"Keep your hand firmly upon the helm of thought. In the bark of your soul reclines the commanding Master; He does but sleep: wake Him. Self-control is strength; Right Thought is mastery; Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, "Peace, be still!"
James Allen
As I start this blog post about the importance of discipline in the pursuit and manifestation of your vision, I would like to share with you my experience with my start of applying focus as a tool despite any present-day circumstances.
In my most honest voice, I humbly submit to you that as excited as I was to restart my journey, my experience -- what I thought at the moment -- was an epic fail. It is important for me to emphasize that it is what I thought in the moment, but NOT what I think now as I have had a few days to reevaluate, rethink and reanalyze the outcome.
When I set out with my intention to completely focus during my task, I did not think of other uncontrolled situations that could and did happen. In other words, I had not taken the time to devise an alternate, flexible plan to ensure that my task would be achieved with precision-like focus. Since the universe is always at the ready to send another earthly experience to help you in your new quest, my ego thought all was under control. As the ego does whatever is necessary to feel good in the instant, I did not take the necessary time to witness that my inner spirit what NOT in complete peace to embark on the task. This is especially true if your task involves another person that is in need of your complete assistance. You can not control what the other person is going to do, say or request, especially during the time frame you have allotted. What did I learn? The lesson is that when you set your intention to focus, also accept that the situation can change without notice and that it is also ok. This is the universe giving you another experience, not to push your buttons, but to give you another chance to hone your new focus skill.
When you are truly focused, your inner spirit is at peace. Just because you have to adapt to ever-changing circumstances, does not mean that you lose your focus, it just means that you have to remain flexible, open and know that all will be completed in its designated time. That does not qualify as procrastination, it just means that the focused action needed is going to take a bit longer than expected. Why? Again, it is none of our business why. The universe may be preventing you from sitting in traffic longer than you have to so you can get to accomplish another step towards your desire. It may be redirecting your steps so you can bump into a friend that may say a few words to spark a new idea. Bear in mind that once you decide to make changes to your subconscious, your outer world will begin to shift as well.
I am sharing this with you so you do not quit at the first sign of discouragement. Be patient with yourself. That is part of loving yourself as you battle the current obstacles, whether big or small. As you become the observer of your daily life experiences, observing what you are feeding your subconscious mind on a daily basis is just as important if not tantamount to your success. This is the beauty of a new day graced upon you by Divine Intelligence. You get to try again, go again, do better again. Give yourself permission to erase what has not worked from your subconscious and reprogram it with the seeds that will bear good fruit for your desired goals. It is always important to consciously remember that your subconscious will deliver to you whatever is your most dominant thought. It can not distinguish good or bad. Look at your subconscious as the soil you will till to plant all the seeds required that will give to you the harvest you work for. So be vigilant to not fall prey to your old habits of complaining or consuming a heaping spoonful of disappointment as you dare to dream again. Reprogramming the subconscious is about feeding new food, new ideas, new thoughts, new visions that will reenergize and remotivate you by implementing another tool, discipline.
"How do you get a miracle going? It's all a matter of discipline. And it begins with one simple step: doing what you can do."
Jim Rohn
Since every individual has their own measure of success, it is important not to trap yourself into the land of comparisons. Whether you are an avid reader of authors like Jim Rohn or Florence Scovel Schinn, one element that I found both authors had in common was their suggestion of designing your life. Discipline is paramount. According to Rohn, Jim (2011) "Leading an Inspired Life," Success Media, he explains that "discipline is like a set of magic keys that can unlock all the doors of wealth..., accomplishment, satisfaction and success."
To sum up, the first three keys to discipline are awareness, willingness and commitment. Take time to explore each key separately before embarking on the implementation of all three. If it feels overwhelming, it may be a catalyst to quit. Taking it step by step to ponder and evaluate, gives you a break, not an excuse, to make the necessary changes to your inner spirit as your soul begins to heal from feeling the grief of possible disillusionment of not seeing your visions comes to fruition. Allowing the outcome of your goal to unfold as the universe planned releases you from the tension of not seeing it transpire on the date you designated. Once you do that without being flexible to adjust your journey, your chances of quitting increase. Look at each adjustment that you make as an accomplishment. Remember, the universe will deliver to you whatever is your predominant thought. That is a universal law of the subconscious.
