Many of the most impressive entrepreneurs and creatives in our community exhibit a high degree of self-discipline and so we asked some of them to share their backstories of how they developed their self-discipline.
Charente Carr
My self-discipline is rooted in my determination to overcome challenges and achieve my goals. The experiences I’ve faced, including health issues and self-esteem struggles, have fueled my desire to take control of my life and make positive changes. I’ve learned that self-discipline is essential for personal growth, and it empowers me to persevere through setbacks and stay focused on what matters most. Read more>>
Jayton Metcalf
Starting Blind havoc, and running my own business was a completely new world for me, but growing up my parents always instilled a very strong work ethic in my siblings, and I, growing up in an athletic household we were taught to compete since we were young, and always strive to be the best we could be. In business, the same keys are super important, it is a very competitive space and if you don’t work hard, there is zero chance you’ll be able to succeed. Read more>>
Kristin Clark
Growing up as the youngest in a family of four, I learned the value of self-discipline early on. Despite our low-income circumstances, our home was filled with so much love and fun that I didn’t even notice our financial limitations until I was a teenager. My journey towards self-discipline truly began when I started working with my dad in his wholesale nursery business. We would embark on long drives high into the mountains in his truck to dig and ball trees. Read more>>
Czn Baby
I think with everyday that passes, I see things from a different perspective. A few “I don’t really need to be here” or “do I really need to do this” moments in my head. Getting older has made me understand a lot through people and through efforts to build consistency. Read more>>
Amanda Mckinney
My self-discipline comes from a strong understanding of WHY I want to accomplish a specific goal. This seems simple but it’s actually an easy thing to miss. We’re taught to set goals and then go after them but if we don’t pause long enough to understand why that specific goal matters to us, it’s more likely that you’ll stop when things get tough…which they will. Read more>>
Shayla Coombs
Growing up, people often called me stubborn. As a kid, I took it as an insult. To me, being stubborn meant I was difficult to work with, resistant to others’ ideas, or even close-minded. But as I went through college and grad school, I began to see it differently. “Stubborn” and “self-disciplined” are quite literally synonyms. Waking up at the same time every day and sticking to the same morning routine since moving to Madison, Wisconsin, isn’t just stubbornness—it’s self-discipline. It’s finding what works for me and sticking with it. Read more>>
Giulia Ruozzi
My self-discipline comes from understanding that my future is entirely in my hands. While I’m fortunate to have supportive family and friends who are willing to help, I know that ultimately, I am the one responsible for pursuing my dreams and making them a reality. Having a clear vision of my goals helps me stay focused and disciplined. I’m not afraid to say no, to work hard, or to put myself out there, because I have a strong sense of what I want to achieve. Read more>>
Bat-sheva Guez
Much of the work that one does as a writer or director to develop projects involves an incredible amount of self-discipline. Often, there is no one to care whether or not you do the work but yourself and all targets and goals are self-determined. But I do find a lot of joy and satisfaction in doing the work, and when I’m focused on a task, the world melts away and I find a sort of meditative, “flow” that shuts out the other voices in my head that may try to lead me astray. And I get to a point where I need that flow to feel good, and so the self-discipline comes naturally. Read more>>
Giovanni Pagano
It comes from creating small wins everyday. I win every single day in my life. Whether that’s not hitting the snooze button, getting a great workout in, checking off everything on my to-do list. My life is based on winning in every aspect. These wins over a long enough period of time will compound into habits which turn into discipline. You have to have things that you accomplish every single day no matter what. Read more>>
Alexia Haick
My self-discipline has developed through various influences, including my family, teachers, and personal growth. I didn’t grow up in a restrictive environment; my parents’ primary desire for my sister and me was simply that we become good people. Ironically, we both developed into highly competitive individuals, with my sister being the first to demonstrate the power of discipline and its tangible results. Read more>>
Kevin Shen
My self-discipline comes from my motivation to be someone that can be something in the world. Growing up I always wanted to be someone or something that had an effect on people, someone that people could be motivated by and look up to. This all started when I was younger. Growing up I honestly felt like a nobody and had no sense of direction. I was a bit all over the place. I looked up to movie stars, nba players, and my father who was a surgeon. Other than my father, It was extremely hard to look up to anybody that looked like me. Read more>>
Tom Schin
I’ve been fortunate to have some great people in my life who inspire me daily – from neighbors growing up, teachers, managers, family, and friends. Some of the most memorable were my music teachers growing up. I had some level of talent (which I admit I took for granted) in playing musical instruments. Those teachers helped me understand that if I didn’t put the work in, no one would do it for me. I had lessons where I hadn’t practiced and fumbled my way through it – they’d call me out on my lack of preparation (Dr. L in particular). He helped me understand that I wasn’t there on my own. Read more>>
Alexa Damico
I believe years of working in the New York City fashion industry has contributed to my self discipline and resilience! That coupled with my general love for design and creating with integrity. Read more>>
Spitfire Sparks
This has always been one of the hardest skills to maintain in my opinion. Self-discipline is the cornerstone of achieving any major goals or dreams in life. You must be consistent, and you must do the things you know need to get done. Self-discipline is a continuous process. It’s something that you work on, and practice, everyday. First and foremost, it’s finding and acknowledging the things you want and need to get accomplished, and the steps necessary to get there. Read more>>
Reagan Briggs
First off, thank you Shoutout Arizona for the opportunity to be back and share more about what’s near and dear to my heart! As some may recall in our last chat, I shared how my parents have truly shaped me into the woman I’ve become today. They are also who helped cultivate my self-discipline through my childhood experiences. Between playing hockey for 9 years growing up, dancing for even longer, and doing online schooling, I was taught that it is on me. Read more>>
Kevin Liao
I would say that my self-discipline is a combination of the environment I was brought up in as well as my ambitions.
As a child of immigrants, I understand the obstacles my parents went through to get where they are today, from coming to the U.S. for their PhD programs without knowing much English to learning how to climb the corporate ladder. During family dinners, they frequently emphasized how hard they worked to get where they’re today and how much of a better position I’m in right now given the resources I have access to that they didn’t have. Read more>>
Erica Seagrave
I was a competitive gymnast when I was younger. When my friends were having fun, I was in the gym working out and training. I had to learn at a very young age to stay focused and disciplined if I wanted to win and perform better than my competitors. This concept has stayed with me in my professional career. Whatever I am doing, I focus, remove destractions, and strive to be the best I can be every single day. Read more>>
Gabriel Rivas
I have always believed that if you truly want something, you will fight for it and strive to improve yourself as much as possible to achieve that goal, whether it’s a relationship, a job, a skill, or an activity. When I first learned about audio editing, I didn’t get excited because I didn’t really know what it was, but after some time and experience, I realized that I wanted to pursue it as my career. Read more>>
Chiedozie Iroh
My self-discipline comes from a combination of my experiences in sports, and the influence of role models I’ve looked up to growing up. Playing sports has been a major factor in developing my self-discipline and my upbringing in a Nigerian household has also played a significant role. There was always an emphasis on hard work, respect, and dedication in everything I did growing up. As a kid, I was taught that success requires perseverance and that I should always strive to give my best, no matter the circumstance. Read more>>
