Monday, July 19, 2010

Musings

"All of us are self-made, but only the successful are willing to admit it." Earl Nightingale
I am a disciplined person but it hasn't always been that way.  As a teenager and young adult I was very undisciplined.  I'll spare everyone the details, but trust me, disciplined would not have been the word to describe me.

After I had spent some time developing discipline a friend asked me, "how do you get will power?"  That was many years ago.  I was caught off guard and really didn't know how to answer then, but now I do.  We become a  person of will by building one small discipline upon another.  Start with one discipline - it can be anything valuable from flossing your teeth to praying or exercising daily.  Do it faithfully every day with the intent to do it forever. 
"True greatness always requires regular, consistent, small, and sometimes ordinary and mundane steps over a long period of time." Howard W. Hunter
When you have it mastered you add another and then another.  As you add disciplines make sure you are balancing the important things in life.  Do you have some for your physical health, your spiritual well-being, your relationships, the education of your mind?  Each discipline will carry over into other area's of your life and make you a stronger, better person.   So consider:

Becoming strong and fit.  Not just to have better looking and healthier body but because of what it will make of you.

Becoming a millionaire.   Not just because the money would be nice, but because of what the process will make of you.

Becoming the perfectly attentive and loving husband or wife.  Not just because a loving marriage is wonderful, but because of what you will become in the process.

Becoming well educated.  Not just to impress other's with your knowledge but because of what the effort will make of you.

Becoming one who knows God as a friend.  Not just because of what it will make of you but because of what He can make of you.

To use an old simile, becoming the master of our will is like climbing a mountain.  As we master each new discipline we see there is always something else.  Thank goodness there is!  I am not who I want to be yet.
"We must all suffer one of two pains, the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.  The pain of discipline weighs ounces, the pain of regret weighs pounds." Jim Rohn

1 comment:

  1. Very good Sherry. Thanks for posting. I am reading a book right now titled The Rythm of Life by Mathew Kelly. It goes hand in hand with this post. Thanks again, I love that I can count on being uplifted and motivated when visiting your blog.

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