Self-Discipline

                    

 Chapter 24

Self-Discipline

Construction Stage 3.1   Punctually showing up to the work site

SAL Model Stage 3.1   Self-discipline

"Success is a few simple disciplines 

practiced every day."

*****

"Failure is a few simple disciplines

neglected every day."

—Jim Rohn

Self-discipline is akin to punctually showing up to a construction site sober, well-rested, properly dressed, and fully-equipped to provide a full-day's work with a good attitude. 

Nothing is going to happen if you aren't prepared and committed to work. 

This sounds simple enough in theory. But in actual practice, many people find it challenging. I am one of them. 

For example, I'm not naturally a "Morning Person," and never have been. Sometimes I envy those who are! One of the more difficult SAL exercises I've ever engaged—and I've engaged it about 13,000 times or so to date in my life—is getting up earlier in the morning than I would naturally like. 

Doing so is hard for me.

I'm sure many (if not most) of you reading this right now can relate!

Nevertheless, difficult or not, if I am going to meet my obligations as a husband, father, writer, speaker, teacher, church leader and achieve the goals I have set for myself, my family, my church flock, and Freedom Focused, I have limited choices in the matter. 

I simply have to get up most mornings at an earlier time than I am naturally inclined.

This doesn't mean I don't ever get to sleep in. Rest assured, I welcome—and take advantage of—every chance I get to do that. But the fact is that on most days, I do not have, nor would I even want, such an overrated luxury.

As Benjamin Franklin once pithily put it: He that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night. Franklin further stated: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. 

"He that riseth late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night."

—Benjamin Franklin

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

—Benjamin Franklin

Self-discipline is crucial to SAL success and Existential Growth; it's also one of the most difficult skills for most people to master. As Thomas Huxley once wrote: 

"The most valuable result of all education is to make you do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. It is the first lesson that ought to be learned. And however early a [person's] training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he [or she] learns thoroughly." (1)

Whether it is getting up in the morning, being punctual, meeting deadlines, keeping up with your exercise and nutrition, following through with your commitments, or making good on your promises, self-discipline is an absolute prerequisite for success, Existential Growth, and inner peace.  

When you reflect back on the most time-consuming and meaningful achievements and relationships in your career and life, you doubtless exercised a lot of self-discipline in realizing those objectives. No matter who you are, nothing of lasting significance can be achieved without self-discipline.

If you desire higher levels of Existential Growth, YOU must become increasingly self-disciplined along the way. This includes efficiently and effectively managing your schedule and time, your dress and grooming, your work habits, your down-time, your sleep, your fitness and nutrition, and perhaps most importantly—your emotions, associations, and communication skills and etiquette.

One of my favorite poems provides me with a continual reminder of the importance of exercising self-discipline and inner strength in my life.  

Be Strong

          Be strong!

We are not here to play, to dream, to drift.

We have hard work to do, and loads to lift.

Shun not the struggle; face it. 'Tis God's gift.

          Be strong!

Say not the days are evil,—whose to blame?

And fold the hands and acquiesce—O shame!

Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God's name.

          Be strong!

It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong,

How hard the battle goes, the day, how long.

Faint not, fight on! To-morrow comes the song. (2)

Self-Denial

Self-denial is an important component of self-discipline. 

In the sage prose of the great English poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson: the happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence, but in the mastery, of his passions. 

"The happiness of a person in this life does not consist in the absence,

[or overindulgence], but in the mastery of one's passions."

—Alfred Tennyson

Self-action leaders are neither ascetic nor hermetic; their continual aim is balance and moderation. 

However, there are times and/or seasons in everyone's life when complete self-denial is appropriate for a specific purpose and period of time.

If you always give in to every natural feeling or urge, you will lose your battle with Existential Gravity. Unbridled self-indulgence leads to a destructive hedonism that spawns diffidence and low self-worth. It may also lead to addiction and other health problems. In extreme cases, it may even lead to criminal activity, incarceration, or premature death.  

There are many different ways to practice SELF-DENIAL.

Two (2) practices that have produced enormous benefits in my life are CHASTITY and FASTING. 

Chastity is abstinence from sexual activity before marriage and complete fidelity to one's spouse after marriage.

CHASTITY

Abstinence from sexual activity before marriage and

complete fidelity to one's spouse after marriage.

Upholding such a high standard of sexual behavior can be challenging—especially in our 21st century culture, which not only condones, but glamorizes sexual concupiscence and promiscuity—but always remember that difficult is not synonymous with impossible. 

As a human being, YOU are capable of doing hard things. 

Living a chaste life has enabled me to prevent unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. It has also kept me safe from avoidable mental, emotional, and spiritual baggage in both my premarital dating relationships and my marriage. Moreover, it has made the intimacy I enjoy with my wife precious, special, and superlatively singular because I have never had any other sexual partners. It has also strengthened the love and trust that we share. Lastly, I have proved to myself that I can overcome lust and temptation to always be true to my wife, come what may. 

