The first step on the ladder of change is dissatisfaction, which I wrote about in my last post. Now, let’s take the next step toward achieving a positive outcome.
The second factor is Discipline. Here’s where wishful thinking becomes purposeful action. Discipline drives you to do what you must and when you must, whether you feel like it or not. Discipline gets you to the gym on a rainy Sunday afternoon. It’s what forces you to pick up the phone and call prospects every day. Discipline is that little drill sergeant in your head that says, "Drop and give me 20" when you’re ready to cave in and devour that slice of cheesecake or say "yes" when you really mean "no".
And it’s not a new concept. Over a century ago, Albert Hubbard defined discipline as, "The ability to make yourself do the things you should do, when you should do them, whether you feel like it or not."
Discipline, combined with dissatisfaction, is the free will to choose your pain. Stay at a job that is frustrating and unfulfilling or make the effort to find new opportunities and endure the rejection involved in finding the right match.
The decision to change happens in an instant. What follows is a process that requires the discipline to see it through to the end. Discipline is the difference between "quitting" for a month (which is a pause, not a change) and quitting for good!
You will spend your life in one of two pain zones: The Pain of Discipline or the Pain of Regret. If you choose discipline, recognize that the pain can go on for a while but there will be a positive outcome on the other side. Then ask yourself how long you will experience regret if you don’t change.
Put them on the scale. Discipline weighs ounces. Regret weighs a ton!