The alarm clock goes off every day and it proves whether you have the athletic discipline or not. It is 5 am in the morning, you are in the most comfortable position between your Egyptian cotton sheets. Loved one nestled close by and the dog at the foot of the bed. Who wants to get up and away from that?
You’re the one who set that alarm clock; no one told you to set it for 5 am. You did it because you made a promise to yourself. You promised you would begin the day early. Ready to take on your dreams and get yourself in a better place for tomorrow. Remember, it was you that decided to do whatever it takes. Now all of a sudden a few short hours of sleep are now holding you back from getting to where you want to be?
The alarm clock is still going off as you stare at your phone reaching to swipe in the direction of the snooze. Maybe you’re even going to give up completely, and you’re going to swipe to turn it off and settle right back into those comfy sheets of yours. Go ahead your dreams can wait, you have been putting them off for years now anyway. What is one more day of sleeping in going to matter?
Stop Regret With Action and Athletic Discipline
Yeah, I bet you are asking yourself these questions every single morning you allow yourself to sleep that extra couple of hours. You now feel guilty that you didn’t wake up when you agreed to yourself you would. Hey, what do I know? Maybe you’re not like the majority of today’s population; maybe you are that rare commodity that has instilled a serious sense of discipline and you are already done with this piece of literature if that’s what you could even call it.
If you are that individual then you can stop reading now, you have figured it out, you get it. There is nothing more from this that you are going to learn. However, if you are truly disciplined as well as a keen learner, then I am sure you will find something from whatever this writing even is.
Manifesto or Call To Action?
It is a manifesto to all those that seem to have a hard time doing the hard things in life. Doing the things that are just purely uncomfortable. This is to those that are just a little too unmotivated by what life has to offer, so they squander it away counting sheep.
Hey it is your life, but there is the world out there that you can add to, you can get up and bring a smile to someone’s face, get someone out of a hard spot, add value to this world in some form or another. There have been those that have fought for your freedom to do whatever you want to do in a democracy that millions of people do not have the luxury of. You probably have it way better than many before you or currently, do.
Athletic Discipline is the path to living
“Discipline equals freedom” coined by retired navy seal Jocko Willink, three words have never been more profound, this paradoxical phrase holds true among many areas of life, and you can learn more about it in a book he co-authored called Extreme Ownership with retired navy seal Leif Babin.
This is a simple concept, but the thing about simple things is that they are usually difficult. Simple does not mean easy, and discipline is far from easy. It cannot be thrust upon you and stick. It must be self-imposed. Not one person can make you sustain a routine for an extended period.
Athletic Discipline = Hard To Preach, Easy To See, Hard To Do!
It is a hard thing to explain because it is not tangible, you can’t reach out and grab it. However it is simply part of the ether, some grasp the idea some people get it. It is the act of setting a standard, sticking to that standard every single day. Not wavering from the basics.
Discipline is hard to preach, and I am trying not to do that here. I am simply stating that having a few core things that you do daily no matter what the circumstance can set you up for potential freedom. The reason I say that discipline is hard to preach is that it will only stick to those ready and willing to listen to it.
It is important to understand that almost all successful people in this world got there by deploying some character traits, but the one that is virtually universal is discipline. Discipline in one form or another, whether it Is waking up early, training at a specific time, eating a certain diet. The details are not important and are very personal. They should be things that connect with you on a fundamental level. They should also be things that make you uncomfortable as well.
Athletic Discipline Vs. Routine
The difference between athletic discipline and routine is merely this. The method is something that you do every day, but it is not something that you think about. Discipline is the thing you deploy against your routine no matter what, if you’re feeling ill, if you just don’t feel like getting out of bed, No matter what the excuse is your level of discipline is going to counteract those feelings.
If you start telling yourself that you do not want to do something. That is a good indicator that you should do it! If you let that win once it is going to continue the reign of the strong thoughts you have.
DeployThe Grit!
Simply put if you deploy strong discipline against life you’re going to make time for yourself in the back end. Waking up early every day to get work done is going to open up your evenings for your family or yourself. Eating the right way is going to help you live longer as well as increase your overall well-being. Training in the morning while everyone’s asleep again will save you that time later. So you can do the things In life you find relaxing and enjoyable.
Talk Is Cheap
Now talking about athletic discipline is great and all. It sounds simple while reading it on a page but while the concept is simple it is not easy. It is going to take a lot of time for you to get into the groove. That is going to take persistence; your mind is not going to want to change from its current state. Your internal dialogue is going to try and convince you that you can’t start tomorrow, it is not a big deal if you get those extra hours of sleep, or eat that hamburger, or miss that work out. That is your brain trying to sabotage you.
You’re In Control When You Have Athletic Discipline
You are the master of your mind, not the other way around. You need to recognize this and shut it down ASAP. It is time to get control of how you do things. It is time for you to master the conversation. Get yourself on the road to becoming the best possible version of yourself! You don’t have to do this alone. Join an athlete-driven community full of athletes like you pushing to achieve their goals
