If discipline is mentoring someone, then don’t you think self-discipline must be accepting that vision for your self? When the alarm goes off in the morning, it is self-discipline that makes you get up and go to work or school. It used to be your mom or dad. They were your Disciplinarian/Mentor, but now it is you. You have accepted their mentoring, their vision has become your vision of a productive life, and so, you get up and go out into the world.
In a book I wrote defining the success skills, I claimed that self-discipline was the motor that drove you down the road. The more powerful the motor, the faster you go. I still think that this is true.
This sounds a lot like motivation, doesn’t it? In my mind, self-motivation refers more to your attitude, and self-discipline refers to the mechanics used. Your motivation is put to work by your self-discipline. You get up and go instead of lie there and sleep. The attitude is empowered, or worked out, by the mechanics of getting up and going to work or school.
The question remains, though, how do you get your students to “see the vision” and take on the role of self-discipline?
Jesus Christ, the greatest teacher of all time, asked questions of people to allow them to think through things. I copy his example.
Let me tell you a story of some inner city kids I work with. I start with creating a vision. I ask them, “How many of you kids want to grow up and live in a crummy house, drive a broken down car, have a spouse and kids who don’t love you, and never have any money?” I get a lot of saucer-like eyes, but no upraised hands.
“Alright,” I add, “how many of you want to grow up and go to jail?” Again, I get a lot of head shaking, but no hands are going up.
“Then, if we know what we don’t want when we grow up, then what do we want? And if we know that, how do we get it?”
Now the kids are starting to get a vision. A picture is starting to form in the mind, and the kids are creating it. This is their vision, and not one I am forcing on them. This starts to change their attitude, but they don’t know how to go about changing their lives. That is what the discipline is for. We show them the path to change things in their lives.
Teaching your students to pay attention to the small details shows them how to change. Asking them questions will help them see why it is important.
Try something like this the next time you teach forms or katas. Ask, “If you’re ever faced with a life-threatening situation, don’t you think you need for your technique to have a lot of power? Do you want this technique to be like a BB gun or like a bazooka? I know you can’t do this part right yet, but this technique must be done this way in order to maximize your power. The little details make all of the difference.”
Ask questions, create a vision in the mind, and give some guidance. If you do this, the attitude of the student will change, and with your mentor/discipline/guidance work, you’ll show them how to go about the change. Once they really see that, they’ll become “self-disciplined”. Their motor is running. They will move forward toward the goal of achievement.
Congratulations. You have just changed someone’s life.
