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.

Zainab D Mansary

Self-discipline is something I owe greatly to my parents, my culture, and especially my mother. As an African, I was raised within a strict routine that emphasized the importance of consistency in achieving tasks. This included morning rituals like waking up early, washing dishes, making breakfast, cleaning the house, and taking showers. In our culture, the discipline of organization starts at a young age, with the expectation that all tasks should be completed by eight o’clock in the morning. Read More>> 

Ayad Saknee

My self-discipline comes from my faith as a Muslim. Islam teaches us to control our desires, remain patient during hardship, and stay committed to what is right, even when it’s difficult. I draw strength from daily prayers, Muslims pray five times a day, and from fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, where we refrain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. I also reflect deeply on the sacrifices of the Ahlul Bayt, especially Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), whose stand at Karbala inspires me to hold firmly to my values. My mother always reminded me that Allah is always watching, and that awareness motivates me to stay disciplined even when no one else is around. Read More>>

Diana Lazare

My self-discipline comes from numerous desires and observations. I believe that if I set a goal and am consistent, there will be a reward. I look forward to rewards. I am currently reaping the benefits of saying no to myself over the years, even when my own fleshly desires would rather do the opposite of the better idea. I also watched my mother make good choices and decisions and my siblings and I are the beneficiaries. Read More>>

Marcela Alonso

I get my self-discipline from the moments when I had no other choice. From sitting alone with nothing but my own thoughts and deciding to keep going anyway. I learned to show up for myself because no one else was going to save me. My discipline is part survival instinct, part stubborn hope, and part proof that I refuse to let my circumstances define me. Even when my heart is broken or my bank account is low, I find a way to keep creating, keep working, and keep believing that something better is possible. That’s where my strength comes from. Read More>>

Jason Lentzke

My self-discipline was likely shaped in the quiet moments, when no one was watching.

It probably started when I was 12 and noticed a lot of my friends dropping out of Boy Scouts. Around that time, life started pulling in other directions: sports, social life, girls. But I made a promise to myself and to my dad: I was going to earn my Eagle Scout Rank. It took four more years of steady effort, but I followed through. Later, I didn’t make varsity soccer as a junior—a moment that stung deeply. That could’ve been the end of it. Instead, it became fuel. Read More>>