Discipline Is A Decision In Advance That Is Non-Negotiable

I haven't done any real intense exercise in quite some time. So there I was, out of shape and yet knowledgeable about working out. I walked in and got my hands wrapped. I had my boxing gloves with me. There were more people than bags so we doubled up. I was doubled with a guy in his mid twenties. The instructor was an imposing looking guy, but with a good attitude.

The music stated we ran around the gym area for 4 laps and then did some push ups and other warm up activities for about 10 minutes. We then put on our gloves and started to throw jabs and hooks while the theme for Rocky was blaring throughout the gym. We would stop and do some more push ups and run around a few laps sideways and switching from left to right, from clockwise to counter clockwise. The instructor's voice ringing out over the music, right jab, left hook, move to the right, move to the left! Good Job! Stop! Push ups, squats etc...

About 25 minutes of this, I was done, but I kept going, not as strong but pushing myself over and over again. I kept hearing in my head a little voice saying "don't quite keep going just keep at it." I paced myself but I went through the entire class. The sweat was beading down my forehead; my sweatshirt was soaked in sweat. I thought wow; I must have some will, because I would have quit 2 years ago.

In my pain and struggle to keep up I knew one thing and that was "You sometimes have to go through the darkness to get into the light." Today I am soar from top to bottom, but it is the dues one has to pay for the neglect that one had practiced. This is one of the challenges that I have decided to discipline myself to. The excuses are over; the bar has been raised; now it is up to me to raise my standards and the will to do it!

To sculpt you have to chip at it. Many years ago I spoke to and interviewed many of these competitive body builders. Let me tell you something, these people have discipline second to none. When they go to the gym they have the picture of exactly what they want to take away and what their goals are. They get into the zone and boy there is no coming back, there are no excuses and there are no apologies. They are focused like a laser. They are knowledgeable about what they are doing and are incredibly successful at getting what they want.

In interviewing a lady competitor by the name of Hannie Van Akin (I think that is the way it is spelt) she laid out her day as 2 hours in the morning of aerobic exercise, 2 hours of weight training every other day, with 3 hours of cardio/aerobic exercise each night. That in a way is extreme, but she wanted to be a professional competitor and when she is in training that was the amount work she was willing to do, to make it. Now not all the competitors worked out with similar training routines, they all vary. The key is the will to do it! Would you say that Hannie has discipline?

It is the same discipline for a Master Violinist or for a Master Teacher, or Meditator. You have to have the will to do it. You have to live by the discipline you wish to establish. You might say it is a decision that is made in advance without negotiation. The voices in your head that say don't bother, needs to be silenced by the voice that is screaming out DO IT!

My thought is that the stronger the will the stronger the discipline. It is how one approaches the discipline that will affect the result. Discipline is like a muscle. It needs to be worked on and hammered into shape. The resolve will come with each day of practice. With each day comes an opportunity to do better, to feel better, and to see your life in a better light.

Some people say "the will has nothing to do with anything" but I believe the will does have something to do with it. Whether will or not it is still your will. You can use it or lose it; it is simply a matter of choice.

My questions to you are: what are you willing to do to improve your life?" What one discipline will help you move toward the person you want to be? When will you start that discipline?

You are all powerful and divine so implement your disciplines and you will find that person that you want to become.

One discipline a month becomes a habit, in a year you can have 12 new disciplines, 12 opportunities to improve. So why not now! Exercise the will to do it and it will happen for you, just another opportunity that cost nothing but your willingness to apply and get started.

Write that letter, talk to those people, read that book or exercise that body, just have the will to do it and take the action to get it done. Discipline is a decision made in advance that is non-negotiable.

John Tebar CLC, Entrepreneur, Author sign up for free newsletter at http://holisticlifeplanningandresearch.com