One of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. We asked some of the most inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs where their self-discipline comes from.
Qiyuan Wen
This has to start with the environment in which I grew up. I was born and raised in a small city in southern China called Zhuzhou. In the mid-20th century, Zhuzhou became a transportation hub where people built railways and overpasses, and developed industries related to trains. My father came from an even more remote mountainous area. He was the first university student from his village, and after graduating with a degree in organic chemistry, he moved to Zhuzhou to work in the research and development of train coatings at a train manufacturing plant. Read more>>
I Angelov
As with all things worth noting, my self-discipline comes from life experience. I left home when I was 14 years old, to go to a specialized high school in a different city. Once there, I had to quickly learn independence and self reliance, which by default requires a good deal of discipline.
With no one around to tell us what to do or how to act, me and my new classmates had to figure out most life lessons through trial and error. It was the best of times. Read more>>
Tamar Feinkind
My self discipline developed when I became a mom. I want to leave a legacy for these little people that I’ve made. I remember meeting someone at a networking event and when talking about our writing schedule, I said, “Well, once I had kids, I–” He cut me off and finished, “slowed down?” I laughed. The opposite is true. Having children forced me to get on a schedule. If I didn’t have a strict routine, I’d never write. Twyla Tharp, in her book The Creative Habit, said something along the lines of, “Show me an artist with all the time in the world and I’ll show you an artist who doesn’t get anything done.” Read more>>
Patrick Mcgowan
For the first 21 years of my life, the better question would’ve been “where is your self-discipline?” I was pretty messy through high school and the first part of college. I don’t just mean that my backpack was chaotic and my locker a catastrophe; I was constantly behind and scrambling to meet my responsibilities. I couldn’t keep an assignment pad and often couldn’t find the homework when I had actually done it. I would sometimes go weeks at a time without having my own pen to use in class. I never started a paper until the night before it was due. Breaking out in hives just thinking about it. I got by because I was clever, and by then I was pretty good at flying by the seat of my pants. Read more>>
Bilan Liu
I used to admire people who had great life habits and viewed them as somewhat unreachable, thinking that level of discipline was beyond me. However, the past few years have been transformative. To my surprise, I’ve become the person others now describe as disciplined, and while it wasn’t easy, it also wasn’t as hard as I initially imagined. Read more>>
Elizabeth Ashe
My self-discipline comes from many directions, influences, and people in my life. First, my self-discipline comes from my mother, whose support, strength, creativity, and drive, gave me the model for how to live. She showed me that long hours didn’t mean burn out, it meant drive and a commitment to your passions and your community. My self-discipline comes from seeing my father, and step-dads, all being weak and unhappy people who just wanted to harm and tear-down. From a young age, I knew that I was an artist. Read more>>
Betty Zequeira
There are times where I’ll think about my future self. Of course I don’t know know what every aspect of that future Life looks like, but If I want future me to be really good at the creative and acting skills I’m working towards really excelling at, I keep in mind to focus on the small steps that will lead me to that big goal. I focus on what I need to do, and breaks are important, but if I stray for a prolonged period of time, that’s when I have to think about my future self. I’m heading there anyway, might as well have more then, than I do now. Read more>>
Bre Yarnall
My self-discipline is rooted in a combination of personal values and professional experiences. From an early stage in my career, I recognized the importance of setting clear goals and maintaining a structured approach to achieving them. This understanding was reinforced through various roles where consistency and reliability were crucial to success. Read more>>
J Le’anthony
The need for discipline stems from the environment I see myself in. The background of where I come from is truly humbling. Therefore, I often find myself relentlessly trying to level up and move forward in every single category. I’m no stranger to hard work. I strive for perfection and knowing I won’t ever get to perfection is fine with me. From the mouth of the late Kobe Bryant himself, “the goal is to be as perfect as you can be”. Consistency is key. No matter how I’m feeling I have to go out and grind every single day! Read more>>
John Hunt
Self-discipline has always been a strength for me since I was young. Focusing on athletics and academic is where it blossomed. I focused on school and sports from 4th grade until I graduated from College after D1 lacrosse. Self-discipline is something that you harness once you understand the results from it….consistency, perseverance, persistence, and faith. When I was in college, my sophomore year, I got into some trouble and drinking was the main factor in everything. I was 19, playing big time athletics, far away from home, and needed to change my lifestyle to remain where I was…..so I stopped drinking alcohol. Read more>>
Lance Kennedy
From my experience, self-discipline is the key to success. It’s not about trying to do everything at once but focusing on what matters. By concentrating on high-priority, high-impact activities, I can direct my energy toward what will make the most significant difference. This means letting go of distractions and tasks that don’t contribute to long-term goals. I learned to say “no.” Read more>>
Benjamin James Mulbah
My self-discipline stems from my upbringing, rooted in the values my parents instilled in me. Growing up in a family where discipline wasn’t just expected, but lived out daily, I learned early on the importance of structure and responsibility. My parents, strict but fair, led by example. They followed the same household rules as my siblings and me, which set a foundation of consistency that shaped my outlook on life. Read more>>
Tasanee Durrett
As an only child raised by a single mother, I developed self-discipline and responsibility from an early age. My studious and creative nature was complemented by keen observational skills, allowing me to learn from my mother’s bold, innovative approach to life. Her outlook on self-discipline became a foundation for my growth. Read more>>
