A world absent of discipline and how this affects emerging entrepreneurs
Twice a year, I guest teach Integral Theory to Bond University Entrepreneurs class. Yesterday, as we were walking through the stages of human development, it became extremely apparent to me (blinding flash of the obvious) that our Western world is seriously missing education and structures to support learning about the values of discipline.
When I was a kid, it was still acceptable for school teachers to physically punish students. The cane existed. My parents did threaten me on occasion with the wooden spoon. (It hurt.) Whether you agree with these methods or not is not the point of this discussion.
For the last few decades, we have avoided any aspect of introducing children to discipline. The rigour of respecting authority and eldership, doing a task through to completion, practising a skill even when you do not want to or do not feel like it, is not considered in many homes as we raise children. We have overcompensated out of guilt for our absence, let children get away with their whims far too often and raised children who simply do not know how to self-discipline.
As a consequence, we have several generations of people in their early 20s and 30s who have difficulty focusing, saying no and doing the hard yards that it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
Of course, too much discipline and we get people who are unable to think for themselves. They become extensions of their parents’ wishes. My daughter, the doctor!
Discipline etymologically means disciple unto the self. The ability to put a stake in the ground, become very focused, say no to all the temptations offered along the way, and yes to staying on track, to not allowing your lizard brain to rule.
We learn discipline through sport, the military, music studies, dance, writing, and school studies. We have to be willing to sacrifice the short-term pleasure for the long-term desire.
Ultimately, discipline is about saying no to the lesser self and yes to the greater self. It is an art and a practice.
Every successful entrepreneur thrives on discipline as a core aspect of their business. And they usually also have a whole part of their life that is completely undisciplined. Which is OK. To be totally disciplined in all domains as a human is to ignore the spontaneous, the synchronous, the magical.
