Understanding discipline and the efficiency curve

Elbert Hubbard defined discipline as, “The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”

Success in any area requires lots of discipline. Self-discipline, self-mastery, and self control are the basic building blocks of character and high performance.

Single handle every task and don’t stop until you have finished. Once you start working on any task, you develop a sense of forward momentum if you keep at it-kinda like you in the zone. You start to become energized and excited and motivated to keep at it until the task is complete.

The more you discipline yourself to working non-stop on a single task, the more you move down the “efficiency curve”. You basically start to get more and more quality work done in less and less time. However, each time you stop working you break the cycle and move back up the curve to where it seems every part of the task is more difficult and time consuming-stay in the “zone” and avoid any distractions.

Persistence is actually self-discipline in action. The more you discipline yourself to persist on completing a major task, the more you like and respect yourself, and the higher your self-esteem will be. The opposite is also true if you think about it. The more you like and respect yourself, the easier it is to discipline yourself to persist even more. Starting a high priority task and persisting with it until it is complete is the true test of your character, your willpower, and your resolve.

By focusing clearly on your number one task and concentrating single-mindedly on it until it is 100% complete, you actually shape and mould your won character. You become stronger, more competent, and more confident which also increases your happiness. You begin to feel more powerful and productive. You will also eventually feel capable of setting and achieving any goal. You place yourself on an ascending spiral of personal effectiveness and efficeincy.

Remember the key to all this is for you to determine the most valuable and most important thing for you to do at any moment and then, as Brian Tracy says, “Eat that frog!”

Increase your productivity

Have you ever noticed that all successful people are very productive?

They work longer hours and they work better hours. They are very organised. They also get a lot more done and accomplished than the average person. They get paid more and also get up the corporate ladder faster. They are highly respected and esteemed by everyone around them. They become leaders and role models. Inevitably, they rise to the top of their fields and to the top of their income ranges, and so can you.

Remember that everything is learnable. The proven strategies for managing your time and doubling your productivity is learnable through practice and repetition. Eventually these proven methods will become unconscious habits of both thinking and working.

Once applied, these techniques will have a tremendous impact on your life. Your self-esteem, self- confidence, self respect, and your sense of personal pride will go up immediately. The payoff will be remarkable.

Make a decision!

Every positive change in your life begins with a clear, unequivocal decision that you are going to do something or stop doing something. Real change only starts when you decide to get in or get out-there is no in between or half measures.

Decisiveness is one of the most important qualities of successful people and it is developed by practice and repetition until it is as natural to you as breathing in and out.

The sad fact is that people are overweight because they have not decided to be fit and lean. People are inefficient time wasters because they have not yet decided to be highly productive in everything they do.

Decide today that you are going to become an expert in time management and personal productivity, no matter how long it takes, just make the decision and follow through. You can start immediately by holding your feet to the fire by resolving to start earlier, work harder, and stay later. You will be amazed with the results if you keep at it. Learn and practice these techniques until they become habits.

Happy Birthday to me!

 

Yup - I have officially entered the back end of my mid-twenties and really looking forward to it especially after the many personal experiences and insights I have had over the past few years. Things can only get better.

Anyway, this next year I have decided to finally enter the blogosphere which was a long time coming…still doing lots of research and reading to get my blogging knowledge up to speed. So continue to watch this space in the future as I will be depositing tons of useful stuff!