Self-Discipline

Woa.  It is the sort of place I do not want to go.  I am continuing to read a book at the moment called “Leadership Excellence.”  This chapter reminds me of medicine I only take because it does me good, and not because it tastes great.
It is about self-discipline.  The things required of a leader.  Again there a number of what I consider good quotes by people I have never heard of.  Scott Peck said “Discipline is the art of scheduling the pain and pleasure in life in such a way as to confront the pain first so as to enhance pleasure later.”  There is stuff in there the author puts really succinctly.  For example: Everyone dreams – only discipline will accomplish.
He sees four areas of self-disciple as keys to success.  They are the tongue, attitude, mind, and right living. 
To him, the mouth is what determines if we succeed or fail.  He sees the mouth as a loaded gun, and that right words heal, while inappropriate words wound.  He also talks about leaders thinking before they speak, and hearing a matter out before deciding. Another thing he says, is that leaders provide solutions rather than vent, and that trust is built on not blabbing what is shared in confidence.
What I found really interesting is that in a training environment, it is as much about what is said, as how it is said.  Putting it right, increases the ability to learn.  I like that.  I am more closed to a teacher that is morose and seemingly angry.  If the subject matter is something I am not into, then it is endured rather than potentially enjoyed.
I also found it interesting that he likens our attitude to successful cities.  He sees successful cities as needing good Government, Industry, Communication, Learning Centres, Rubbish Collection, and Healing Centres.   In Healing Centres he answered a question I was not asking, but I admit I have wondered about it.  He saw Healing Centres as two fold – celebration and hospitals.  Hospitals I appreciated, but wondered about the value of River Fire.  It really makes sense to me now.  We need to celebrate.  It does us good, and I reckon anything that does us good is good.  He says that all successful cities have buildings, events, and monuments dedicated to celebrating.
In Managing our Mind he quotes someone called James Allen, “Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results.”  To me it was interesting when he said we default to a negative mindset.  He quoted something that I find really scary.  He quoted a Bertrand Russell “most people would sooner die than think; in fact they do so.”  I find that scary, because I have seen that for some, decisions are made on what is basically a thought bubble.  They get an idea and it becomes my way or the highway.  It is scary to me when a person so inclined has power.
Finally he said that people will vote for courage.  Something he said that I like was that duplicity decimates power.  He quoted a Dr Ed Cole who said “…We have sold our moral convictions for profit, power, privilege or pleasure.”  That is something I see on TV a lot.  As Bob Dylan sang “steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king.”
As always for me, it is a case of “eat the worms and spit out the germs.”  What is appropriate I keep (goodness knows why), and what is not, I discard.