I was spending too much time customizing my blog. I have to write something, then I wondered about what to write about, but I then thought it is going to waste my time to overthink about this practice of writing. So, I decide to continue my writing practice: copy the work of others.
If previously I used to do it by handwriting, today I will practice it here. I’ ve been reading a book, it’s a self-improvement book: No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline by Brian Tracy. I will choose some chapters I liked.
The Habit of Self-Discipline
Fortunately, you can develop the habit of self-discipline. The regular practice of disciplining yourself to what you should 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, “Everything 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 habits of self-discipline are firmly entrenched in your behavior, you start to feel uncomfortable when you are not behaving in a self-discipline 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 an excellent person by practicing self-discipline whenever it is called for.
Every practice of self-discipline strengthens every other discipline. Unfortunately, every weakness in 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 that area is firmly established. Each time you slip, as you will, you resolve once again to keep practicing self-discipline until it becomes easier for you to behave in a disciplined way than to behave in an undisciplined way. (page 30—31)
The Big Pay Off
The payoff for developing high levels of self-discipline is extraordinary! 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 values yourself;
- The more you discipline yourself, the greater is your sense of self-respect and personal pride;
- The more 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 life long task, an 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 reason why some people are more successful and happy than others. (page 32—33)
Vocabulary
Expediency (noun): the quality of being suited to the end in view (Ind: kemanfaatan)
Lurk (verb): lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner (Ind: mengintai)
Pounce (verb): move down on as if in an attack (Ind: menerkam)
Astray (adverb): away from the right path or direction
to lead you astray: untuk menyesatkan Anda: Ind)
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