Discipline is a funny character, as the results of having or not having discipline are seldom seen in the immediate time frame that we experience. I often use the example of maintaining a car. If I choose to forego changing the oil in the car – the results are not immediate. You may drive the car for 50,000 miles before bad things happen. The lack of discipline to stay on the schedule for oil changes will catch up to you.
If you choose to not brush your teeth for several days – your teeth will not fall out immediately – but over time with continued lack of discipline for brushing your teeth will end up costing you your dental health. In fact if you choose not to practice any skill, it may not show up right away – I am sure you can think of many examples – but eventually you will suffer the consequences of not being your best or losing something that may have had some level of importance to you.
Discipline though will enable you to do the small things that do not have immediate rewards so that you can achieve the bigger dream. It may be skill based, sports, musical instrument or it may be in math or the sciences. Whatever the arena, our willingness to train ourselves to do what needs to be done – when it needs to be done will ultimately pay off in our meeting our goals, and being productive at the highest level.
The opposite – the lack of discipline will lead us to procrastinate, play and flit around from one idea to another – but it will never bring us the satisfaction of mastery of any skill or ideal.
Carefully cultivate your character with Discipline.