Simply stated, chaste living leads to confident, happy, successful, and drama-free living.  

Fasting is defined as abstaining from food and/or water and other beverages for a period of time.

FASTING

Abstaining from food and/or water and other beverages for a period of time.

I practice two (2) different types of fasting: INTERMITTENT fasting and RELIGIOUS fasting.

I practice intermittent fasting for health reasons and to manage my weight. Most of my intermittent fasting involves abstaining from food (only) for one or two consecutive meals. Once-in-a-while, I will fast from food (only) for longer periods of time (up to five consecutive meals).  

I practice religious fasting for spiritual reasons, including to help others (or myself) with specific needs or desires. For me, religious fasting involves abstaining from food and water for two (2) consecutive meals and incorporates prayer and a charitable financial donation to my church that goes to help those in need of temporary assistance.   

Aside from the well-documented physical benefits—and anecdotal spiritual benefits—of fasting, I have discovered further that fasting bolsters my self-confidence and builds my self-esteem. It is one way in which I show my body who is boss. It reinforces the belief I have that I can control my physical appetites and urges; I don't have to be a slave to my body, despite the powerful influences they regularly wield.  

Despite my successes in these aspects of self-denial, I am still far from perfect. Indeed, I still struggle with many elements of self-denial and self-discipline in my own life. In fact, I fall short in one area or another every single day of my life. Moderating my consumption of food and liquids is particularly challenging for me.

I don't smoke anything and I abstain completely from alcoholic beverages.

But I eat too much sugar, fast food, and soda.

In making this confession, I do NOT wish to insinuate that YOU, I, or anyone else should abstain completely from eating sweets, treats, soda, or fast food. I am merely advocating for balance, moderation, and overall good health practices.  

Self-discipline is an ongoing battle for even the most self-controlled and valiant-spirited among us. Nevertheless, the importance and value of self-discipline and self-denial is clear and indisputable.

I always benefit from any and every exercise of self-discipline and self-denial. 

And I always suffer the consequences—eventually, in one way or another—of failing to do so. 

Though I'm not perfect by any measure, I have had enough success in this area to gain a burning conviction of a GREAT TRUTH: self-discipline, self-denial, and obedience to True Principles rooted in Universal Laws doesn't lead to a life of bondage as many voices throughout the world audibly suggest.

In reality, the exact opposite is true: self-discipline is the only road to Existential Growth and FREEDOM.

"Deny self, for self's sake."

—Benjamin Franklin

SAL Master Challenge

EXERCISE  #22

Complete at least TWO (2) of the following four (4) exercises:

1. For a full month (30 consecutive days), discipline yourself to wake up at 6:30 a.m. (or earlier) and spend one full hour reading, writing, pondering, meditating, memorizing, praying, walking, or a combination of these activities before you go to school, work, or do any other activities. Do NOT use any technology during this time unless you are using an electronic device for reading or writing (typing) purposes. 

Day 1:_____     Day 2:_____     Day 3:_____     Day 4:_____     Day 5:_____     Day 6:_____ 

Day 7:_____     Day 8:_____     Day 9:_____     Day 10:_____     Day 11:_____     Day 12:_____ 

Day 13:_____     Day 14:_____     Day 15:_____     Day 16:_____     Day 17:_____     Day 18:_____ 

Day 19:_____     Day 20:_____     Day 12:_____     Day 22:_____     Day 23:_____     Day 24:_____ 

Day 25:_____     Day 26:_____     Day 27:_____     Day 28:_____     Day 29:_____     Day 30:_____ 

2.  Fast from food for two consecutive meals (20 hours minimum) once a week for FIVE (5) consecutive weeks (minimum requirement).  If you are feeling extra ambitious, abstain from food and water for 24 hours once a week for five consecutive weeks.  

Week 1 Fast:_____    Week 2 Fast:_____    Week 3 Fast:_____    Week 4 Fast:_____    Week 5 Fast:_____ 

3.  In a ONE month (30-day) period, physically work out for 60-minutes on 25 different days. Include elements of strength, cardio, and stretching exercises into your workout routine.

  Day 1:_____     Day 2:_____     Day 3:_____     Day 4:_____     Day 5:_____    

Day 6:_____     Day 7:_____     Day 8:_____     Day 9:_____     Day 10:_____

Day 11:_____     Day 12:_____     Day 13:_____     Day 14:_____     Day 15:_____

Day 16:_____     Day 17:_____     Day 18:_____     Day 19:_____     Day 20:_____ 

Day 21:_____     Day 22:_____     Day 23:_____     Day 24:_____     Day 25:_____ 

4.  Sign the CHASTITY Pledge below and then demonstrate integrity to your pledge for at least six (6) months in order to complete the SAL Master Challenge.  

