Self-Discipline WHEN the soul sought refuge in the place of rest, Overborne by strife and pain beyond control,

From some secret hollow, whisper soft-confessed, Came the legend of the soul. Some bright one of old time laid his sceptre down, So his heart might learn of sweet and bitter truth; Going forth bereft of beauty, throne, and crown, And the sweetness of his youth. So the old appeal and fierce revolt we make Through the worlds hour dies within our primal will; And we justify the pain and hearts that break, And our lofty doom fulfilled.

Self discipline and perseverance strong, Effort on effort, with endurance long, Make kings of men, who subjugate and sway Stern empire over self each hour of day. They, like skilled generals, lead on the van Of thoughts progressive in the inner man, And marshal well their forces, so to fight That truth and justice be diffused as light. Such constitute an empire grand within, Raise fortresses 'gainst known and secret sin, And thus become brave conquerors, whose deeds Leave all the monument that goodness needs. They form a true refining power on earth, A high nobility of sterling worth, Who, though oft poor in worldly riches, may Far nobler thrones than those of earth's kings sway. Triumphs o'er self-will, selfishness and pride, Ensure a wealth of consequences wide, Which gain the victor armour that shall win Him further victories o'er self and sin. But 'tis the will of heaven that each should keep This armour bright, and sow what he would reap, That industry unflinching, tireless zeal Should to earth's workers rich results reveal. Endurance disciplines to sympathy, Which deals a death blow to cold apathy,

Making its owner ready to risk all, And smile down obstacles at duty's call. Kind gentleness comes also in its train, Constraining men to serve those some would blame. Patient with erring strayed ones far from home Sternly severe unto themselves alone. Then comes the blissful privilege that flows Through self-denial, of assisting those Who may through ignorance have lost their way, Or blindly stumbled in the glare of day. That charity translated into love, Is of all graces foremost, all may prove, Meaning not merely money, which counts naught, Unless with sympathetic kindness fraught. Intelligible to the searching mind, Is the Creator's message to mankind, If it with fervour study His grand laws, Which prove that each effect must have a cause. As naught material is lost in space, So nothing spiritual can man efface; Exemplifying thus the axiom sure, That conquering love, truth, justice must endure. So let each strive to serve as best he can. His Father God, himself, and fellow man, By subjugating self, and shewing forth That justice, love, truth, peace, should rule on earth. Then might that brotherhood which Christ ordained, Be through the wide world practised and proclaimed, As one grand creed for earth's vast family, Of loving service to the Deity. Self-discipline is the companion of will power. It endows with the stamina to persevere in whatever one does. It bestows the ability to withstand hardships and difficulties, whether physical, emotional or mental. It grants the ability to reject immediate satisfaction, in order to gain something better, but, which requires effort and time. Everyone has inner, unconscious, or partly conscious impulses, making them say or do things they later regret saying or doing. On many occasions people do not think before they talk or act. By developing these two powers, one becomes conscious of the inner, subconscious impulses, and gains the ability to reject them when they are not for his/her own good. Self Discipline: Its Benefits and Importance

By Remez Sasson One of the main characteristics of self-discipline is the ability to forgo instant and immediate gratification and pleasure, in favor of some greater gain or more satisfying results, even if this requires effort and time. Self discipline gives you the power to stick to your decisions and follow them through, without changing your mind, and is therefore one of the important requirements for achieving goals. The possession of self discipline enables you to choose, and then persevere with actions, thoughts and behavior, which lead to improvement and success. It also gives you the power and inner strength to overcome addictions, procrastination and laziness and to follow through whatever you do. This is a very useful and needed skill in everyone's life, and though most people acknowledge its importance, yet very few do anything to develop and strengthen it. Contrary to common belief, self-discipline is not a severe and limited behavior or a restrictive lifestyle. It is a very important igredient for success, any form of success. It expresses itself as perseverance, the ability not to give up despite failure and setbacks, as self control, and as the ability to resist temptations and distractions that tend to stand in the way of attaining aims and goals. In fact, it is one of the most important pillars of real and stable success. This ability leads to to self confidence, self esteem and inner strength, and consequently to happiness and satisfaction. On the other hand, lack of self discipline may lead to failure, loss, health and relationships problems, obesity and to other troubles. Life often presents challenges and problems on the path to success and achievement, and in order to rise above them you have to act with perseverance and persistence, and this requires self discipline. You also this skill to cure and overcome eating disorders, addictions, smoking, drinking and other negative habits. Self discipline is vital for overcoming eating disorders, addictions, smoking, drinking and other negative habits. It is also an important requirement for studying and learning, for developing any skill, and for success in self improvement, spiritual growth and meditation. Most people acknowledge the importance and benefits of self discipline, but very few take real steps to develop and strengthen it. This ability can be strengthened and developed like any other skill, through training. Yes, you can develop self discipline with special exercises, which you can practice at any time and place. The development of this skill will help you:

To avoid acting on impulse. To continue working on a project, even after the initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away. To go to the gym, walk or swim, when all you want is to lie down or sit and watch TV. Learn to wake up and get up early. Overcome the habit of watching too much TV. To continue working on your diet, and resist the temptation of eating fattening foods. Start reading a book, and read it to the last page. To meditate regularly. To overcome laziness and procrastination. Fulfill promises you make to yourself and to others.
It will easier for you to develop this skill if you:

 Think and realize how important it is to develop self discipline. Be aware of your undisciplined behavior. When this awareness increase, you will be more
conscious of your behavior, and will more often seek ways to change it.

Make a list of what you want to achieve. Act and behave according to the decisions you have made, regardless of laziness, the desire to
procrastinate or the desire give up and stop what you are doing, and regardless of the inconvenience and this decision may cause and how you feel about it at the moment.

The Benefits

It helps build self-confidence. You accomplish more, and are therefore more productive. You are able to maintain a higher tolerance for frustration, obstacles and negative emotions. Allows you to obtain better health, better finances and a good work ethic. You are able to reach your most difficult goals more efficiently. The more disciplined you become, the easier life gets.