From the outside, as I hiked with several leaders after a long and productive day, it likely looked like I was a diligent, structured, disciplined person. I say this because several people commented on just that.
However, that was merely a reaction to evidence available at the moment.
I love discipline. I admire it. I am still working towards it.
I don’t see myself as a disciplined person.
There will be times when we will stop doing things that we know work quite easily and with no encouragement to do so. These might be things that we know are best for us or even for other people. This is part of being human.
It is called entropy. To drift away from the things that are good and healthy, and well and wise.
I’m not any more disciplined than the next guy, but what I am good at is recognizing when I’ve gotten off track and quickly getting back on it. I am constantly thinking about this.
I enjoy working out and appreciate a fitness routine. That being said, it’s only a routine when it is being followed. In the past, I have found myself in the middle of a Monday lamenting what I predicted would be missed workouts. I knew I would be up late preparing for a meeting and therefore convinced I would miss my Tuesday morning workout. Continuing with this line of thinking, I realized Tuesday evening events would likely mean I’d be unable to wake up early come Wednesday morning.
It was right around this realization that I began to consider walking away from all workouts until the following week when I could once again return to my desired schedule.
Do you ever find yourself in this place? A presumptive stance of well, it’s lost so I just give up.
I want to encourage all of you today to get back on track.
Ho-humming to myself would not bring me any closer to the gym than my defeatist planning would, but walking into the building would and did. Sometimes, all it takes to get us back on track is one single faith-activating step.
First, I must recognize when I am off track and have stopped doing the things that work.
Second, I identify how quickly and what is the quickest smallest thing that I can do to shift that gear right back on track.
When you get back on track faster and faster, day after day, this starts to look much like discipline! Where are you feeling undisciplined today? Simply identify the immediate most simple step you can take in the right direction and you have the train of discipline moving.
Whether you’ve merely sidestepped or gone so far off the trail you can no longer find your way, take the first step back today.
I cannot wait to read all about the moves you make!
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