I hereby commit to refrain from sexual activity prior to marriage.

I further commit to upholding complete sexual fidelity to my spouse after marriage. 

___________________________________________

Print Name

___________________________________________

Signature

_______________________

Date

 

I have completed the SAL Master Challenge EXERCISE #22

Your initials:__________         AP initials:__________

 

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 463rd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 256th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 462 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

If you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to bookmark this blog to access a new FREE article every Wednesday.

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Chapter 24 Notes

1.  Mandino, O. (1978). The Greatest Secret in the World. New York, NY: Bantam Books. Page vii. 

2.  Babcock, M.D. (1901). Thoughts for Every-day Living: From the Spoken and Written Words of Maltbie Davenport Babcock. Google Books version. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons. Page 168. 

Truth's Greatest Mysteries

 

Chapter 9

Truth's Greatest Mysteries 

It is human nature to wonder what might lie "beyond this place of wrath and tears." (1) Indeed, one of the greatest scientific mysteries involves what happens to us after we die, if anything.

The purpose of this Life Leadership textbook is not to claim or conjecture about specifics; nor is it to promote any particular theological doctrine on the subject. However, because YOUR beliefs (or lack thereof) and attitudes about such scientific unknowns have a significant impact upon your thoughts, speech, and actions in this world, it would be intellectually negligent to ignore the subject in a work so totally focused on the freedom and existential status of the human body, mind, and spirit. 

Hamlet being confronted by his father's ghost.

After all, who has ever lived who didn't wonder right along with Hamlet regarding what "dreams may come in that sleep of death after we have shuffled off this mortal coil?" (2)

Before proceeding with this chapter, I must state my personal bias on the subject, as follows: I am an ardent and enthusiastic believer.

Nay, that is too weak. 

A more accurate statement would be that I would bet my life on the eternal nature of my own soul and the existence of a concrete, animated, omnipotent, and highly personal Higher Power whom I believe spiritually begot me as His and Her spirit child. I believe these Heavenly Parents created my spirit long before my earthly parents conceived me in the flesh. I believe further that these same Heavenly Parents sent my spirit to this world to inhabit a mortal body for a temporary period of time in order to learn, grow, and be challenged, stretched, and tested in ways that could not be accomplished in any other way. 

According to my beliefs, this life is a test to see how I will respond to the many obstacles and vicissitudes placed in my way here in this world. If I pass the test, I can, through the grace of a Savior and Redeemer (Jesus Christ) become more like Him and my Heavenly Parents and obtain Eternal Life, rest, and increase. Most importantly, I can obtain and enjoy these things forever with my wife, children, family, and friends who qualify.    

My beliefs on the subject do not, of course, scientifically prove anything. Science cannot conclusively tell us much of anything about the empirically elusive subjects of theology and religion. Thus, human beings must ultimately choose for themselves what they will (or will not) believe—both of which viewpoints are, by the way, beliefs because most human beings that have ever lived (including me) simply don't know for sure in any scientific or physically sentient sense. 

In other words, an atheist is just as much a believer as a believer in the sense that both viewpoints require faith to uphold. Just as I believe that God is, atheists believes that God isn't. Both viewpoints are ultimately beliefs (not empirical facts) because we cannot scientifically prove or disprove either belief.

An atheist may point to a lack of evidence to suggest that God does not exist; but any savvy lawyer worth their salt will tell you that a lack of evidence does not prove the non-existence of anything. All a lack of evidence demonstrates is that something is missing; but absence of evidence and nonexistence can be two very different things. (3)  

Simply put: whether YOU choose to believe in God or not to believe in God, you are still a believer!

"But," some may counter, "I could care less either way," so I am a legitimate non-believer. 

        Not so!  

Even apathetic agnostics—or apathists, as I like to call them—are still believers; they just believe that none of it matters. Yet that position also remains a belief because you still don't know the facts for certain!

The mantra of theological apathism states: I don't know and I don't care. However, deep down, I doubt whether there has ever been a human beings who authentically doesn't care about such things. They may be apathetic for a period of time (particularly in adolescence and young adulthood), but extreme adversities, traumatic exigencies, and the passage of time tends to erode such emotional and intellectual apathy and fence-sitting over time. 

Self-action leaders around the world harbor a variety of different theological viewpoints However, while they may be religious or non-religious and spiritual or secular, they do avoid the apathetic stance. 

Self-action leaders always care. 

As a result, they think about, study, ponder, consider, question, and observe the world around them. Many of them also meditate and/or pray. 

The SAL Theory does not require you to be a "believer" in the traditional sense of the term. My own theology holds that everyone is free to believe (or not believe) "according to the dictates of [their] own conscience," (4) and I hold fast and firm to that doctrine. Indeed, I do not begrudge anyone who sincerely holds beliefs different from my own.

