Your opportunity to win an I-pad – and make a full-power start to the year. Challenge Three – Take the reins.
Alright, the Power Challenge is in full-swing. There are 360 (so far!) heroic individuals who have committed to making this an awesome year. I’m giving you eight quick but deep challenges to see if you are fully in alignment.
(Think of it as a tune up for your success engine.)
There’s still time to get on board. Find the challenges here. As long as you do all eight challenges
Ok, so challenge number three. This is about self-discipline.
The road to self-mastery begins with mastering the body.
The Buddha said that the conscious mind’s controls the body the way a rider controls an elephant. The elephant is strong, and has agendas of it’s own. It won’t just do what you say unless you have established control.
So today, I want you to hit up the blog and write down one thing that you’re going to do this week that goes against the instincts of your body.
Maybe it will be taking a cold shower. Maybe it will be going a day without food. Maybe it’s walking up the stairs to your office, which was Stephen B’s answer to our first challenge. (Stephen, you’ve got to come up with something else.)
Think of just one thing you can do this week. Declare it to everyone on
Then do it.
And when you do it, whatever it is, I want you to pause just before you do it and watch for two things.
1. The Whingeing
First, listen to your body’s excuses. Standing on the edge of a cold lake, you might here yourself complain, “It’s too cold, I’m might catch a flu, I’ve just eaten, I look ridiculous in these budgie smugglers.” Sometimes your body is crafty. Sometimes just whingey. But it always pushes back.
But notice how your body sort of has a capacity to over-ride your inner monologue. Notice how your body’s thoughts can be mistaken for your own thoughts, if you’re not watching carefully. Notice how your boldest agendas can be derailed by the worst and whiniest instincts of our body.
This happens to us ALL. THE. TIME.
There is an art to knowing when your mind is raising reasonable objections, and when your body is just being a little wuss bag. It takes time to know the difference.
2. The Loving Command
Second, I want you to force yourself to do whatever it was you were planning to do. Jump into the lake. Get up at 5 a.m. Fast.
(Actually, fasting is great because you are constantly being presented with temptations.)
Whatever it is, assert your authority, assert your control, and just do it.
But as you’re doing it, I want you to hold an attitude of “loving command.”
Don’t go hating on your body. Don’t go screaming at your body, “Shut up you flabby ball of failure. We’re doing this. I’m throwing us in this lake. F-youuuuu!”
No. Hold an attitude of loving command. Say, “I can see you don’t want to jump in this lake. I know that it’s cold. But I want this for us. And I have the reins. I am in control.”
And then do it.
I think an attitude to loving command is the key to having sustainable, heart-centred self-discipline, which in turn is one of the key pillars of success.
So that’s it. That’s the third challenge. Share the act of discipline you’re going to commit to this week right here in the comments section. And then watch for those two things – The Whingeing and The Loving Command.
I really believe it will help you grow a more powerful self-discipline and self-mastery this year.
Power on!
Jon
Ps – Why not rope somebody else into this challenge. Who do you know who could travel the road of mastery with you? Forward them this email and get them on board.