Our drive for success and a sense of accomplishment motivate us to strive toward new heights. If success didn't bring us gratification, we wouldn't spend years studying to master our professions or decades on the job perfecting our craft. But as a society, it's evident not everyone reaches success (or even comes close to it, for that matter).
Some believe that acquiring the wealth of Elon Musk, Bill Gates or other dominant multi-billionaires indicates success. Others may counter that true success comes from satisfying one's personal goals and discovering the art of happiness. But before we dive into factors that drive success, let's re-consider the multi-faceted concept of success.
What Is Success?
Many dictionaries define success as achieving something you set out to achieve — something that brings you joy and happiness. Yet although you can find success in a standard dictionary, many will argue that success is a word you can't define.
How can you define success if the idea of success is different for everyone? For example, success for you could entail reaching the ranks of Executive Vice President at a Fortune 500 company or being labeled a top marketing company. However, success for your significant other could mean raising a family in an all-American house with a white picket fence. But no matter what your idea of "success" is, one fact remains: You need discipline.
Why Is Discipline So Crucial to Professional Success?
Successful entrepreneurs and professional athletes have one thing in common: discipline. Let's consider the case of an Olympian high jumper. The average Olympian starts practicing between the ages of 2 and 5. However, a professional high jumper doesn't peak until they reach 26 — the point at which they're most likely to bring home a highly-sought-after Olympic medal.
Now, considering an athlete starts training before they can say their ABCs and doesn't peak until their mid-20s, a lot of commitment is required to reach this level of professional sports.
A 20-something high jumper will have experienced various hardships throughout their career before reaching the world stage. Whether it's coming in at second place to their biggest component or failing to make the qualifiers, setbacks are inevitable. But in spite of these setbacks, discipline keeps them moving forward.
Discipline Is a Muscle.
Discipline describes one's hard work over a course in time — not a specific or predetermined point. Many people describe discipline as a muscle that grows over time with the habit of repetition. Of course, discipline isn't a physical muscle by any means. You won't find it in your anatomy textbook, at any rate. Yet despite discipline's absence from the body's six major muscle groups, it does indeed function similarly to a real muscle.
The concept known as "muscle memory" helps stimulate muscle growth. The more arm curls you do, the stronger your biceps will become. This strength comes from routine and productivity. Think back to our example of the Olympian high jumper. The high jumper quite literally develops muscle while flexing discipline as they progress toward their goals. They also follow a schedule to help them achieve maximum productivity in all activities they complete.
Leaders Must Put Their Discipline Muscle to Work.
Flexing your discipline muscle isn't easy, and calling it fun would be a stretch. However, becoming disciplined isn't something you achieve overnight. Let's pretend you want to seize the day by waking up at 5 a.m. instead of 8. But you're a night owl, so waking up early doesn't come easy. Waking up at 7 for a few weeks can help ease you into your new routine. By waking up at 7, you're making progress, even though you haven't crossed the finish line.
After a few weeks, take the plunge and set your alarm for 5. Waking up three hours earlier than you're used to might be a challenge at first, but as they say, "practice makes perfect." Every time you wake up at 5, your transition from a night owl to an early bird will become all that much easier.
Reassess Your Current Habits.
We know our habits like the back of our hands. Becoming disciplined means reassessing your habits and changing your habits in a way that serves you better. Instead of taking the elevator to your office floor, choose the stairs instead.
Mixing up your routine, even if it's as trivial as taking the stairs over an elevator, helps you come out of your comfort zone and can make you more open to new ideas and adaptations in your work. Plus, reaching out of your comfort zone helps you develop discipline and walk away from stagnation.
Here's the Bottom Line.
People sometimes equate discipline with a negative: Children often do, for example. But the more disciplined we are in specific areas, the more we accomplish. The more disciplined we are with our time, the more time we have; the more disciplined we are with our money, the more money we'll have; the more disciplined we are with our exercise and diet, the better health we'll have.
Discipline is an attribute that comes with patience, persistence, and practice. Becoming disciplined means breaking out of your old habits and overcoming self-imposed obstacles. It means taking risks and not being afraid to stray away from the norm. The more disciplined you are, the more you can accomplish and the more success you'll achieve.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
