Pat Mesiti: Discipline Launches You, It Doesn't Restrict You

By Author: Alex Carlson
Total Articles: 25
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Bob Knight, the legendary and often crazy US college basketball coach, states that the most important single ingredient in athletics is discipline, but he adds, ‘I have many times felt that this word is the most ill-defined in all our language.' To me, discipline means doing what has to be done, when it has to be done, as well as it can be done, and doing it that way all the time. Discipline is a no nonsense attitude with tunnel vision. It is focused.
When allied troops captured a young American fighting alongside the Taliban, a major American newspaper wrote, 'They didn't put their foot down when he announced he was going to drop out of school. They didn't interfere when he decided he was going to become a Muslim. They were actually proud of him for pursuing an alternative course. His mother said it was good for a child to find a passion. They didn't object when he asked them to pay his way to Yemen nor when his new circle of friends included gunmen. As long as he could remember his oh so progressive parents had answered ‘yes' to his every whim, every fancy and every passion. The only thing they insisted ...
... on was that nothing be insisted on.'
Newsweek called it truly perplexing that the young man was attracted to a narrow intolerant sect. In actual fact, there is nothing perplexing or confusing about it. That young man craved standards and discipline. His Mum and Dad had been unable to give him any, but the Taliban did. His road to ruin did not begin in Afghanistan; it began when his parents never said no.
The road to ruin begins when we don't learn to say no - no to wrong passions, no to wrong thinking, no to bad spending. All of these things have consequences. Someone once said that sooner or later in life we all sit down to a banquet of consequences. Make sure the consequences you face are positive, and the key to that is to discipline yourself.
I have learned to be up at 5 o'clock every morning regardless of how late I get to sleep the night before. I am disciplined with what I eat, because I want my body to last a long time. I have become more disciplined with money and more disciplined in relationships. Because of past immoral failure I am now more disciplined with my eyes and my ego. I am more controlled in what I say and, more importantly, what I don't say. Discipline, my friends, will never hinder you, it will always launch you.
Challenge
List those areas in your life that require more discipline. It may be your diet, your fitness, money management, relationships, sleep patterns, reading, writing, face-to-face communication... Be honest, because increased discipline in those weak areas will most certainly lead you to more successes than you have experienced before.
Other Motivational Books by Pat Mesiti
Attitudes and Altitudes
Pat Mesiti at his best! This book addresses the "how's" of leadership. It deals with vital principles such as leader development, how to network people and how to bring out the best in those around you. Pat Mesiti speaks on: growing big people, passion, leadership, mentoring, encouragement, attitude, credibility.

Dreamers Never Sleep
Pat Mesiti, in his comical yet challenging way, will show you how to: replace wrong perceptions with winning attitudes, deal positively with change, define your destiny, go beyond the 'norm', handle failure and discover what success really is and how it can affect your world.

Opportunity Knocks
If you are one of those millions of people around the world waiting for an opportunity to take your life to another level, then this book is for you.
1) recognize opportunities
2) grab opportunities that come your way
3) Persevere with opportunities
Wake Up and Dream
Discover the power of personal vision and how your dreams can help change the world.
The various topics include: how to rise above the limitations of your past, defining your dream, developing a plan to make your dream a reality, developing character, skills and attitudes that facilitate change, and unlocking the gifts and talents of those around you.
To obtain more information on Pat Mesiti's Motivational Books, CD's and products, or to book Pat as a Motivational Speaker for an upcoming event please visit www.mesiti.com