The freedom to choose

I was honored to learn many things from the late Dr Stephen Covey. One lesson that comes to mind is, “The truly free are the disciplined.”

My protégé, Vince Anderson, just posted a thought on his FaceBook page that says, “You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined.”

If you’ve ever read Dr Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, you’ll remember that the first habit is Be Proactive. Most people think of proactivity as doing something sooner than later. The essence of that habit, however, is choice, which can create freedom. Dr Covey always referred to Be Proactive as the habit of choice. 

Life is about choices. The life you create is the sum of your choices. And as Vince’s post says, there will be days when you’re just not motivated. Then, you have to fall back on your discipline. There’s deep power in discipline. If you read my PowerPact Leadership Lesson titled Daily Discipline, you may remember that the word, discipline, comes from the word disciple. A disciple is someone who believes in something or someone. We’re free to choose what that something, or who that someone, is. You’ve been around long enough to know that if you choose something consistently, continuously, it becomes a habit. Effectiveness grows when you choose the right things…continuously…habitually.

For instance, I don’t drink! I developed that discipline about forty years ago, for various reasons. There’s so much freedom in not having to worry about whether I drive under the influence. I don’t need it! I can get crazy without it. Some of you who know me or have worked with me know that I can get pretty crazy on my own. 

I always stand for people who come into my cubicle. It’s a discipline I developed years ago. Now, there’s a bit of grunting and it takes me longer every year, but I still do it! It frees me up to be respectful of what that person has to say.

The freedom in being disciplined is that it empowers me to do other, more worthwhile things. I don’t do that, so that I can do something that will make me more effective. I do that, so that it frees my mind to think more creatively.

Be Proactive is the Habit of Choice. We have the freedom to choose. Choose to do the right things. 

Until next time, Be GREAT! You ARE!

¡HEIRPOWER!