“Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all” — President George Washington.
Exercising Self-Discipline: The Power of Personal Transformation
On a bitter November morning in Cleveland, Ohio, Augustine trudged through swirling snow and biting wind, his car his only refuge. His life had unraveled—job lost, home gone, family gone—until a pawn shop window held a grisly temptation, a gun! That little box could have ended it all for him by taking his own life. But the shop was closed, leaving out suicide as an option, he walked down the street to a warm haven: the local library.
Surrounded by rows of self-help and motivational books, he found hope instead of despair. He devoured hundreds of titles, each page a brick, in rebuilding his life. In Concord, New Hampshire, he discovered W. Clement Stone’s Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, and everything changed. Og Mandino, who once contemplated suicide, went on to collaborate with Businessman and Philanthropist W. Clement Stone (whose book changed his life) and became a pioneer of personal development, selling over 50 million books in 25+ languages, including the timeless The Greatest Salesman in the World. Many are still inspired by Og Mandino`s leadership, even almost 30 years after his death!
True leadership begins with self, and real leaders train their emotions, habits, and behaviors, doing what needs to be done even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable. Exercising self-discipline consistently is a great way to unlock your leadership, which will enable others to want to follow you as a credible and competent leader.
How Og’s Self-Discipline Unlocked His Leadership
• Mind Mastery: As Napoleon Hill said,
“Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do.”
• Bridge Dreams to Reality: Jim Rohn reminds us,
“Discipline is the bridge between dreams and achievements.”
• A Change of Inner Circle: Og replaced old habits—and old friends—with mentors who lifted him higher. Jim Rohn was right when he said,
“You become like the five people you spend the most time with. Choose carefully.”
By choosing daily study over old cravings, Og led himself from rock bottom to global influence. His secret? Unwavering, self-imposed discipline—doing what needed to be done, even when it hurt or felt inconvenient.
Call to Action
1. Reflect: What habit are you trading today for your highest aspirations?
2. Share: Comment with one way you’ve exercised self-discipline recently—big or small.
3. Inspire: Tag someone whose consistency and grit motivate you to keep going.
Remember, the greatest project you’ll ever lead is yourself. Embrace discipline, feed your mind, and watch how your personal leadership ignites others to follow.
Are you ready to build your bridge from dreams to achievements?
