Reframing Discipline
Posted in Entrepreneurial mindset, Environments for Success on 09/14/2009 01:00 pm by Therese
dis?ci?pline
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“activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill”
It’s Sunday night at 9:30 and the very last thing I want to do is to write this blog!
Nothing personal, but I’m tired and would really prefer to jump into a nice hot tub after a day of doing some de-cluttering in my home and even going for a run. But I made a commitment when I joined the 30 Day Blog Challenge with Sandra Martini
I would totally have not done this blog. When you are tired, it’s easy to blow off commitments. Especially when WE are the ones setting the deadlines. That can be the kiss of death for an entrepreneur. Newsletter didn’t go out on Tuesday, no worries…it can go on Thursday. Didn’t get that marketing piece written last month, not a problem…just let it roll next month. And we do this over and over and over to ourselves. When we are tired or overwhelmed, we think that entrepreneurial freedom means the ability to push out deadlines. And this can be a slippery slope!
The challenge is to look at discipline as providing freedom. Being a bit of a free spirit myself, that has been some hard learning for me. It’s not my natural way of living, but after doing the blog challenge for five days (and loving that I have kept my commitment to myself) I can see that doing just that one activity will translate into adding new levels of discipline in other areas. (Did you notice the “I went for a run” comment in the first paragraph?) Today I embrace discipline as the very thing that will move me closer to my goals. But what does that word conjure up for you?
My challenge to you my dear readers is to look at your relationship with the concept of discipline. If you want to improve a skill, where do you need to employ some additional discipline? When you hear that word, do you get all warm and cozy, or does it feel like a noose around your neck? Usually it’s the right-brain-creative types who feel like discipline is tantamount to a parent controlling what they get to do. Not trying to harken you back to your teenage years my friends, but I’m just pushing around to see what you come up with for yourself around this concept.
What I have found to be the best thing to counter this? Get either a coach or other powerful environment where you are so excited to be doing the work, that you are willing to do things that you normally wouldn’t. Accountability, community, and commitment are the way out.
There…I did it! Got the blog done, and am on my way to the tub. And secretly? I’m sort of proud of myself.
Blessings!
