What is Self-Discipline?

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Self-Discipline is a fundamental of any sales training program.  According to sources like Wikipedia and the Dictionary, to be self-disciplined is to assert one's willpower toward an accomplishment.  It is a kind of self-training and strength of mind that is necessary in order to accomplish a certain task or adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even though one would really rather being doing something else.  

Does self-discipline come naturally?  Is it something that can be developed?  How can you develop self-discipline? These are all questions that need to be answered from within.    

Everyone’s definition and level of self-discipline should and will differ slightly.  Self-discipline does not come naturally to most people.  It is something very personal that develops inside you as a result of some circumstance or life-changing event. 

What circumstance or event 
occured in your life that gave you 
greater strength of mind?  

Maybe you were picked on as a child for being over-weight?  Perhaps a speech impediment or some other condition made you stand out from the crowd.  Maybe you were raised by a single parent.  Did you have a difficult childhood?  Maybe you suddenly went from a struggling student in high school to a Dean’s list student in college.  Were you divorced?  Did you lose someone with whom you were close?  Did you overcome an addiction to alcohol or drugs?  

The list of life circumstances is endless, but only you understand how you felt.  That’s why I say that self-discipline is very personal.  The bottom line is that something in your life effected your level of self-discipine and only you know the reason why.  

How Can You Achieve Greater Self-Discipline?

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I believe if a person has integrity they can and will become self-disciplined in some area of their life.  Someone explained to me years ago that integrity is “What you do when no one else is around”.  

It's funny that most people think that if they don't steal when the opportunity presents itself, then they must have integrity.  What I mean is this:  If you realize through self analysis that. for example, you have issues with staying committed to a project, than you must take steps to condition yourself to become more committed.  Do you become more regimented in your daily routine?  Do you work on improving your time-management skills?  Or do you even realize that you may not have any routine?  Do you have the integrity to ask yourself these tough questions on a daily basis that help you focus on improving your commitments?  Being honest with yourself about how you really feel and how committed you are to making the changes that will impact your life, will bring you greater self-discipline.  

Self-discipline is very personal and very necessary for success! 

10 Tips for Living and Working With Integrity

Learn More About Increasing Your Focus

How to Use the Time-Management Matrix

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