Stop for a minute, think, and tell me: in which area of your life do you need more discipline?
As children, if we didn’t learn to be more disciplined at home, we somehow faced this topic at school. Perhaps we even learned it at our first job or through our friendships.
To me, being disciplined has always meant respecting rules, myself, and others. It meant doing the right thing even when no one was watching.
This mindset always brings to mind the figure that, to me, has been the ultimate symbol of discipline: a horse wearing blinders — that leather eyepatch used to keep the animal looking straight ahead, without getting distracted or intimidated by anything nearby. As it moves along the path, the horse maintains a directed focus, which also provides safety, whether riding or harnessed to a cart or wagon.
When it comes to the horse, it’s worth remembering that it has a very wide peripheral vision, and the blinders serve precisely to minimize the power of surrounding distractions, preventing it from getting spooked, losing its way, or getting distracted by the scenery. The horse can only look forward — at its own path.
When we talk about planning or achieving goals, both in personal and professional life, it is essential to understand the importance of maintaining focus and discipline.
In his book The Power of Mental Discipline, Ian Tuhovsky reminds us of the need for effort even when we aren’t motivated, adding: “also when you’re tired or stressed. After all, nobody can be happy and motivated all the time, but to succeed, you need the ability to push through these difficulties.”
Perhaps discipline begins with self-belief, or even with the fact that we believe in an idea. However, as the author states: “What matters most though isn’t the idea, it’s the action taken on that idea. Action is what brings things to life, it’s what turns an idea from possibility to reality.”
When things go wrong, or don’t go as planned, it’s crucial to remember that no matter how the wagon rolls on, the perfect time is right here and right now. Stop and analyze! Meditating does us good and can save us from serious risks caused by hasty decisions or anxiety-driven reactions.
So we return to the initial question: in which area do you need to put blinders on, or even just focus on taking action?
I discovered that if I want to maintain discipline regarding physical activity, “getting up on the right side of the bed” won’t make the difference. The difference comes when I put on workout clothes and sneakers instead of pajamas and slippers. Nor is it sitting down at the breakfast table, but first, drinking my glass of water.
After all, a lack of discipline is rarely laziness; it’s almost always a distraction caused by peripheral vision. It’s constantly looking at other people’s progress, social media, the “what ifs?”, or the fear of failure.
To put on the blinders of discipline isn’t closing yourself off from the world; it’s simplifying your vision. It’s deciding to look only at the next step, without letting the noise from the sides create anxiety and stress.
And you, what will you do differently this week to keep your wagon on the right pace, focusing on what matters? Do you need blinders or simply to take action?
