Three Feet from Gold

SelfDiscipline

Module 9

Re a d i n g A s s i g n m e n t s• Review pages 177-191 of Three Feet From Gold

• Read any additional selections your coach recommends:

Master Session Object ivesI n t h i s s e s s i o n y o u w i l l l e a r n t o :

• Leverage Self-Discipline into uncovering seven of the 12 Great Riches• Reconnect with your Desires and use Self-Discipline to control how you take action• Discover who can help you create accountability in your life that goes beyond your own personal accountability

Primer Session Object ivesI n t h i s s e s s i o n y o u w i l l l e a r n t o :

• Practice Self-Discipline in five key ways: – Your Emotions – Your Physical Body – Your Mental Attitude – Your Time – Your Definite Major Purpose

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ConCept SummarieS

Introduction

In Three Feet from Gold, Greg learned from Rudy Rutteger that you shouldn’t quit five minutes before the miracle happens. What keeps you from quitting? Pure and simply, self-discipline.

A truly disciplined person balances all of the aspects of self-discipline to achieve his or her Definite Major Purpose.

Self-Discipline

No other single requirement for success is as important as self-discipline. Wheth-er you call it self-discipline, self-control, self-possession, or self-restraint, it still implies taking possession of your life.

How do you go about taking possession of your life? You will gain control over key aspects of your life—power over your emotions, power over your physical body, power over your mental attitude, power over your time, and power over your Definite Major Purpose.

If you can’t master yourself, how can you hope mastering anything or anyone else—including a Mastermind group?

What Is Self-Discipline?

Think of self-discipline as the “channel through which all of your personal pow-er for success must flow.” No matter how great of an idea you have, no matter

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what good intentions you might have, no matter how lofty your goals might be, they can never move forward without self-discipline.

Remember: the key Greg learned from all the experts he interviewed was not that one should listen to advice. Anyone can listen to what someone says and write it down, but it takes a special person to use the advice. It’s how a person takes action with the new knowledge that makes the difference.

As we mentioned above, Three Feet from Gold Mastermind Mentoring focuses on self-discipline as it applies to five primary aspects of your life:

• Your Emotions• Your Physical Body• Your Mental Attitude• Your Time• Your Definite Major Purpose

Self-Discipline: Mind & Emotions

You may have heard the Eastern philosophy that considers the mind a “wild monkey out of control, bouncing around from one thing to another.” Each day your mind is receiving all kinds of messages from television to podcasts. It’s easy to get caught up in the images, voices, and chaos that bombard us each day.

Your mind, when undisciplined, moves around at will to entertain whatever random thoughts come to it. You see, your mind is “hooked up,” you might say, to the mass consciousness. French social theorist Émile Durkheim called it the “collective consciousness.”

Your mind is both a broadcast¬ing station and a receiving station. You are constantly receiving thoughts; when you watch TV, read a paper or listen to a conversation. You even receive them when you are close to someone emotionally.

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Remember that your mind can receive and transmit thoughts—in a way, like radio waves or energy. Most of the thinking you’ll encounter in this world is full of negativity and fear. That’s why disciplining your mind becomes so important. If you don’t steer your mind to your Definite Major Purpose, your mind will be subject to the whims of the mass consciousness.

Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts and your emotions. If you do not control your thoughts, you cannot control your actions. Therefore, in its simplest form, Self-discipline causes you to think first and act afterward. The challenge is that human nature is to do exactly the opposite. Most people act first and think later. By taking possession of your mind and controlling your thoughts and deeds through self-discipline, you put yourself in a more elite class of achievers.

Whether you believe that emotions give rise to thoughts or thoughts give rise to emotions, self-discipline means that you will control both. The key to controlling your emotions is to strike a balance between your negative emotions and your positive emotions. We all have them—positive and negative. How we act on them makes all the difference.

Napoleon Hill identified the seven primary negative emotions:

1. Fear

2. Jealousy

3. Hatred

4. Revenge

5. Greed

6. Anger

7. Superstition

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and the seven primary positive emotions:

1. Love

2. Sex

3. Hope

4. Faith

5. Enthusiasm

6. Desire

7. Loyalty

Take the time to analyze how each emotion drives your actions. When you can channel your energy away from the negative emotions and toward the positive emotions, you’ll experience greater success.

Self-Discipline: Your Physical Body

Have you ever watched someone in an office setting in a “bad mood?” They rant and rave, fly off the handle at the slightest problem, and want to blame the world for their trouble. Your first thought is, did they get enough sleep last night? Or, do they have a headache?

