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DISCIPLINE (JIM ROHN)

Of all the topics we have covered over the years, topics such as focusing
goals and manage time and personal development among others, the truth is that
There is none more important than the one we are going to discuss from this moment on:
We are going to carefully study the disciplines for success; the basic points.
to discover wealth and happiness, but before specifically studying these
basic points, let's see the most important key to the good life: The most important key
The important thing is not to learn how to set goals, it is not to learn how to manage your time.
or mastering the attributes of leadership. Every day in thousands of ways, people
like you and me, we try to improve ourselves by learning to do certain things; we
pasamos toda la vida acumulando conocimientos; acumulando conocimientos en
the classrooms, the books, and our own life experiences. Probably already
all of us have all the necessary information to achieve everything that
we want, we probably already have all the knowledge we need to
to become everything we want to be, but despite the knowledge that has been given to us
taken time to acquire, most of us do not reach our goals and
ambitions; we settle for a small fraction of what otherwise
we could have had despite the immense knowledge we have accumulated
throughout a lifetime. Now, if as someone said, knowledge is the
precursor of success, why do most of us fail to achieve our
objectives? Why, despite everything we know and despite our
collective experiences we wander aimlessly and we settle for a life of
existence instead of a life of substance? Although there may be answers for
this question, the basic and fundamental answer is the lack of disciplines to
apply everything we know: that is the key word: discipline. Moreover, it
we could add one more word to the word discipline; the other word is
constancy: CONSTANT DISCIPLINE.
Life is basically a process of accumulating knowledge and learning to apply it.
those skills in the world of life and business, but just like with
Everything newly learned, we must learn to use what we have learned. Better
that knowledge is applied knowledge, and once we have applied it
our knowledge, we must study the results of that process and then
analyze the results. If the results are poor, we must refine our
application of what we know and try again. Finally, if we try,
we observe, refine and re-treat, our knowledge invariably
it will produce valuable and admirable results, and with joy, the results of
our efforts, we continue to apply, refine, learn, and observe
until we find ourselves wrapped in a spiral of achievements and progress and the ecstasy of that
total experience results in a life of triumph over tragedy, boredom and
mediocrity, but for that whole process to be useful to us, we must first
master the art of discipline; of constant discipline. It requires effort.
constant and disciplined human to master the magic of setting goals or the
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results will be sporadic and evasive. A human effort is needed
constant and disciplined to truly manage our valuable time or
Our inconsistent attempts will find that our time is being stolen from us.
subtly those towards whom we feel obligated or whose demands
Unceasing ones are stronger than ours. Discipline is needed to do the
I try when this critical voice inside our own mind whispers to us the
painful consequences of a possible failure. Discipline is needed to admit
our mistakes and recognize our limitations. The voice of the human ego tells us
He speaks to everyone, signaling us to raise our value beyond what
that our results suggest we deserve. Discipline is needed to
to be totally honest with ourselves just as with others, because
certainly our results are sometimes so commonly insignificant that
we are exaggerating the truth to appear bigger in the eyes
of others. Be sure of one thing: every exaggeration of the truth once
detected by others, destroys our credibility and makes everything suspicious.
what we say and do. The tendency to exaggerate, adulterate, and even to not reveal the
truth, it is an innate part of all of us and only a total and disciplined attack
This trend can be overcome. Discipline is needed to plan. It is needed
disciplina para poner el Plan en acción. Se necesita disciplina para mirar con
objectivity of the results of our applied Plan and to discipline ourselves
the same to change our Plan or our method of putting the Plan into action if the
Results are poor. Discipline is needed to remain steadfast when the world
puts opinions at our feet and discipline is needed to reflect on
the values of the opinions of others when our pride and our arrogance
It makes us think that only we have the answers to our challenges.
personal. With this constant discipline, applied to every aspect of our lives,
we can discover countless miracles and uncover possibilities and
unique opportunities. With the discipline of reserving thirty minutes each day
to read or as we call it to exploit the treasure chest full of
books, we can find the answers to current and future questions and
program data in our mental computer, both logical and emotional
that enhance our values, sharpen our techniques, and refine our
sophistication. Now, if it is the magic thread of discipline that is interwoven
among all the worthy human actions, then what is that thing we call
discipline? A good answer to this question could be that discipline is the
constant human knowledge of the necessity of an action and a conscious act
ours to carry out that action. If our knowledge and our execution
they occur almost simultaneously, so we have begun to assess the sequence of
the disciplined human activity. If a considerable amount of time passes between the moment
to have knowledge and the moment of execution, then that is called
PROCRASTINATION, almost exactly the opposite of discipline. The inner voice
no dice: take action; discipline then says: do it now and do it the best you can
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they can, today, tomorrow and always until the worthy act finally comes to be
instinctive. The lack of resolution says: It doesn't matter later or it doesn't matter.
tomorrow or maybe when I have a moment. The lack of resolution also
do whatever is necessary to solve or to impress others; do what
what it can but not what it should. We are constantly facing those two
always present options. The option between the disciplined existence that produces
the fruits of achievement and satisfaction, or procrastination: the easy life in which
the future does not produce fruit, only the bare branches of mediocrity. The
the discipline's rewards lie in the future and are great; the rewards of
The lack of discipline is for today and is lesser compared to the rewards.
countless of the constant self-discipline, but most of us choose the
pleasures of the day instead of the fortunes of tomorrow. Certainly, the creator who
He is sitting on his distant throne and watching the lives of his human creation, he must
smile often at the madness of our actions. Maybe, even tells himself
the same words written by James Allen in his book 'As a Man Thinketh'
that's how his life is” which says: they cursed the effect, but fed the cost.
