A good definition of Self Discipline is this:
“Self discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”
To lead, leaders are so committed with their visions that they make themselves do what they should do under any circumstances.
The good thing about this is that leadership is a decision, is a commitment, is an attitude. Self discipline is like the horse you ride to achieve things, to move people, to communicate, to go the extra mile.
Your job is to “tame” that horse to help you achieve your goals and vision.
Another way to see self discipline is not letting your emotions or hard feelings take on you. A self disciplined person controls himself or herself, because he or she knows that only by doing the things that is committed to, is the way to achieve his or her vision.
Every Great leader has shown tons of self discipline in the key areas of their lives. Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi, Soekarno, Lee Kuan Yew, Churchill, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Charles de Gaulle and so on.
Self discipline is essential to leadership, you can’t pretend to be a leader, if you don’t have some discipline in your life. After all, you are a model for others, and people looks for discipline in the core foundation of their leaders.
To me, discipline is the flip side of commitment. People with high levels of self discipline most of the time have a tremendous self esteem because they’re committed in all they do. They don’t lose time on things they don’t want. They appreciate their time, and other’s too.
Fortunately Self discipline is an ability that can be learned.
(Peter Frans – Principal Consultant)