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Self-discipline is one of
the most critical skills
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that you need to develop to
achieve anything at work or in life.
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Unfortunately, it is also one area
where most people struggle.
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Whether you are a student
preparing for your own exams
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or a CEO driving the
execution of your strategy,
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we all find it challenging
at times to stay on track.
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The truth is that:
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self-discipline is what
makes you go for a run
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on days when
you don't feel like it.
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It is what keeps
you focused on
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your objectives of when your
motivation fades away.
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Without this self-reliance
and resilience
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to be able to do things
on a continuous basis,
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you can't bring
your goals to reality.
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That's why today and over
the next two episodes,
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I will share with you three
secrets that will help you
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improve your self-discipline
and get things done.
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The first secret that will help
you develop the self-discipline
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that you need to achieve
your most important goal
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is to emotionally engage
with your life purpose
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and your most important
goal every morning.
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Why am I linking emotions
and self-discipline?
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Because self-discipline
is about decisions.
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It's about consistently
making the choices
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that are aligned
with your goals.
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We know that our emotions
play a crucial role
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in the decisions
we make.
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Anthonio Damasio is a
neuroscientist who carried out
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extensive research on the importance
of emotions in decision making.
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One of his patients, Elliott, was
a successful businessman
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who suffered brain damage
in that part of the brain
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where emotions are generated while
having surgery to remove a tumor.
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After the surgery, Elliott still had high
cognitive abilities and high IQ.
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However, he was no longer able
to make simple decisions,
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like choosing a restaurant
for the evening.
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Any projects he did, were either left
incomplete or had to be corrected.
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Eventually, Elliot lost his job
and his marriage collapsed.
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Damasio explained that the reason
why patients like Elliot can’t choose
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is that they haven't got that sort
of lift that come from emotion.
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It is emotion that allows
us to mark things as
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good, bad, or indifferent,
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literally in the flesh,
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and make us decide to go
in one direction or another.
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Self-discipline is about
consistently making
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the choices that are
in line with your goals.
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You therefore have
to continuously
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reactivate the emotional state
that makes you choose
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your most important
goals over everything else.
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Most people don't do that,
and every passing hour
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they make random choices
and waste their precious time
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living other
people's lives.
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So what can you do? Every morning
before you start anything else
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remind yourself of your life purpose
and your most important goals.
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If you're not already
doing that, I strongly
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invite you to start doing it
tomorrow morning.
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Visualise yourself
doing the tasks that
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will make you progress
towards that goal.
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That way, when
the time comes,
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you will complete this
important report for your manager
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because that's the kind of
professional you want to be.
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You will deliver massive
value to your customers
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because that's the kind of
entrepreneur you want to be.
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You will give full attention
to your children
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because that's the kind of
parent you want to be.
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This is your leadership
tip for this week:
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With that, I wish you a very good week.
I will see you again next Monday,
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when I will reveal the second
secret of greater self-discipline.
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Make sure to subscribe below
now and be first to receive it.
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Until then, take responsibility
for everything that
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happens to you, and be
committed to serving others.
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That's how you become and remain
the leader everybody trusts, and respect.
