"A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work" (General Colin Powell)

                This coming Saturday I will be training a group of entrepreneurs in Las Vegas on the art of discipline.  We will be working on the nuances surrounding the habits that create a seven figure residual income.  Although making millions requires several factors including a product or service, the right attitude and a degree of skill; at the top of my list of pre-requisites is discipline.  To be successful at anything from weight loss to a loving relationship to financial freedom there is a necessity for discipline.

            At the start of my entrepreneurial career I worked in the fitness industry.  I taught aerobics, I did personal training and I also created nutrition programs.  Even though many people exercise and try to eat a healthy diet, my observation was that only the most disciplined of people actually transformed their bodies.

            Pick up any fitness magazine from Oxygen to Muscle and Fitness and you will find the dieting secrets of the pros.  Although many would envy the physiques, only a few will ever achieve them.  Living a highly disciplined lifestyle which includes a regime of chicken breasts, steamed broccoli, protein shakes, oatmeal, egg whites and tuna is often too restrictive for the average person.  Perhaps this is why the average person, in America, is also 30 pounds overweight. 

            A poll in U.S.A. Today asked Americans what they would do with an extra hour each day.  The highest ranking answer, coming in at 75%, was exercise; the average American would exercise if they had more time.  The disciplined person would say, create more time.  Anyone I know, who has children and owns a business or has a career, has a challenge finding time to exercise however the most disciplined of our friends makes the time to exercise and thus happen to be the healthiest people we know.

            Is discipline the answer to health?  It would seem the answer is a resounding ‘yes’.  The majority of North Americans have already given up on their New Year’s resolutions and truthfully have returned to their undisciplined ways.  A recent study conducted over 15 years and on 7000 people, at Ohio State University, found that weight and debt are connected.  In fact, the more out of control the weight, the more likely the individual was to have a great deal of debt.  The average participant who lost weight also increased their net worth.  It would seem that discipline and finances are also linked.

            It is always tempting to come up with excuses for why we cannot save money or exercise.  There are always distractions and truthfully, it is often harder to get the workout in or save 10%.  Discipline means being able to act despite all else.  If you truly believe, like I do, that you are destined for greater things then the answer that bridges the gap of where you are right now and where you want to be is discipline.

            Many years ago Lance Armstrong had the dream of being a professional athlete.  He was a very good triathlete and cyclist when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer on October 2nd, 1996.  Although the medical report was grim, Lance focussed on getting well.  He had the dream of one day winning the Tour De France.  Through chemotherapy and radiation, Lance continued to focus on his goals.  When he was finished his treatments he got back on his bike.  At first it was challenging and even painful however his discipline kept him going and he went on to win 7 Tour De France cycling races.

            Discipline kept Lance Armstrong going and it can keep you going too.  You may have received a prognosis that is not very positive, you may be going through financial challenges, perhaps your relationship is not everything you want it to be; the answer to all things is to stay the course and call in discipline.  If discipline is the answer to what you desire then it can also be said that lack of discipline is the undoing of the majority of the world.

            Look at any celebrity that falls from grace.  Usually a torrid affair, drug use or driving while impaired is the cause for the scandal.  At the root of any of these things is lack of discipline.  The truth is that we do not arrive on the door of physical or financial ruin overnight; it is day after day of undisciplined actions that take us there.  Ask any person who has ever achieved success and they will not speak of massive action; they will talk about the simple daily disciplines.

            In my own life, if discipline has helped me achieve results it has been times where I lacked discipline that caused me to falter.  When I weighed 200 pounds I felt ashamed however the truth was that I did that to myself.  I ate too much.  I didn’t exercise enough.  I called that into my reality.

            When, at the age of 24, I was worth a million dollars on paper I lacked discipline with money.  I purchased a business, my head full of ideas, and yet I didn’t have the discipline to manage that business in the way it deserved.  As a result we lost the business and I felt emotionally bankrupt, public humiliation and scorn.  People lost jobs as a result of my lack of discipline.

            If I look back on my life, the greatest triumphs came on the heels of well executed daily disciplines.  The results we have achieved so far are not due to special skills or secret talents; I have simply learned to operate with enough discipline to get the job done. 

            This weekend I will be sharing tips on how to call more discipline into the lives of the people in the audience.  I will teach them how to operate with laser focus so that they can achieve the success they have dreamed of in their hearts.  I know that you can also be successful in every area of your life.  If you want to create more income, get healthier or have the relationship of your dreams; it can all be yours if you choose to operate with more discipline and let go of the distractions that not only prevent you from your greatness but also affect those you love and care for.

It’s Not Too Late

                Would you like to be personally trained and mentored by Susan Sly?  Tickets are going fast for the Power Body Weekend in Los Angeles on February 26, 27 and 28th.  Come learn how to be more disciplined with your health?  Release negative habits?  Let go of the constraints of emotions that cause you to abuse your body.  You will love every second.  Click here to take one of the remaining spots in L.A.  It will be the best decision of your life.