On the 1st August 2012 I will have been running my business for 10 years. It amazes me how quickly this has gone, but then I also respect how many things you can do in 10 years.

Its been such a roller-coaster with so many up and many downs. Eight years ago I was going to throw it all away because I had run out of money and I couldn’t service the debt.
I can look back on this and now laugh …

Then there was the time I started another company and I had to close it down because we lost over $180k in our first year. I can also look back on this with a smile …
(at the time it wasn’t so funny)

Why do we go into business when there are so many challenges to overcome?

I often sit back and ask this. For me, the main reason I went into business was for freedom and fulfillment.
And then in my 7th year of running a business I finally learnt that the ONLY way to freedom and fulfilment was through DISCIPLINE.

The statement I wrote above is so important that I need to repeat it because it’s had a profound impact on my life ever since I came to understand it.

THE ONLY WAY TO EXPERIENCE FREEDOM AND FULFILMENT IS THROUGH DISCIPLINE

So what does this mean?

Well – lets look at some examples.

1: Financial Success / Personal Chaos

You can experience financial freedom through making a lot of money, but if you lack discipline, then you lack freedom AND fulfilment. Think about a celebrity who is an overnight success. This person is worth millions, but lacks the discipline when it comes to drugs and alcohol and they lose control and thus feel unfulfilled (and actually experience a lack of freedom if they become dependent on the drugs)

2: Good Intentions / No Follow Through

You have all of the intentions of becoming increasingly focused with your business, but you lack the discipline to turn off interruptions (email/phone/internet) and thus this lack of discipline leads to a lack of results therefore a lack of freedom and fulfilment

3: Know The Theory / Fail To Implement

You know for a fact that exercise is more important than making money, and not only that it gives you more energy (which in turn makes brings more business success), but you lack the discipline to get up in the morning and do exercise which leads to a lack of freedom and fulfilment

THE ONLY WAY TO EXPERIENCE FREEDOM AND FULFILMENT IS THROUGH DISCIPLINE

And I used to HATE this word, but I now finally get it. And this is why the more disciplined I am the more freedom, fulfilment and happiness I experience.

And you will too.

For me, when I am disciplined with the following – everything else works out

1. Meditation
2. Exercise (in fact, meditation and exercise are my top 2)
3. Great Food
4. Keeping in contact with friends and my family
5. Keeping a journal (clears my head)
6. Acting on my instincts
7. Doing a daily morning ritual to get my head in the right space
8. Planning my week
9. Planning my day
10. Saying no to opportunities that are not aligned with my vision and mission
11. No news
12. No interruptions from email and phone
13. 1 coffee a day
14. Minimal TV

Watch this video below. It explains a simple process with a powerful tool that will help you to be more disciplined …

You can make your own spreadsheet, or you can get access to this in our “Flip Your Life” program.

More Information About The Flip Your Life Program

In the video, I talk about what gets measured gets done. It’s true. If you actively measure something – it will improve. I think keeping yourself accountable to small disciplines allows the big things to take care of themselves.

This really works. Try it out

We would love to hear some of the other areas you like to keep disciplined with. Please share below

And remember (I read this somewhere and I can’t remember who wrote it),

The pain of discipline weighs an ounce, the pain of regret weighs a ton

Andrew Roberts