Would you follow you? Are you a leader?

 

Let me ask that another way: Do you follow you?

 

It was once explained to me that ‘self-discipline’ means being a disciple of your own highest priorities. Framed in that way, choices logically follow from beliefs. They aren’t hard to make, they are necessary. You believe in what is important to you, so you set about making it happen with religious fervor.

 

All of this struggle with motivation, focus and productivity is not a matter of tricking yourself into action; it’s the opposite. It’s about actually believing what you say is important to you.

 

If you really believed in what you call your priorities

  • procrastination wouldn’t happen
  • you wouldn’t binge on Netflix when you want to read a book
  • you wouldn’t fear trying over not trying at all
  • you wouldn’t choose unimportant busy work
  • you wouldn’t explain away failure with half-assed effort

 

You wouldn’t fight uphill battles with yourself. Your actions would accrue results like a boulder running downhill. You’d be an unstoppable force.

 

As William Penn said, “No man is fit to command another who cannot command himself.”

 

Commanding yourself starts with believing yourself. Let your actions prove what you believe.