"A new discipline immediately alters your life direction. You don't change destinations immediately -- that is yet to come -- but you can change direction immediately, and direction is very important."
Jim Rohn
Exploring awareness and what it means to you when applying it to discipline, may very well be the acknowledgment of the need for direction. Without this awareness, you will be like a vessel without a rudder, just swaying back and forth in the sea of whatever the day brings. It is impossible to feel accomplished. Do not just shrug it off as something that you will try to get done the next day. If that is the feeling you keep going to because it satisfies the ego in the moment, think of the impact this will make on your life if several years go by and nothing has changed or possibly gotten worse. Take stock and examine your day before you prepare for bed. Whether you like to make a mental record, keep written notes or use a writing tablet, the important thing is to be disciplined enough to review your day and be aware of the areas that you could have improved in order to make the time needed to accomplish a task for your goal. Sometimes it may just be researching a book online for an hour or taking a few minutes and making a phone call to ask a few questions about a class you may need to take. Though these tasks seem small, a string of them at the end of your month amount to significant progress, a sense of accomplishment, a feeling that is just going to propel your subconscious to start seeing things now with renewed possibilities. Your self-confidence will begin the process of rebuilding itself within your inner life. Work at it. You know the old adage. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Keep trying, doing, modifying. Implementing discipline is your propeller for action. Here is another keyword, action. Without action, nothing will get done. Ask yourself what steps you need to take to become and attain all the things you want out of life.
"Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret."
Jim Rohn
As explained in Jim Rohn's book, the second key to discipline is having the willingness to implement it into all areas of your life. This willingness translates into your eagerness to keep practicing your new discipline and most of all remaining consistent. Discipline is not something you can just turn on if it is not part of your character traits. Work at it to ensure it becomes part of your character. Discipline will become an invaluable asset once it becomes an extension of you in your daily life. Apply your focus tool while developing discipline. These tools work hand in hand to ensure that your vision is sought after with every fiber of your being. Each key carries its own weight and merit. The third key is just as vital as the first two. You must make a conscious decision to be determined and committed to impose discipline into your daily life.
There is an overall arch that we must meet before these three keys become effective during implementation and that is what Mr. Rohn refers to as "consistent self-discipline." Once you decide to apply discipline to every area of your life, you will begin to shift the energy around you. For example, if you have recently not kept up with your house-keeping and what you feel is lethargy, confusion and frustration each and every time you walk by the same messy desk, dining room table or kitchen, think of the energy you are exerting with that sentiment. Is it allowing your creative juices to flow? If that is your working table, what energy are you setting forth onto your vision? Honor your space, honor your vision. Your life is not a practice session with a magic bell that is going to go off at some point and offer you the luxury of a do-over. Live with expectancy, with a sense of urgency, with a feeling of passion to accomplish. You are here on earth for a reason and a vision that never goes away is a sign from above that it was embedded in you before life was breathed into you.
Without discipline, you can very well miss the opportunities that start knocking at your door. Remember, once you start reprograming your subconscious, if you spend most of your inner life channeling your vision and what it is going to feel like when it is accomplished, energy will automatically begin to shift you, your mind, your surroundings and your experiences at a rapid clip. You must be aware of the good that is going to want to enter. If your inner spirit is still holding on to the comfortable woes of yesterday, you need to take stock and evaluate if you are feeling apprehension or fear. It is crucial to make a conscious effort. GET RID OF IT! Meditate to relax and let go of any lingering fears. If you are not expecting the good that wants to arrive at your doorstep while shifting your subconscious, the good will pass on to the next open spirit until it comes around to you again, most likely in a different form. Be disciplined enough to recognize it. DO NOT MISS YOUR TURN. BE READY FOR IT!
