[April 18, 2022] Discipline is very very difficult. You don’t get discipline from your parents, your grandparents, from your Drill Sergeant. You don’t get discipline from your job, boss, or spouse. You get discipline from yourself. It matters not where you come from, who you are, your gender, race, background, and the lot; it matters not.
If you want to blame others for not teaching you discipline, you have failed yourself because what they do for you is irrelevant. As long as you count on others to instill discipline in you, you will never have it.
“There is only one kind of discipline, perfect discipline.” – George Patton
I’ve seen highly disciplined Soldiers who were raised by all sorts of parents, those without rules in the household, pot and liquor in every cabinet, one parent, no parents, abusive and loving people in their lives. Do they make a difference? Yeah, but ultimately it is the individual who must decide to take ownership of their life and commit to carrying a heavy load of responsibilities that matters. Discipline is a voluntary choice.
Jocko Willink says it bluntly, “If you want to be more disciplined, get after it.”1 Do those things that you know will make you better, and don’t do those things that make you weak, resentful, or ignorant. Start doing those things now that make you stronger, smarter, faster, and healthier, making you a better human being. When is the best time to start? Right now! It must be now, or you will never decide to take on the world. If you don’t start now, you will never have an aim in your life to shoot for. You will never figure out that your aim is worth it. Get on it.
Get up early, exercise, eat good foods, clean your room, and make a list of things that you know you are supposed to do in your life and do them. Remember that discipline comes from within. Only through this discipline will you ever experience freedom.
We’ve all seen it. The High School kid who gets out of sports or the soldier who gets out of the army. That externally imposed discipline is no longer there, and they are unhappy and they don’t have to work hard anymore. What happens to them? They get fat and lazy and start to feel sorry for themselves, and often their friends – those who still have the discipline – will ask them to come back. Those friends are telling them something important.
If you have to ask what it takes to be disciplined, you probably don’t have it. Yes, you can learn discipline techniques from the military and other places. What you should learn is that it’s worth it to be disciplined. Learning that you are the one responsible is the answer to your future.
We all know the value of discipline, and only a few dare to take that path.
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” on Amazon (link here).
Drill Sergeants from the Army and Drill Instructors from the US Marines are real badASSES.
You got that right. And Gen. Satterfield sure has some great articles lately. Keep up the great work. ✔️
If you are going to quote military generals on “discipline,” then please include my favorite from my favorite general, George Washington
“Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.”
Great quote. Often overlooked but to the point and from our nation’s most formidable general.
Yes, Frank, thanks for bringing up this quote on discipline, I’d forgotten about it. Hey guys, do you use BrainyQuote. A great site, easy to navigate and full of quotes that you might like.
That’s what leadership is all about.
Discipline comes from within you. If you come from a family that practices discipline regularly, surprisingly, it matters little because it’s not contagious, and it’s not inherited. Discipline doesn’t come from an external source; it must come from inside you. Gen. Satterfield wrote this several years ago to us and I remember it well. Few people actually understand discipline as well as he does. I wish he would write more about it.
“The first and best victory is to conquer self. To be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile.” – Plato
” From George Washington to George Patton, all had something in common with the great leaders across history. Each had the strength of self-discipline in their lives. Self-discipline helps people connect today’s behavior with tomorrow’s results; allowing a leader to know what is the right thing to do.” – Gen. Satterfield
Discipline is difficult because it does come from within and others are standing by to watch for it in us. We motivate ourselves, and while others can help, there is only so much they can do. Mostly they encourage us to develop that internal discipline. It’s up to us. ✔
Jocko Willink is da man!
https://echelonfront.com/jocko-willink/
Jocko spent 20 years in the SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer.
He teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. That’s leadership in action. I know that Gen. Satterfield likes examples of leadership in action and he Willink is it.
Stop Doing Stupid Things: Jocko Willink
https://www.theleadermaker.com/stop-doing-stupid-things-jocko-willink/
Just a reminder!!!!!!
We associate discipline with soldiers marching around in formation. So, many will reject that idea because they don’t want to be like soldiers. But they miss the point. Too bad. The lack of discipline is encouraged by teachers today.
They reject discipline because they are cowards. I know, I’m a teacher.
“Get up early, exercise, eat good foods, clean your room, and make a list of things that you know you are supposed to do in your life and do them. Remember that discipline comes from within. Only through this discipline will you ever experience freedom.” …. a very interesting and prophetic quote from Gen. Satterfield. I printed it out and put it on my refrig to remind myself each morning what to shoot for.
Great article, Gen. Satterfield on a subject that is no longer discussed in school anymore. Why? SImple answer, if they force kids to behave, then they will be accused of racism (most of the disrupting students are black). That is why we have a huge deficient of black leadership. They are suckups to the tit of government. Too bad. Their kids are being left behind and they are part of the cause.
Good points Max but let’s also not confuse “discipline” with punishment. Discipline is that force within (aka Gen. Satterfield) or from without (school rules enforced by punishment and reward).
Great comments. But I think public schools have lost their way and it will be along time before they employ administrators with any guts.
Well said, Frankie and Max. 😊
I’m not so sure you need PERFECT discipline but we all could use a lot more of it. I see that with my own eyes and judge myself most harshly for not having more discipline in my life. Would it make my life better? Surely, not easier but better, yes.
Army Capt, great point. Thanks! Now, it’s up to us. It always has been up to us. If you believe it’s up to someone else to give it to you, then you are a communist/socialist/progressive Democrat. And you are a loser.
Pow! Got that right!