DINNER BEFORE DESERT
THE SIMPLEST RULE IN THE PRACTICE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE IS TO EAT "DINNER BEFORE DESSERT". IN A MEAL, THERE IS A LOGICAL ORDER OF DISHES, AND DESSERT COMES LAST. FIRST, YOU EAT THE MAIN COURSES AND CLEAN YOUR PLATE, ONLY THEN DO YOU HAVE DESSERT.
THERE IS A CUTE BUT MISLEADING BUMPER STICKER THAT SAYS, "LIFE IS SHORT, EAT DESSERT FIRST".
JUST THIKN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU COME HOME AFTER WORK AND, INSTEAD OF EATING A HEALTHY DINNER, YOU ATE A LARGE PIECE OF APPLE PIE WITH ICE CREAM. WHAT KIND OF APPEPITE FOR HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS FOOD WOULD YOU HAVE AFTERWARD? WITH ALL THAT SUGAR IN YOUR STOMACH, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL? WOULD YOU FEEL RE-ENERGIZED AND EAGER TO DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE? OR WOULD YOU FEEL TIRED AND SLUGISH AND READY TO WRITE OFF THE DAY AS LARGELY FINISHED?
YOU GET THE SAME RESULT WHEN YOU GO FOR A DRINK OR TWO AFTER WORK AND THEN COME HOME AND TURN ON THE TELEVISION. THESE ARE SIMPLY DIFFERENT FORSM OF "DESSERT" THAT LARGELY ELIMINATE YOUR ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING.'
PERHAPS THE WORST PART OF ALL IS THAT, WHATEVER YOU DO REPEADTEDLY SOON BECOMES A HABIT. AND A HABIT, ONCE FORMED, IS HARD TO BREAK. THE HABIT OF TAKING THE EASY WAY, DOING WHAT IS FUN AND ENJOYABLE, OR EATING DESSERT BEFORE DINNER BECOMES STRONGER AND STRONGER, AND IT LEADS INEVITABLY TO PERSONAL WEAKNESS, UNDERACHIEVEMENT, AND FAILURE.
THE HABIT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE
FORTUNATELY, YOU CAN DEVELOP THE HABIT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE. THE REGULAR PRACTICE OF DISCLINING YOURSELF TO DO WHT YOU SHOUD DO, WHEN YOU SHOULD DO IT, WHETHER YOU FEEL LIKE IT OR NOT BECOMES STRONGER AND STRONGER AS YOU PRACTICE IT. YOU REFUSE TO MAKE EXCUSES.
BAD HABITS ARE EASY TO FORM, BUT HARD TO LIVE WITH. GOOD HABITS ARE HARD TO FORM, BUT EASY TO LIVE WITH. AND AS GOETHE SAID, "EVERYTHIG IS HARD BEFORE IT'S EASY".
IT IS HARD TO FORM THE HABITS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE, SELF-MASTERY, AND SELF-CONTROL, BUT ONCE YOU HAVE DEVELOPED THEM, THEY BECOME AUTOMATIC AND EASY TO PRACTICE. WHEN THE HABTIS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE ARE FIRMLY ENTRENCHED IN YOUR BEHAVIOR, YOU START TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN YOU ARE NOT BEHAVING IN A SELF-DISCIPLINED MANNER.
THE BEST NEWS IS THAT ALL HABITS ARE LEARNABLE. YOU CAN LEARN ANY HABIT YOU NEED TO LEARN IN ORDER TO BECOME THE KIND OF PERSON THAT YOU WANT TO BECOME. YOU CAN BECOME IN EXCELLENT PERSON BY PRACTICING SELF-DISCIPLINE WHENEVER IS CALLED FOR.
EVERY PRACTICE OF SELF-DISCIPLINE STRENGTHEN EVERY OTHER DISCIPLINE. UNFORTUNATELY, EVERY WEAKNESS IN DISCIPLINE WEAKENS YOUR OTHER DISCIPLINES AS WELL.
TO DEVELOP THE HABIT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE, YOU FIRST MAKE A FIRM DECISION ABOUT HOW YOU WILL BEHAVE IN A PARTICULAR AREA OF ACTIVITY. YOU THEN REFUSE TO ALLOW EXCEPTIONS UNTIL THE HABIT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE IN THE AREA IS FIRMLY ESTABLIGHED. EACH TIME YOU SLIP, AS YOU WILL, YOU RESOLVE ONCE AGAIN TO KEEP PRACTICING SELF-DISCIPLINE UNTIL IT BECOMES EASIER FOR YOU TO HEHAVE IN DISCIPLINED WAY THAT TO BEHAVE IN AN UNDISCIPLINED WAY.
THE BIG PAYOFF
THE PAYOFF FOR DEVELOPING HIGH LEVELS OF SELF-DISCIPLINE IS EXTRORDINARY! THERE IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-DISCIPLINE AND SELF-ESTEEM.
* THE MORE YOU PRACTICE SELF-MASTERY AND SELF-CONTROL, THE MORE YOU LIKE AND VALUE YOURSELF.
* THE MORE YOU DISCIPLINE YOURSELF, THE GREATER IS YOUR SENSE OF SELF-RESPECT AND PERSONAL PRIDE.
* THE MORED YOU PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINE, THE BETTER IS YOUR SELF-IMAGE. YOU SEE YOURSELF AND THINK ABOUT YOURSELF IN A MORE POSITIVE WAY. YOU FEEL HAPPIER AND MORE POWERFUL AS A PERSON.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE HABIT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE ARE A LIFELONG TASK, ON ONGOING BATTLE. IT NEVER ENDS. THE TEMPTATION TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE AND THE EXPEDIENCY FACTOR LURK CONTINUALLY IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND. THEY ARE ALWAYS WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO POUNCE, TO LEAD YOU ASTRAY INTO DOING WHAT IS FUN, EASY, AND UNIMPORTANT RATHER THAN WHAT IS HARD, NECESSARY, AND LIFE-ENHANCING.
NAPOLEON HILL CONCLUDED HIS BESTSELLING BOOK OF THE SAME NAME BY SAYING THAT "SELF-DISCIPLINE IS THE MASTER KEY TO RICHES". SELF-DISCIPLINE IS THE KEY TO SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-RESPECT, AND PERSONAL PRIDE. THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-DISCIPLINE IS YOUR GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL EVENTUALLY OVERCOME ALL YOUR OBSTACLES AND CREATE A WONDERFUL LIFE FOR YOURSELF.
THE ABILITY TO PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINE IS THE REAL REASON WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE MORE SUCCESSFULAND HAPPY THAN OTHERS.
