I’ve been talking a lot about the three qualities of skills, spirit and strength recently, which combined give us the ability to overcome challenges and create lasting change.
Strength can be interchanged with self-control because self-control is inner strength; the ability to control our emotions and actions so that we can be selective and expert in the application of our spirit and technique - at the moment of truth. Karate has taught me the value of self-control in all areas of my life.
We are all created with an inherent level of self-control, and while it can be cultivated, it can also be depleted. Self-control is much like a muscle, the more we practice it the more it grows. If we don’t use our self-control it becomes floppy and weak. As our self-control grows, we are better able to direct our lives in a way that reflects who we really are.
Self-control is often referred to as willpower, but this isn’t helpful. Willpower relates to struggle and negativity. But self-control is driven by power and what we gain… inner strength. When we switch our mindset to self-control rather than willpower, we are cultivating powerful and positive behavior change.
Having made the decision to commit to something, self-control provides the discipline to follow through and not be distracted by negative provocations, the most successful outcomes come from inside us.
And by practicing self-control, we are giving ourselves the time to think clearly about our next move, so that we can make better decisions when those decisions really count.
Lasting change must come from within us, and self-control is the key to self-mastery. Understanding that we cannot control others, but instead learning to control ourselves is one of the most powerful lessons we can learn.
Contact me today for more information on how you can grow your self-control.
