Quote: “Man does not simply exist but always decides what his existence will be, what he will become the next moment. By the same token, every human being has the freedom to change any instant”. Viktor Frankl
The Experiment: Relentless discipline.
What do I mean by relentless discipline? The experiment this week, has been to continually make the hard choice, in everything, work, play, relationship, self. It is continually arriving at the crossroads of choice. The choice always seems to be distilled to the essence of “moving towards pleasure, and moving away from pain”.
The pleasure of going for a walk with the dogs, not sitting at the computer and setting myself up for the following week through preparation. When on a ride, not pushing for the full minute interval sprint, and cutting it short at fifty seconds. Not doing the home gym routine first thing, and I will do it later type of mindset.
What I have noticed is that it is an accumulation of the constant small choices, moment by moment, that all add up, as to whether I won or lost the day, to moving towards or away from my goals and ambitions in life.
This has taken constant discipline to build in the pause, prior to each decision. The pause to reflect on whether I am making the hard choice, moving me forward, or the easy comfortable choice, no movement, complacency. It is always readily apparent which choice I am making, as long as I create that space to evaluate my thought process and motivations.
If it doesn’t make me uncomfortable inside, and create some initial resistance, then it is probably not the hard choice, that is going to move me forward. If I feel a sense of ease and status quo, then that’s what I get in return complacency and comfort, and no growth.
The key to all of this is discipline. The discipline to create the space or the pause., before deciding. The discipline to be always moving forward by stepping out of the comfort zones of complacency and the familiar. The discipline to play the long game, and not the short. The discipline to get up early in the morning, and win the morning - meditation, exercise, dog time, a healthy breakfast, and a cold shower to wipe away the fog.
Discipline I have found in my life is a powerful tool to move forward towards the reality of the life that you want for yourself. The catch however, is that to have discipline, takes discipline, and it is a process that needs to be constantly practiced in one’s life, to reap the reward.
The Book:
“The Obstacle Is The Way”. Ryan Holiday
A definite game changer in my life. One of the most profound lessons I have taken from this book is that for every challenge in life, there is an opportunity. Once again it takes the discipline to look at adversity as an opportunity for change, and ultimately growth.
This book is deeply grounded in Stoic philosophy, primarily Marcuc Aurelius, and presents an opportunity to see life through the lens that everything that challenges us, presents an equal opportunity for growth.
An easy read, and the book also has a great feel to it, based on it’s compact size, making it very portable. I have read this book numerous times now, and expect that I will continue to do for many years.
5/5