Ever feel like you’re stuck and not getting anywhere? Well, you’re in good company. All of us have occasions in our lives when we need something to shift so we can have a breakthrough.
Maybe you need a breakthrough at work, in your career, in your family, in your health, in your spiritual growth, in your finances, or in a friendship. Regardless of the breakthrough you need, waiting for it is frustrating at best and paralyzing at worst. So what should we do while we wait?
Introduce new disciplines somewhere in your life. Add a new workout routine, or start a new reading plan. Change your diet or fast altogether. Decide to drive the speed limit or to arrive at work 5 minutes early. Choose to spend 20% less money this week or to cut out caffeine. Plan to run or walk a marathon or watch 50% less TV. Decide that you’ll have regular date nights with your spouse or that you’ll pray every night before bed with your kids. Keep the kitchen clean or make your bed every morning.
It doesn’t really matter what new discipline you introduce, just add more discipline to your life. Why? Because discipline is contagious. Discipline in one area of your life will promote discipline in other areas of your life. The more discipline you have in your life, the more productive you’ll be. The more productive you are, the more likely you are to experience success.
The opposite of discipline is laziness. Sadly, laziness is also contagious. Laziness in one area of our lives will produce more laziness in other areas as well. What’s worse is that laziness spreads much faster and has a much more immediate effect on our lives than discipline. We often just don’t see it because laziness is painless. It’s a painless killer.
Need a breakthrough? Look for pockets of laziness in your life and choose to add discipline. Have you been lazy in your marriage? At work? In your diet? In your driving habits? With your kids? In your relationship with God? In finding a job? Add discipline!
Discipline begets more discipline, and that will lead to better productivity in multiple areas of your life. Who knows, that higher productivity may just lead to the breakthrough you’ve been longing for!