These ideas spring to mind because our physical bodies affect our moods and vice-versa. We have the ability to handle stress and work when we’ve had more sleep, when we’ve taken time to exercise, and when we’ve eaten healthy food.

The discipline that you practice over your physical body will help your thoughts and emotions to be more pure—meaning, they will come from real events, real observation, and real objectivity. In effect, physical ailments, pains, or distrac-tions won’t cloud your emotions and thoughts.

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Self-Discipline: Your Time

It’s vitally important for you to gain control over your time. The more you exercise self-discipline over your time, the greater your chances of success. Even though the Success Equation doesn’t mention time, it’s implied. Think of every variable in the Equation as being linked to time—the time you use to “take Ac-tion,” the time you use to create the “right Association,” and the time you save by “combining your true Talent with your Passion.”

Remember, time is closely related to money, and it’s closely related to success. The time you spend improving your efficiency and working toward your Defi-nite Major Purpose will have the greatest impact on your outcome. Time has a way of healing all things, of separating the amateurs from the professionals, of determining which people were able to trade instant gratification for something more fulfilling.

Self-Discipline: Your Definite Major Purpose

Self-discipline in this case is important for two reasons. Number one, the time you set aside in your schedule will determine how often you can work toward your Definite Major Purpose. Number two, the self-discipline you exercise in pursuit of your Definite Major Purpose determines how well you stay focused on the activities that have the greatest payoff—the greatest impact on your achievement.

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Self-Discipline And Relationships

Remember, your thoughts attract similar outcomes. If you have positive thoughts, you will attract positive life experiences. If you look for the good in a situ¬ation, find what is working and amplify it, you will create a world that supports your perceptions. This will help you kick the habit of complaining about what seems to be wrong. Stop criticizing, accusing and blaming; instead, put your energy into the attainment of your Definite Major Purpose.

When you maintain a Positive Mental Attitude and see people in a positive light, you will find this world a very friendly place. If you want people to share your perceptions, or to cooperate with you, do your part first by getting into the right frame of mind to attract them. You will be surprised at how quickly they will change their attitude toward you.

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Primer Session Assignments:Discuss with your mentor which of the following assignments would best suit your needs, progress, and development:

____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Emotions

____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Physical Body

____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Mental Attitude

____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Time

____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Definite Major Purpose

Master Session Assignments:Discuss with your mentor which of the following assignments would best suit your needs, progress, and development:

____ Self-Discipline: The Great Riches

____ Self-Discipline: Your Desire(s)

____ Self-Discipline: Finding Your Rock(s)

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Much of our self-disipline starts with our emotions. Once we gain control over these primal parts of our lives, we can branch out and practice self-discipline over our physical body, our mental attitude, our use of time, and our Definite Major Purpose.

Emotions are powerful and can fuel our actions. The key is to balance our negative emotions with our positive emotions. To begin, take inventory of your Positive Emotions. How do each of these emotions affect your day-to-day actions?

Emotion: LoveEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER EMOTIONS

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Emotion: SexEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

Emotion: HopeEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER EMOTIONS (cont)

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Emotion: FaithEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

Emotion: EnthusiasmEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER EMOTIONS (cont)

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Emotion: DesireEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

Emotion: LoyaltyEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER EMOTIONS (cont)

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Negative emotions can creep into our daily lives and wreak havoc—if we let them. You’ve taken inventory of your Positive Emotions. Now it’s time to do the same for your Negative Emotions. How do each of these emotions affect your day-to-day actions?

Emotion: FearEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER EMOTIONS (cont)

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Emotion: JealousyEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

Emotion: HatredEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER EMOTIONS (cont)

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Emotion: RevengeEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

Emotion: GreedEffect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER EMOTIONS (cont)

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Once you have a handle on your emotions, you can begin practicing self-discipline over your physi-cal body—namely, your appetites, food & drink intake, and physical exercise. In the space below and pages to follow, take a look at steps you can take to manage your physical body.

Food IntakeDo you have control over your appetite? What can you do to manage your hunger?

Do you plan your food intake? Do you follow a specific diet to manage your health, your weight, and/or your energy level? Describe the steps you can take to improve your eating habits:

What can you do to control your caloric intake?

What can you do to improve your balance of macronutrients—fats, carbohydrates, and protein?

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER PHYSICAL BODY

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Drink Intake Do you consume soft drinks? Do you do so in moderation—or would you consider your intake to be excessive? Why or why not?

