discipline

A brave new world. At least that’s what this blog could be, or rather should be. I have pondered several ideas as to what my first blog should entail; not really deciding on anything that stands out. Do I reveal information about my personal life, letting the reader into “what makes me tic”? Do I go into a rant about politics or religion which will undoubtedly enrage a large contingent of people? What about kittens or puppies? Sex and drugs? Perhaps my first blog should be nothing at all but ramblings from a man with everything and nothing to say. I think, though, I will try to maintain some discipline.

With enough discipline a person can achieve anything. Possibly the single most important characteristic an individual can exhibit. With it, attaining goals becomes conceivable. A new focus and outlook on life radiates through the individual as their discipline becomes more honed and mature. Discipline resonates through the four Western Cardinal Virtues: Temperance, Justice, Prudence, and Courage.

Many times, discipline is associated with a negative connotation; however, discipline is far from an evil device.  The idea “to discipline” is a form of punishment for performing (or not performing) a certain action that results in a negative outcome. If the individual would have displayed “discipline” to begin with, the outcome of someone having “to discipline” them would have never occurred. It is this self-control, this ability to gain mastery of one ’s self that I speak of when I refer to “discipline”.  

This is the mastery for which everyone should strive. To know that one can control their emotions, their spending, their drinking, their sexual desires, their vices, their urges; does any other characteristic one can display take precedence over discipline? Through it, we become masters of ourselves. And only then, can we begin to understand and become masters of the world around us, when we have mastered the world within us.