Discipline, they say, is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.
It is the single most important ingredient in our 'becoming'.....and becoming
is what life is all about.....at least that's my view....more than my view, in fact.....my
obsession. Becoming better. Becoming more.
The only trouble is, I lack discipline. I fight to set myself goals and
some days I achieve them. But then there are days I can't stand to hear the
word. Some days I just want to live free...no constraints, no artificially
imposed standards of behaviour, nothing I don't absolutely want to do in the
moment. And it's then that I live 'free.'
But the consequences are heavy. I see my 'becoming' fade even further
into the distance. I see that elusive version of myself slowly drifting asea,
further and further from my grasp....and 'becoming' becomes an even more
painful reality. And I wonder if it's even worth it. After all, what's all the
fuss about? At worst, I remain who or what I am...and I'm not such a bad
version of me right now, am I?
It's called rationalization. Trouble is, it works for some.....not for
me.
It leaves me forlorn....downright unhappy. So I keep at it. I don't
always keep the daily routines that lead to discipline, and so I don't always
make the big goals. I'm not as consistent as I ought to be. But I put something
into everyday...because I know that everyday counts towards my 'becoming' who I
want to be...
But be careful now...setting and not meeting goals can be the easiest
way to demotivate yourself. So be gentle with yourself. Discipline is
important. Consistency is critical. But you may want to go easy on the 'big
hairy audacious goals' sometimes. I like the small achievable ones. The ones
that build self-confidence...little by little. The ones that don't quite
stretch you yet....the results are not usually very noticeable but that's okay.
It's that little extra that makes the difference.
So if you find that you have not been meeting the goals you've set
yourself on your way to becoming more, maybe you need to step back a little.
It's your race. Your pace. It need not be a sprint. Slow progress is better
than no progress. Consistent slow progress is fine...much better than 'big,
hairy, audacious goals' met once in a while. Keep at it!
