To some, the word discipline is a dirty word. It’s a word they hate to hear and hate to use.
After all, discipline doesn’t sound sexy. The word connotes a dying to self. A falling in line. A giving up of oneself.
And it does. But that’s not bad.
Discipline is a needed trait as a leader. Getting to become a disciplined leader is a good thing.
The Power In Becoming A Disciplined Leader
There is much benefit that can come from becoming a disciplined leader. While you may not be able to see the benefits at first, you will be able to see them after becoming disciplined (or after reading this, haha).
By strengthening your self-control, establishing your mind, and becoming disciplined, you will:
Be able to say yes to the things that matter and no to those that don’t:
The shiny object or squirrel syndrome affects a lot of people. Those people are undisciplined. They are ready and willing to jump at something without fully considering the implications of doing so.
Disciplined people take a different approach. They see something new, something shiny and they examine the situation. They look at the benefits and pitfalls of chasing after the squirrel.
After pondering the benefits, they then act. They choose whether or not to say yes based on the research they’ve done.
The disciplined leader here is able to make a wise choice. One that is not made in haste but in wisdom.
Be willing to stop and think about chasing after something new. Think about whether or not it will truly benefit yourself or your organization. Then act.
Be less likely to get in trouble:
Yes, you read that right. Disciplined people have a lesser propensity of getting in trouble.
This happens because disciplined people are able to control their emotions and evaluate their decisions more clearly. Thus, they tend to make wiser decisions.
Many disciplined leaders will choose to abstain from alcohol and drugs, extramarital relationships, and excess. They know these things will derail their hopes and dreams. So they don’t do them.
Look at what you’re doing. Are you making disciplined decisions or decisions that are leading you down a dark and lonely path? Make the disciplined decision to choose wisdom.
Be able to hold yourself accountable:
You know what needs to be done. You’ve set clear goals and aspirations for yourself. You also know you need to be accountable to get these things done.
By being a disciplined leader, you can begin to hold yourself accountable. You can call yourself out for being late or not meeting your goals. Or, if you feel bad calling yourself out, you can be disciplined enough to have a close friend do this for you.
When you screw up, hold yourself accountable. Don’t let yourself get away with things you know aren’t right. Let the discipline you’ve built up guide you to do the right thing.
Discipline gives you the power to do a lot of things. It helps you avoid the shiny object chasing. Discipline helps you to avoid trouble. And discipline helps you to hold yourself accountable.
Isn’t discipline pretty powerful? It allows you to do so much with so little!
