Discipline As a Tool For Success

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment”. 

                                                                                                                 By Jim Rohn

The above quotation is written by an American entrepreneur and motivational speaker. This quote suddenly came into my mind today when I called my mom to give her birthday wishes. I looked at the clock, it was 10.30 AM. One thing was there in my mind that she might not take the call as it is her prayer time and the same thing happened too. When I called her for the second time, she happily picked up the call and mentioned that I was expecting your call ‘Beta’ (Beta is a Hindi word for a son or daughter). Then our conversation moved to discuss the value of time, its management, discipline, and many other things. But here I just wanted to focus on the word ‘discipline’ because the moment she made a statement, "I am happy that all my children are disciplined and they value everything I taught them and that could be the reason behind their happiness and success." Trust me, the tone of her voice depicts she’s so relaxed for her children. 

It is rightly said that successful people have a disciplined life and vice versa. It is not necessary that a person achieve all of the goals he or she sets out to achieve. There is always a gap between the goal and the desired outcome that must constantly be filled with discipline. Therefore, it is important to have clarity and a specific purpose while defining the goal. The achievement of goals gives us a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. A person who is committed to achieving his objectives will inevitably lead a disciplined life. Nobody has self-control by nature, but the concentrated mind can practice over time. As the mind has infinite power.

Being successful in life implies having success in both professional and personal lives, refrain from limiting yourself to studies or extracurricular activities, without putting your health and relationships at risk. One can achieve all these only with discipline. A very good example is from the founder of Apple Inc., Mr. Steve Jobs, who was a hard-core believer in maintaining self-discipline and letting his team focus on the same philosophy. 

Another instance is from the former President of India, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, during his speech at the inaugural ceremony of the centennial celebration of FBGI, Mumbai, India (Franciscan Brothers’ Group of Institutions). "Discipline decides the future of students who would contribute towards nation-building." In another speech, he mentioned that we cannot safeguard our democratic freedom and achieve economic prosperity without discipline. Moreover, a famous tweet by business magnate and investor Elon Musk says, " Discipline leads to habits." Habits lead to consistency. "Consistency leads to growth" and also shows that growth is dependent upon discipline. 

Discipline is a useful skill to achieve success, and it is expected that everyone must possess this unique quality. One can measure success based on their aspirations and achievements. Discipline gives people the guidelines they need to lead productive lives. When you live a disciplined life, you may sacrifice little things now for a better life afterward. Therefore, it is rightly said that discipline is the key to success and acts as a bridge between goals and accomplishment.