Now, let's carefully observe the discipline for the three steps on how to be
disciplined
Firstly: True discipline is not easy. Most people would have to
to admit that it is easier to sleep until ten than to get up until seven, is more
it's easy to stay up late, sleep late, arrive late, leave early, it's easier not to read,
it's easier to turn on the television than to turn it off, it's easier to just do it
necessary to do everything, waiting is always easier than acting, trying is a
an easier method than making it; wouldn't it be fascinating not to have to make the bed?
washing the dishes? or paying taxes?. It doesn't matter the reason; the system in which we
we found, it is designed to make easy things the least profitable and
The most lucrative seem to also be the most difficult. Life is and always will be
a battle between an easy life and its fleeting rewards and the life of
discipline and its most significant rewards. Each has its own price: the
the price of discipline or the price of regret. We pay one of the two. Choose.
disciplined life today; set aside ease and tranquility now and work
intelligently and for longer than most is painfully difficult. Its
friends are at the beach while you are sitting at your desk or at the
library; it's difficult, but if you make an effort, if you pay the price of discipline now,
you will find that future rewards are worth the price.
Now, for those who choose the easy life, for those who choose to move forward
no effort now and work later; for that great majority, the price will be
regret. Regret is when your friends say: I wish I had started earlier,
or the one who loses their job, or their family, or their health and the one who during the time of
tragedy and despair look back at what could have been or should have been
Sido, to what they would do if they had another chance. What we wish we had done is
the voice of sorrow speaking to us in a painful tone, at a moment when not
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you can’t go back; there is no second chance; there is no 'what if there were'
different fact......? Choose one or the other, but both will have a price: the price of
the discipline or the price of sorrow. One costs cents; the other, a fortune. Well,
we have suggested that the first lesson about discipline is that it is not easy. Now
the second one is coming.
Second: Discipline must be a full-time activity. We already said that
the best form of discipline is constant discipline. The discipline that
the discipline needed to make the bed every day is the same discipline needed to
to succeed in the business world. If we are willing to take on the
freedom to be disciplined in one aspect of life and undisciplined in another,
then the aspect in which we are undisciplined will wreak havoc that will destroy
our self-discipline in the aspects we have considered important. The
Constancy cannot be inconsistent. Discipline is the mind trained to
control our lives. Discipline is a set of rules that we have
selected as our personal code of conduct and it is our willingness to
impose the requirements on us to follow those rules. Once we have adopted
we are obliged to follow those norms of behavior and conduct, and if we do not
we do it, then there is no disciplined activity.
We are proclaiming our rules to our relatives, friends and
partners but living in an opposite way to what we have said; this leads to a
loss of credibility among those who observe our inconsistencies and still
most importantly, the lack of self-confidence and perhaps if there was something
worse than someone who applies their self-imposed disciplines without consistency would be
someone who has never considered the need or value of discipline.
It seems like they are wandering without direction, changing processes, changing rules, changing
loyalties often shift from one commitment to another, leaving a trail behind
of broken friendships, unfinished projects, and unfulfilled promises, all for a
a discipline that either did not exist or was imposed so infrequently that it was ineffective.
Well; now that we have determined that discipline is not an easy thing and that a
discipline by hours is not worth much, let's see the third step to learn to be a
disciplined person; this third step is not meant to be about learning, but
which is supposed to be one of the unique promises of life: it is one of the
principles covered in our seminar: Challenge to Triumph and said in one
The phrase simply says: For every disciplined effort, there is a reward.
multiple; that is one of the great dispositions of life; it is like the law of
sow and reap; furthermore, it is an extension of the biblical law that says that if you
If you plant well, you will harvest well. One effort; a disciplined effort in the
spring, in the season of opportunities will produce a reward in the
autumn. Now, the extraordinary part of the law of sowing and harvesting is the
next: It not only suggests that we will all reap what we have sown,
it also suggests that we will harvest much more; if you sow a rate of wheat in the
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spring, the law says that it will have a ton of wheat in the autumn if it had the
discipline to protect their crops during the hot summer season.
Life is full of laws that govern and explain human behavior,
but this could well be the main law that is worth studying and knowing about
background: For every disciplined effort, a multiple reward. If you lend a
extraordinary service, your reward will be multiplied, if it is just and honorable and
the patient with others will multiply their reward and if they give more than they expect
receive, your reward is more than what you expect; but remember the key word here,
As one can imagine, it is discipline.
Everything valuable requires care and attention; the child requires discipline; a
constant and firm discipline during their early years or sporadic teachings
and contradictory actions of well-intentioned parents will create confusion and a
unpredictable behavior.
