Do you deny yourself potato chips even when you’re craving them? Do you keep running even when your body begs you to give up? Do you go to the gym even when your couch calls your name? Yes, self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do things even when you’re reluctant to — but it really means more than that.

Self-discipline is a concept that everyone is familiar with, but very few actually understand.

While self-discipline is most often associated with willpower and perseverance, it also means that you have the courage, strength, wisdom, and moral character to do what’s right — even if it’s difficult.

Do You Have the Discipline to Do What’s Right?

You have choices every day — to be true to yourself or bend to peer pressure; to live within your means or shop to your heart’s content; to control your desires or give in to temptation. It all comes down to self-discipline. Do you:

Make yourself proud or do just enough to get by?

Think for yourself or yield to popular opinion?

Defend your beliefs or abandon your principles?

Adopt a can-do attitude or embrace a victim mentality?

Live within your means or shop till you drop?

Own your life or become totally dependent on others?

Invest in your future or succumb to instant gratification?

Compose yourself during tough times or lose control of your emotions?

Set the bar high or tolerate mediocrity?

Celebrate others’ success or envy their achievements?

Focus on your priorities or become distracted by so-called emergencies?

Forgive and forget or harbor anger and bitterness?

Make decisions based on facts or act primarily on emotion?

Let things go or worry about the past?

Stay true to yourself or betray yourself to win the acceptance of others?

Sweep problems under the rug or address issues head-on?

Adopt a healthy lifestyle or surrender to temptation?

Invest in your personal growth or leave your learning to chance?

Accept personal responsibility or shift your obligations to others?

Give selflessly to others or focus primarily on your own needs?

Self-Discipline Is Good for You

Most people view self-discipline as the ability to test their limits or the willpower to deny themselves. Do you view self-discipline as a punishment rather than as something positive? Unfortunately, that mindset is a losing strategy. Much as with a crash diet, if you find yourself exercising self-discipline but inwardly thinking, “I can’t wait till this is over,” you‘re heading down the wrong path.

Self-discipline is not a punishment; it’s a gift.

Self-discipline means you have the determination, inner strength, and fortitude to do what’s right — even if it’s difficult. That may require you to speak up when others are silent, search for the truth when others jump to conclusions, question the status quo when things are set in stone, hold firm when others cave in, find common ground when others won’t compromise, or sacrifice something today so that you can benefit tomorrow. It’s not always easy to do what’s right. That’s what makes it so special!

Self-discipline is a sign of inner strength. You demonstrate it by your willingness to accept personal responsibility, your ability to make hard choices, and your determination to live your life with honor. The fact is that you begin life with a blank canvas. Your choice is to set the bar high and live with integrity or take the easy route because it’s convenient to do so. I hope you choose the path that makes you proud.

Do You Have the Discipline to Do What’s Right?

Please leave a comment and tell us what you think or share it with someone who can benefit from the information.

Additional Reading:

Does It Pay to Be Ethical?

Will You Choose the Right Path?

Are You Blurring the Line Between Right and Wrong?

What Does Your Name Say About You?

Do You Choose Convenience Over Principles?

Are You Discouraged?

If you like this article, subscribe to our blog so that you don’t miss a single post. Get future posts by RSS feed, email or Facebook. It’s FREE.