Self-Discipline, Freedom and Personal Success

It can be done when you believe it can….

It’s known as a “self-fulfilling prophecy” whenever something happens simply because we think it will. Your mind is built to ensure that it continuously looks to manifest into physical reality the things it acknowledges most. The majority of us will never understand the enormous potential we possess-because we’re unwilling to believe that we can achieve things that other people consider are impossible. “Impossible” tasks demand extra effort and greater focus, but when they’re finished, the rewards and personal success, i.e. financial and psychic, are proportionate with the work required. You may not be able to achieve everything you’d like, but you won’t accomplish anything unless you believe you can.

And when you come across a situation that you are absolutely positive that can’t be accomplished or solved you need to put it out of your mind immediately and forever.   Think of it as the mental strength task of “closing a door.”

Here’s what Dr. Napoleon Hill has to say about ‘Door Closing’

“Consider the rather serious problems which arise in one’s mind in connection with disappointments and failures of the past, and the broken hearts that occur as the result of the loss of material things or the loss of friends or loved ones.

Self-discipline is the only real solution for such problems. It begins with the recognition of the fact that there are only two kinds of problems: those you can solve, and those you can’t solve.

The problem which can be solved should immediately be cleared by the most practical means available, and those which have no solution should be put out of your mind and forgotten.

Let us think, for a minute, about this process of forgetting. Refer to it as closing the door on some unpleasantness which is disturbing your emotional equilibrium. Self-discipline, which means mastery over all emotions, can enable you to close the door between yourself and the unpleasant experience of the past. You must close the door tightly and lock it securely, so that there is no possibility of its being opened again. This is the way to treat unsolvable problems, too. Those who lack self-discipline often stand in the doorway and look wistfully backward into the past, instead of closing the door and looking forward into the future.

This door closing is a valuable technique. It requires the support of a good, strong will, and you have a strong will if you have the departments of your mind organized and under the control of your ego, as they should be.

Door closing does not make you hard, cold or unemotional, but it does require firmness. Self-discipline cannot permit lurking memories of sad experiences, and it wastes no time worrying over problems which have no solution. You cannot yield to the temptation to relive your unhappy memories, for they destroy your creative force, undermine your initiative, weaken your imagination, disturb your faculty of reason, and generally confuse the departments of your mind.

You must place the power of your will against the door that shuts out that which you wish to forget, or you do not acquire self-discipline. This is one of the major services self-discipline can perform for you. It closes the door tightly against all manner of fears, and opens wide the doors of hope and faith!

Self-discipline closes the door against jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, anger and superstition, and opens the door to friendship, goodwill, confidence and love.

Self-discipline look forward, not backward. It roots out discouragement and worry and other negative emotions. And it not only encourages the positive emotions, but it forces them to come before the faculty of reason every time they express themselves so that they, too, may be kept under control.

Self-discipline makes your mind strong. It enables you to take possession of your mind and exercise your God-given right to control your mental attitude. You do not have real self-discipline until you organize your mind and keep it clear of all disturbing influences. Every principle of this philosophy must function through your mind, and self-discipline, which keeps your mind orderly, is the controlling factor in this process of becoming successful”. – Source: PMA Science of Success. Pgs. 286-288.

I often find in my coaching that many clients think that self-discipline restricts them of their freedom.  Just the opposite is true.  When you have the mental strength and self-discipline to adhere to a task or structure you free up other ‘space’ to be creative.

Think if this….a long winding river with deep strong banks.  The banks provide the discipline and structure so that the river can free flow around and about.  If the structure of the banks were not there the river would flow everywhere without ‘purpose’ and perhaps even cause damage to nearby homes, gardens and people.

My challenge for you is to create personal development plan to create structure and self-discipline in ONE area of your life and execute this plan for 30 days.  Then take a look at this area and see how far you’ve come.

I’d like to hear about your plan, please share it in the comments below.

If you’d like some assistance with this request an Introductory Consultation