Listen, I don't want to waste your time, so I'll make this quick.
I want to share the unbelievably powerful secret to becoming a more self-disciplined man that you can start applying almost immediately. It's what some of the world's most determined and driven men have, and that you may have been doing wrong all along.
Here's the secret that turns Lieutenants into Generals, and amateurs into pros:
A man's success abounds when his discipline compounds.
That's it! You can go back to whatever other unproductive thing you were about to do...
...or, you can take a minute and twenty-seven seconds to get this in your brain housing! (as my Gunnery Sergeants would say)
Some of the richest and most successful men in the world understand the power of compounding interest. When confronted with the dilemma of taking a 3 million dollar prize or a single penny in an account that doubles in value each day for 31 days, those men ALWAYS take the penny!
But why!?
Because when that small, insignificant penny compounds, it ends up being worth over $10 million! The same thing applies to self-discipline. Success abounds when discipline compounds.
This is by far one of the most powerful secrets to becoming a more reliable, tenacious and gritty man.
Best of all, the compound effect is simple and can be acted on immediately. Go ahead and try it for yourself! Small and seemingly insignificant choices made on a daily basis will accumulate over time to help you become a more self-disciplined man.
There's even a formula for the skeptics that won't believe. Daren Hardy talks about it extensively in his book the Compound Effect. He puts it this way,
“Small, Smart Choices + Consistency + Time = RADICAL DIFFERENCE."
Pretty good, right? But here’s where this secret really gets its power...
When small changes help you become more self-disciplined in one area of your life, they create a synergy that ripples across other areas of your life where you can benefit from being more self-disciplined!
This ripple effect is why the same man who habitually reads for 30 minutes every day can more easily build the discipline to spend less money, pray more often or exercise more regularly.
Trust me, as a Marine Corps Officer with over a decade of living and breathing this stuff, I can attest that self-discipline carries with it the potential for generating a snowball effect of positive change across ALL areas of your life.
Now, here's where I’ve seen a lot of men, (and I mean, A LOT!) get into trouble:
They underappreciate that the accumulation of anything works both ways. What do I mean? Men who overeat and struggle with their weight and men who overspend and struggle with their finances all got there by making small and seemingly insignificant choices over time.
And those choices in the wrong direction often have a ripple effect across other areas of their lives.
Men also tend to fail at becoming more self-disciplined because they rely on fickle feelings of motivation to make some giant changes to their lives. You know exactly what I'm talking about...
..the heavy smoker that wants to work on his fitness runs to a nutrition store to buy protein, signs up for the platinum gym membership pass, and hits the gym hard 7 days a week. He never makes it to week three!
Listen, it's small changes in the right direction that builds consistency and momentum.
This is what leads to new habits that can be maintained for a long time. This stuff is no secret to four-star generals, presidents, and high-performing athletes around the world. And now it's no secret to you!
If you want to become more self-disciplined, think small!
What area of your life do you want to become more self-disciplined in?
Faith
Finance
Fitness
Professional
Good stuff! I like that formula. I think that a sense of purpose and mission also helps us as men to be more disciplined. Like you said "feelings" of motivation will only help us out for so long before they fizzle out.