Self Discipline
I'm learning self discipline in my life currently. Practice is important for musicians, athletes and artists, but also professionals, public speakers, baristas and everywhere in between. Self discipline can be defined as doing the things we don't feel like doing. As the musical type, I can fall into this trap of 'feelings' - which are many times fleeting. We also cannot live off of adrenaline or inspiration; at least I can't. There's not enough juice in inspiration to keep me going for a month or a year. Usually, after the first couple days, i've lost the inspiration. Check out the football inspiration:
Inspiration and talent will only carry you so far. The habits you form will sustain you. One fall, in the panhandle of Texas, the local high school football team was enduring a terribly embarrassing season. Week after week, the hometown would show up and cheer to no avail; it was abysmal. Finally, a wealthy oil man could take it no longer. The week before the homecoming game against their arch-rivals, he asked to address the team. “Boys,” he began, “when I wore the green and gold, we won nearly every single game. Now look at you. You’ve become a joke! You need some motivation. So here’s my proposition. You win this one game, and I will personally buy each of you a brand new pickup truck.”
Those student-athletes began to think and dream about how fine they would look driving around in their new trucks. They obsessed over which girls they would ride in them and whether or not they would get bumper stickers. They were so excited about the prospect of driving a truck with that “new car” smell. They hung a big poster of a truck in the locker room. And they went out and lost the game 38-0. [From: Kenneth Boa - "Self Discipline"]
It's important for me to remember that the God who loves and gives us power to love all, is also the God who gives us the power to act consistently in that love. His character: slow to anger, patient. He is not an emo-addict or rage-r. He is patient. He is kind. He knows we need to practice (especially when we avoid it!).
Self discipline can be a gateway to great things. I'm sure that no one who is doing well in their profession just happened to be inspired one day, and the next they were the best in their field. No trucks are needed for self-discipline.
Inspiration and talent will only carry you so far. The habits you form will sustain you. One fall, in the panhandle of Texas, the local high school football team was enduring a terribly embarrassing season. Week after week, the hometown would show up and cheer to no avail; it was abysmal. Finally, a wealthy oil man could take it no longer. The week before the homecoming game against their arch-rivals, he asked to address the team. “Boys,” he began, “when I wore the green and gold, we won nearly every single game. Now look at you. You’ve become a joke! You need some motivation. So here’s my proposition. You win this one game, and I will personally buy each of you a brand new pickup truck.”
Those student-athletes began to think and dream about how fine they would look driving around in their new trucks. They obsessed over which girls they would ride in them and whether or not they would get bumper stickers. They were so excited about the prospect of driving a truck with that “new car” smell. They hung a big poster of a truck in the locker room. And they went out and lost the game 38-0. [From: Kenneth Boa - "Self Discipline"]
It's important for me to remember that the God who loves and gives us power to love all, is also the God who gives us the power to act consistently in that love. His character: slow to anger, patient. He is not an emo-addict or rage-r. He is patient. He is kind. He knows we need to practice (especially when we avoid it!).
Self discipline can be a gateway to great things. I'm sure that no one who is doing well in their profession just happened to be inspired one day, and the next they were the best in their field. No trucks are needed for self-discipline.
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