My word for this year popped into my head last night as I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. I brought it back to mind this morning, rolled it around on my tongue a bit, and decided that yes, this is the word I'd like to focus on this year.
discipline
Discipline is something that I think every home business owner struggles with, myself included. Rather than perceiving it as a hard-lined and demanding, I plan to meditate on this word as a gentle reminder to keep practicing discipline so that my little business can grow and thrive. That's why I've put the word in all lowercase letters, it looks much friendlier that way!
To keep me focused on this word, and to remind me of it daily, I've created some desktop wallpaper for myself. If "discipline" is a word that speaks to you, you are welcome to download the wallpaper for your own personal use. (Click on the image below to get the full-resolution version.)
And I'd love to know - what are some ways that you cultivate discipline in your life? Frankly, I can use all of the tips I can get!
Love the idea of "discipline" for 2012. The only wisdom I have about how to become disciplined is to focus on the long-term desire instead of the day-to-day task, i.e. rather than focusing on exercising every day, focus on getting healthy. Somehow it feels less hard.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the tip, Holly. I wonder if that is part of what makes a "word of the year" so powerful - it's that long term goal that you take those small steps to achieve.
ReplyDeleteHolly has it backwards. "You don't try to build a wall. You don't set out to build a wall. You don't say 'I'm gonna build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that's ever been built.' You don't start there. You say, 'I'm gonna lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day, and soon you have a wall." -Will Smith
ReplyDelete"Get back to work. Nobody ever built a reputation on what they INTEND to do," is displayed on my desktop.
ReplyDeleteWise words from Will Smith!
ReplyDeleteAnd Rodger - I love that you keep that strong message on your desktop! Great reminder.
Another word for you: "routine". It's the best way to build discipline. I work from home, and my morning routine creates a division between home-time and work-time. Put your work away at the end of the day so you don't see it.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, you can just make sure you enjoy your work enough that it's not discipline that drives you to finish it. Wouldn't that be nice?
Well said, AJ. Routine is definitely a great way to find discipline. And luckily, I do love what I do :-)
ReplyDelete