Let’s be honest… discipline is just not a fun or sexy word!

But maybe it’s time to change our mindset on discipline because it might just be the one thing holding you back from reaching ANY of our goals.

With six months until my 38^th birthday I set a goal to both look and feel my best (necessary steps in actually doing and becoming your best) and with that goal came an up leveling on my commitment to both my nutrition and exercise habits.

And everything was going fine with a successful trip to Whole Foods to stock up on healthy foods and new Athleta outfit to keep me inspired…UNTIL dear friends who I haven’t seen in awhile invited me out to a fabulous dinner date on a Tuesday night.

But it isn’t the fun, food, or wine (none of which were part of my plan) that I want to focus on here, because although that night provided all the excuses I would normally need to break the promise I made to myself, I woke up Wednesday morning and knew that NO MATTER what I HAD to make it into Orange Theory and get back on track with my nutrition goals.

WHY was this so important?

Because the push back we get internally (and then sometimes physically) is really just asking us ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO CHANGE? ARE YOU SURE YOU REALLY WANT TO REACH THAT GOAL?

That’s why Wednesday could have turned into Thursday, which would have waited ’til the weekend and then slide into Sunday before MAYBE starting again next Monday.

It’s the “thinking” part of our conscious mind that makes the initial commitment, but it’s the “emotional” part of our subconscious mind that has to change our daily habits to actually see it through.

And if you have set a big enough goal that means your subconscious mind cannot rely on the current conditions and plans it’s used to. Everything must change and change ESPECIALLY to your subconscious mind is uncomfortable.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” Hebrews 12:11

So when I basically dragged myself into that Orange Theory class and forced myself to press through I was solidifying the promise I made to myself and taking the next step to change the programming necessary to support me in reaching my goals.

Think about it this way…what if you had a “friend” that every time they asked to make plans they never actually showed up…eventually you wouldn’t even THINK of starting to go through the preparation of having to jump in the shower and then the mental prep in having to actually blow dry your hair (ok maybe that part is just me)

But the point is — you would not go through the work in changing because you did not believe they were actually going to come through. You would stay in your comfy sweats, stick with your ice cream and curl up on the couch with your pups (ok again, maybe just me)

I’m here to tell you NO MATTER what goal you have set, repeat after me-

They require you to change the current habits of your life which isn’t always fun. And they ask you to show your loyal (yet lazy) subconscious mind that you REALLY mean business no matter what you did/did not do in the past…

…and the only way to ACTUALLY get what you really want is to push through with consistent (aka excuse free) disciplined action.

I know someone reading this right now feels like they are never going to reach their goals. Maybe it’s health, maybe it’s financial, maybe it’s within your profession or even in a relationship.

Whatever “it is” PLEASE READ THIS >>

I get it! Right now your dreams seem so far away that you lack the faith in ever getting there. You’re not sure if you have the energy (let alone the discipline) you need to even come close. It feels like it would just be so much easier to give up…and truth is– it would…BUT don’t allow your well intentioned protective subconscious mind to give up before it even has the chance to change and succeed!

Stay disciplined in what you CAN do today and stay faithful daily with that…What if today you just focused on what you already knew to do?  Instead of trying to change in 100 different ways (all at once), you just did better 1% every day for 100 days.

I know you can do it! And the goals/gifts that you are meant to share will absolutely help others.

You don’t need a smaller dream you just need a higher level of discipline. So the next time you want to sleep in, turn down, or stand yourself up in reaching your goals.

FOCUS YOUR MIND AND THEN TAKE ACTION ON THIS…

“Be strong and courageous. DO THE WORK” 1 Chronicles 28:20 [emphasis by me]

You’ve already ben promised the outcome you want…the DISCIPLINE is just the measure of our ability to give ourself a command and follow through.

In the comments below share the one thing that you are committing to develop more discipline in.