Aristotle said, ‘You are what you repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. If you are a
Self-Leader you’ll apply yourself conscientiously to being who you’ve chosen to be and to what
you have decided to achieve. If you want to know what choices you have
already subconsciously made just look at what you are doing and what you
are not doing. It’s simple. You are what you do.
Be clear about what’s important to you
You can only make good decisions if you know what your priorities
are. Take time to work out what your own goals are, and how you want to
prioritize. List both your personal and professional goals and work
backwards from there.
Work backwards from your goals
Imagine yourself at a time in the future when you have achieved what
you want to. What is it like? Who is there? What are they saying? Then
work backwards from that point and notice what were the major obstacles
you overcame, the key people that helped you.
This exercise can inform you as to where to focus and where some of those difficult decisions might be.
Short term pain vs long term gain
Don't live in the moment and want to enjoy everything now make sacrifices for your future. For
example, the credit card culture has replaced saving up for luxuries,
and the media preys on the millennial generation’s desire for instant
gratification.
Learn the practice of taking a moment to think before taking action. The short term pain might be worth it.
Self discipline is critical to effective leadership
Practicing self-discipline is a choice. Incorporating self-discipline
into your lifestyle starts by developing good habits. Know your
personal and professional priorities, know when the short term pain is
worth the long term gain, practice the self discipline you have
developed, and those who are around you (your team, direct reports, your
boss, friends and family) will want to follow.
Set your own standards. It’s said that you are the average of the 5
people you spend the most time with. Generally this means you come down
to the level of others. Choose to rise above it. Choose your attitude
and choose your values. Successful people surround themselves with can
do, optimistic people and you can do the same. Go find some.
Many people feel that they lack self-discipline in certain areas and they often assume that, “That’s just the way I am.”
Are some leaders born with natural qualities and abilities that make
self-discipline easy for them? It may be true that there are such things
as natural born leaders, however most leaders are made by hard work and
self-development.
The fact is that YOU can develop whatever leadership styles and
qualities that you consider desirable and necessary. For some people it
will be easier, and for others it will take more time and effort. But
each person has the inborn ability to shape his or her character and
personality in a positive way by being clear about his or her future
intent and determined enough to press forward through the difficulties,
resistance, and setbacks.