Our thoughts require discipline, because if left alone they will wander aimlessly.
hope as if they were lost in a maze; and remember, thoughts
confusing, produce confusing results. Discipline is needed to change a
habit; habits, once acquired, become a giant cable, a
almost untamable human instinct that only long-term disciplined activity
it can change; we must unravel each strand of the cable of habit, slowly and
methodically until the cable that kept us enslaved at one time, now is
it turns into dispersed branches of the cable. The constant application of a
new discipline; a more desirable discipline to overcome a less desirable one; and
Remember the law: for every disciplined effort, a multiple reward.
Learn the discipline of writing a card or a letter to a friend. Learn the
discipline of paying bills on time or arriving on time or using your time in a
most effective way. Learn the discipline of paying attention or paying your taxes
or pay yourself. Learn the discipline of meeting regularly with your
partners, or with their spouse or with their children or with their parents. Learn the discipline
to learn everything I can learn or to teach everything I can teach or
read everything I can read. For every discipline, a multiple reward; for each
book new knowledge; for every success a new zeal, for every challenge, a new
understanding, for every failure a new determination. Life is like that. Even the
bad experiences in life provide their special contribution, but one
word of warning here for those who neglect the need to care for and
attend to the disciplines of life: Everything has its price, everything affects another person.
Neglect your own discipline and you will have to pay a price. All things of value
will become taken for granted with the passage of just a little time. To that,
we call it the law of familiarity. Without the discipline of paying constant attention and
Daily, all things become vulnerable. Act seriously; life is not
an essay. If you are listening to this tape while getting ready for bed and you have
the tendency to throw your clothes on a chair instead of hanging them in the closet, has
caution: it could indicate a lack of discipline, and remember, the lack of discipline in the
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small things in life can cost a lot in important matters of
life. He cannot set his company in order until he learns to apply the
discipline to organize your own garage; you cannot be impatient with your children and be
patient with their distributors or employees; may have difficulty telling them to
others who work more, sell more, when that instruction is contradictory to their
their own conduct. They cannot admonish others to read good books, when
you do not have a library card. Look around you right now: what
could be doing that requires attention, that needs a new discipline, a
new commitment or a new decision? Remember that this job is not
supposed to be for entertainment. Life is too valuable for you
let good ideas be taken lightly, or as if words or the
questions were directed at another person. Perhaps at this very moment, you
listening to ideas about self-discipline while driving in traffic and playing the
horn impatiently because the one in front is not moving
fast enough. Maybe he is sitting alone listening, just because
Have you had a disagreement with someone you care about or who cares about you and your anger?
he doesn't let him talk to that person; wouldn't this be an ideal moment to examine the
the need for a new discipline on forgiveness or patience with necessity
that another person can have time to grow and find themselves? Such
you are about to give up, or start over, or get to work
something and the only missing ingredient for its incredible success story is a
new and self-imposed discipline that will make him stay longer, to try
with more determination, to work more intensely than he thought possible; and remember:
The greatest, the most valuable form of discipline is the one you impose on yourself.
same. Don't wait for things to deteriorate so drastically that someone has to
that imposing discipline on his life. That would be tragic. How could he explain that
Does another person have a better opinion of you than you have of yourself?
why someone forced him to get up early and be at the market, when
I would have been satisfied sleeping late and letting success go to someone else.
What is appreciated more than you appreciate yourself. Your life, my life, each person's life.
about us on this spinning blue and white planet, will serve as a warning or of
example. A warning about the consequences of abandonment, compassion for
itself or the lack of direction or ambition or an example of talent well
taken advantage of self-imposed discipline and clearly perceived objectives
intensely pursued. The material we will address together and the discipline for the
success is the best that one could have achieved during a lifetime; the foundations of the
wealth and happiness are exactly what the name implies: foundations; but
remember: great ideas and insights, unless combined with the
disciplined human activity is nothing more than that: ideas and insights; jewels
philosophical thoughts that have little practical value. In the end, when it ceases to
conversation or when the training classes are over or when it has been
putting the book back on the shelf, his own discipline will be the catalyst
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magical that gives substance and depth to their plans and dreams. In the ideas that
these are the key to a good life, the foundations for success, happiness
and pride in their own magnificent achievements. Once you have captured these
ideas, these new insights, will require their own discipline to create the
basic fundamentals and their own instinctive reactions to challenges and
opportunities of life. The last question: It can't be, if it's going to
to appropriate the fundamental disciplines; the question is: When.......?
With the intense and constant application of worthwhile disciplines;
us; You and I, those we know and whom we can influence;
we have the individual and collective capacity to change ourselves
same; our tickets, our attitudes, our lifestyle and our
effect on other people; we can change opinions and we can change from
direction; we can change leadership; we can even change the direction of
Our nation; we have the opportunity, we have the capacity, we have the
answers and we have the ability. The elements are there, including freedom
to make the attempt or not to make it. Only discipline is missing and that element and the decision
to use it, lie within each of us. The choice is ours, the
the moment is now, if not us, who and if not now, when........