I am currently doing a course called Positive Psychology: Character, Grit and Research Methods with Angela Duckworth out of University of Pennsylvania. One of the studies she facilitated was how self-discipline was a bigger predictor of academic success than IQ in Grade 8 students.
She mentions that talent gives you one point and effort gives you two points.
Such an interesting concept. I am also watching The Last Dance with Michael Jordan and his talent is unmistakable, but his work ethic is something to see. Never stopped practicing. He succeeded because of the games he lost and the baskets he missed. He learned from those experiences and grew.
Self-discipline encompasses so much in our lives. It touches the goals we set, the things we want to accomplish in a day, in a season, in a career, in a lifetime. It affects what we do with our body, what we feed ourselves, what we choose to do with our spare time.
And it is a muscle we can grow. It is something we all have. What we focus on gets bigger.
What is one thing we can do to let our self-discipline shine? Can we decide to do five pushups a day until we can do six? Can we choose to read five pages a day until the book is finished?
With so many things out of our control right now, what is one thing in our lives we will choose to take the reins on? And how might it change our today and our tomorrow?