Self-Discipline

A stitch in time saves nine. Never put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Idle hands are the Devil's workshop.

I have been thinking about self-discipline. All my life, I have struggled with procrastination and absent-mindedness. Some people are born with an innate ability to plan ahead, execute that plan, and not forget anything along the way. Unfortunately, not so with me. I have a tendency toward both, which was pretty much indulged throughout my childhood. For instance, I remember when my mother was furious in 7th grade (7th!) when I didn't organize my homework the way the teacher wanted, and had marks deducted from my grade, even though the math was correct. She was furious because the math was correct and so I shouldn't have had marks off, not because I got in trouble with the teacher.

Looking back, what she, and I, failed to realize, was that the discipline of doing your homework neatly and on time is a skill that is in some ways far more important than math. And while elementary school math is easy, college math is impossible if you can't write neatly, keep your notes straight, or remember what's due when. If I forgot my books or projects at home or at school, there was always a doting parent or family member who would help me go fetch it. If I was up against the wall and hadn't done the work necessary for the day, there was always a parent willing to help me with an excuse. I thought it was funny and wonderful at the time, and once or twice it would have been. But the constant message to me was as long as you're smart, you don't need to be self-disciplined.

Don't get me wrong, I learned many important skills growing up: to dream big, to think positive and look for the silver lining, and to never give up. But this is one area in which I still need to help myself out a little bit. By definition, you cannot be nagged or coaxed into self-discipline. You must simply learn by running up against the cold, hard consequences of your decisions. As you get older, the price of doing whatever you want gets higher.

The word "discipline" has come to mean 'punishment'. But in another sense, it means 'practice'. Taken in this way, "self-discipline" actually implies "self-practice" -- the practice of exercising one's will, or self, over the mind. In many different philosophies, people have written that the mind is apart from the self. The mind is something to be trained, like any other muscle in the body :) Power over your mind allows you to make choices that are best for your true self.

For instance, let's take today:

My mind: It's so pleasant just sitting here, typing and drinking tea. Let's not start our work at all! Or we can stay home and just do a little bit at a time. There's still a lot of time until the test.

Self: You have a big exam coming up. Today is a free day, which is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the material before it becomes urgent and panicky. If you start today, January 23rd, that only gives you three more full study days before the exam, plus whatever time you can fit in during the week. You'll be able to concentrate far better in the library than at home.

Both college and medical school would have been a lot easier for me had I developed this discipline, or practice, before I left home. But I have a feeling that it's like exercise -- the more you do it, the easier it gets, and the more fun it is. If you have conquered a similar problem and have some good advice for me, please write!!

In the meantime, off I go. Wish me luck.