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.

Ashleigh DuBois

One of my favorite questions to ask is, “do you want me to lie? Or do you want me to tell you the truth?” I ask this question because people ask big questions… but rarely are they ready for the truthfully filthy answer that is my life… so here’s a small portion of what I’ve overcome to have self-discipline and use it to my advantage.
Growing up my granny, Odessa, was my best friend. She was my everything and I adored every part of her. My granny was a routine woman, breakfast was served at 7:30am and after she cooked and cleaned the kitchen, the kitchen was closed until she made lunch. We ate at the same time every day. I didn’t realize until recently, that I got my love of routine from her and it’s shaped how I live my life, how I place boundaries around my life and how I maximize time and experiences in my life. Read More>>

Cody Rose

I’ve been a creator since I was young. Devoted to the cause. Even with that drive to create, I sometimes struggle to reach my goals until I’m ready. I find myself pulling late-night drawing sessions to reach my goals. Late night is a time when I’m undistracted. I can focus and get into a zone. When I’m in that zone, even I can’t stop myself until I’m finished with what I started. It’s important to make goals at the beginning of sessions and listen to your body when it’s time to stop. Even if that means staying up till 5 am, creating. Read More>>

Matt Doyle

I’d love if it was just purely the desire for creative expression, but that can maybe only get me to start a piece of writing and not actually finish the many, many drafts of it needed before it’s actually approaching good. Being accountable to someone always helps. Whether that’s a producer, a showrunner, an agent, or a partner or friend. Just having someone who’s waiting on my next script is necessary for me to power through a draft. More recently, I’ve used noise-cancelling headphones and the Pomodoro method to help me focus. This breaks up bursts of work into 30 minute increments with 5 minute breaks between them. When working freelance, with no one looking over your shoulder to make sure you’re at your desk, this helps create some sort of structure to my workday. Read More>>

Daria Tatarintseva

My self-discipline was shaped early on through my years as an elite athlete. I was part of the Junior National Synchronized Swimming Team and went on to have a successful 20+ year career in the sport. That journey demanded relentless focus, dedication, and resilience. Later, I was honored to be accepted into one of the most prestigious shows in the world—Cirque du Soleil’s “O” in Las Vegas. Performing in that show was a dream come true and the most extraordinary job I’ve ever had.

Both experiences instilled in me a deep sense of discipline, structure, and mental toughness. Training and performing at such high levels builds a certain character—a quiet strength that carries over into everything I do today. Read More>>

Melissa Prieto

I truly believe it comes from a deep sense of purpose. My goals are bigger than myself, and that gives me the drive to keep going, even when things get tough. I’ve also learned to embrace the pain of discipline because to me, that’s far better than living with the pain of regret or failure. Read More>>

Amelia Sofjan

My mom. Growing up, she never pressured me to get straight A’s or be the best in the class. Instead, she taught me to take pride in doing my best, no matter how big or small the task. Whether it was a simple homework assignment or a major project, she always asked, “Is that the best you can do?” If the answer was yes, I could rest. If it was no, she encouraged me to try again.

That standard—doing my personal best—was never about comparison or perfection. Because of that, I rarely felt academic pressure or performance anxiety. I knew that giving my full effort was what truly mattered. Over time, this mindset became second nature. Today, people often describe me as someone who gives 100% in everything I choose to take on. I either go all in—or not at all. Read More>>

Mike Zikri

My self discipline comes over the years from a deap sense of responsibility and a strong desire to achieve the goals I set for myself. I believe that consistency and determination are the keys to success, and ive trained myself over the years to stay focused, especially when I faced challenges.i grow up in an environment where hard work ,integrity were highly valued & those lessons guide me daily. Read More>>