Do you primarily consume such drinks because you enjoy/need: Sugar ____ Caffeine ____ Energy ____ Psychological fix ____

What about hard drinks? Are you a teetotaler, social drinker, moderate drinker, or heavy drinker?

When you drink hard drinks, how are you feeling—are you celebrating, are you generally alone or with other people, and has it ever gotten in the way of a relatioship or your work? Describe your an-swers to these questions:

How do you adopt a habit of moderation?

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER PHYSICAL BODY (cont)

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ExerciseHow long have you maintained an exercise routine?

What has worked in keeping you on track (Or, what would work)?

Describe your routine, particularly your exercise type, duration, intensity, and frequency (If you don’t have a routine, formulate a possible exercise routine):

Describe how you view exercise as a priority (or could become a priority) in your day:

What time of day/week do you generally find the time to exercise (What time could you find, if you do not have a routine in place):

Location:

Cost:

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER PHYSICAL BODY (cont)

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One of the most powerful ways to proactively control your attitude is through affirmations. Look back on your initial affirmations in Module 3. Take a look at each affirmation and ask yourself:

1) Do I believe them? Why or why not?

2) What would I have to change in my thinking to “truly believe” them?

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER MENTAL ATTITUDE

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Do you feel you have control over your time? Do you feel that you have the means to determine your schedule and hold to it? When talking with Greg and Sharon, Genevieve Bos quoted Dr. Raymond Charles Barker’s The Power of Decision: Not making a decision is a decision to fail or to live a law of averages. The same goes for your time. If you allow other people’s decisions to dictate your time, you will never be able to pursue your Definite Major Purpose.

What steps have you taken to create a time budget?

Sometimes the problem can be in optimism. While that sounds like a reverse in logic, many people have an over-optimistic view of their time. When they fail to fit it all in, they get further and further behind until their schedule is completely dictated by other people. If that is a problem for you, what can you do to overcome it?

What steps can you take this week to be more realistic about your time, and to gain control of your schedule?

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINEOVER YOUR USE OF TIME

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Take a look at your Definite Major Purpose at this stage. Describe the ways you feel as though you have control over the activities relating to your DMP:

Describe the ways you feel you could exercise more control/self-discipline over your activities so that they better contribute to your DMP:

Are you busy doing things or doing the right things? Explain (justify yourself to yourself):

How are you measuring your progress to know when you’re on track?

PRACTICE SELF-DISCIPLINE:DEFINITE MAJOR PURPOSE

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Napoleon Hill determined that self-discipline helps you enjoy seven of what he called the 12 Great Riches. He felt that self-discipline leads to:

• A Positive Mental Attitude• Harmony in human relationships• Freedom from fear• Hope of achievement• Capacity for faith• An open mind on all subjects• Sound Health

How can you leverage self-discipline to adopt a Positive Mental Attitude?

How can you leverage self-discipline to create harmony in your relationships?

SELF-DISCIPLINE:THE GREAT RICHES

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How can you leverage self-discipline to free yourself of debilitating fear?

How can you leverage self-discipline to inspire your inner hope of achievement?

How can you leverage self-discipline to expand your capacity for faith?

SELF-DISCIPLINE:THE GREAT RICHES (cont)

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With proper self-discipline, your desire(s) can be used to drive you forward. Use this exercise to revisit your desires for positive change:

List the information or knowledge you desire to acquire:

List the kind of work you desire to do:

List the kind of personality you desire to be:

SELF-DISCIPLINE:YOUR DESIRES

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Write down how much you desire to earn and receive each year:

List the places you desire to visit and see:

List the skills, arts, crafts and sciences you desire to master:

SELF-DISCIPLINE:YOUR DESIRES (cont)

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Self-discipline can be faster and more lasting when you work with someone to create accountability. Often you have people within your network who can serve as your “rock.” Whether it’s a workout partner or personal trainer for your health and fitness goals, or a person you look to for mental stimu-lation, take some time to identify who within your network could be your “rock” in each of the aspects of self-disclipline.

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Emotions? Why would they be good at helping you create accountability?

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Physical Body? Why would they be good at helping you create accountability?

SELF-DISCIPLINE:FIND YOUR ROCK(S)

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Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Mental attitude?Why would they be good at helping you create accountability?

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Use of time?Why would they be good at helping you create accountability?

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Definite Major Purpose?Why would they be good at helping you create accountability?

SELF-DISCIPLINE:FIND YOUR ROCK(S) (cont)