin Franklin and his famous 13 virtues he committed to work on all of his life. Key word committed. You may be familiar with his story, but here goes in case you're not. A young Franklin first pinpointed his weaknesses then he set out to strengthen them. His thinking was left unchecked his weaknesses would ultimately lead to a life of failure. How true!

Deciding the qualities most important to cultivate, he created a daily log and focused on a different virtue every week. His list: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Chastity and Humility. Then he set out to work on that virtue, ultimately seeking to have a "check-free" record each week which signified his success at practicing that particular virtue. It's been said that Franklin is the father of self-improvement. He certainly set the tone for self-discipline.

What Ben Franklin teaches us is this:

• We can change
• We have to stay focused on what we want to change
• Self-discipline is an art to be practiced, otherwise the habit of failure will kick in

Hey, I'm preaching to me today, friends! Are you up for the challenge of perfecting this art form? I am!

Until next post,

Dr. Angela aka "The Purpose Professor"

"Life with no purpose is no life at all!"