What we at Freedom Focused do ask of all self-action leaders is to sincerely think about and ponder on the subject. Don't just settle for whatever belief system that you came by culturally, environmentally, familially, or socially—unless you have diligently searched the matter out on your own and are following the authentic and genuine commands of your conscience. I, myself, chose to fully embrace the faith of my fathers, but only after an extensive and exhaustive investigation into the truth of its tenets and the fruit of its works.

If you are sincere and diligent in your search for TRUTH, I'll honor whatever belief system—or lack thereof—you choose to embrace (as long as it doesn't harm anyone or break the laws of the land). 

Just don't be theologically lazy. 

At Freedom Focused, we genuinely respect a wide spectrum of beliefs that are sincerely held and have been diligently sought out; but we do not respect theological apathy or intellectual indolence.  

What of an Afterlife?

Regardless what any of us chooses to believe, there is a TRUTH about an afterlife, and someday we'll all know it—or else none of us will know it in the case that we cease to exist. 

Because your attitude toward death will have a tremendous impact on your life, the importance of the subject is self-evident. Efficacious self-action leaders don't just think about today, tomorrow, and the next week; they are concerned with the entirety of their existence—up to and including a potential post-mortal existence, sentience, and ongoing Existential Growth. What you choose to believe about this subject is entirely up to you, but don't be lazy in searching out and determining your own beliefs. Just because something is mysterious or sentiently unknown does not mean it doesn't exist or matter; nor does it mean that there aren't any answers to your questions.  

Making Peace with Death

Like accidents, aging, disease, entropy, illness, and other inescapable realities of life, DEATH will eventually become a reality for all of us. If you're afraid of death, or just don't like to think about or discuss it, that's a pretty normal response to life's most certain of inevitabilities.

It is not, however, the healthiest response. 

While is it counterproductive and unhealthy to unduly dwell on the subject of death, it is important that self-action leaders courageously accept and transparently confront its impending reality. Doing so empowers you to maximize your longevity and otherwise make the most of your life here and now. 

Self-action leaders are good at practicing Dr. Stephen R. Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, including Habit #2, which is to: "Begin with the end in mind." (5) An exercise Covey encouraged his readers and students to engage in involved mentally attending their own funeral and then asking the following questions: 

"What would you like [the funeral] speakers to say about you and your life? What kind of husband, wife, father, or mother would you like their words to reflect? What kind of son or daughter or cousin? What kind of friend? What kind of working associate? What character would you like them to have seen in you? What contributions, what achievements would you want them to remember? Look carefully at the people around you. What difference would you like to have made in their lives?" (6)

Productively reflecting on the inevitability of death carries a variety of positive benefits. First, it deepens your existential perspective about life, which often leads to an enriching search and quest for spiritual enlightenment, knowledge, and faith. Second, it helps you to appreciate your life more and not take your mortal opportunities for granted. Third, it humbles you, and humility is a vital prerequisite for Existential Growth, freedom, and inner peace. 

In his famous poem, Mortality, William Knox "drive[s] life into a corner, and reduce[s] it to its lowest terms." (7) This beautifully haunting 13-stanza work was a favorite of the sometimes melancholic Abraham Lincoln, who memorized and sometimes recited it for others. 

Knox's words are sobering, even foreboding at times. Nevertheless, they are accurate in terms of our ultimate physical demise in this world—a reality for which there is no long-term value in denying, hiding, or running away.

I include the poem in its entirety here for your contemplation and edification.  

MORTALITY

OH, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?
Like a swift fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud,
A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave,
Man passeth from life to his rest in the grave.

The leaves of the oak and the willow shall fade,
Be scattered around and together by laid;
And the young and the old, and the low and the high,
Shall molder to dust and together shall lie.

THE infant a mother attended and loved;
The mother that infant's affection who proved;
The husband that mother and infant who blessed,
Each, all, are away to their dwellings of rest.

THE maid on whose cheek, on whose brow, in whose eye,
Shone beauty and pleasure,—her triumphs are by;
And the memory of those who loved her and praised,
Are alike from the minds of the living erased.

THE hand of the king that the sceptre hath borne;
The brow of the priest that the mitre hath worn;
The eye of the sage and the heart of the brave,
Are hidden and lost in the depth of the grave.

THE peasant whose lot was to sow and to reap;
The herdsman, who climbed with his goats up the steep;
The beggar, who wandered in search of his bread,
Have faded away like the grass that we tread.

THE saint who enjoyed the communion of heaven,
The sinner who dared to remain unforgiven,
The wise and the foolish, the guilty and just,
Have quietly mingled their bones in the dust.

So the multitude goes, like the flower or the weed
That withers away to let others succeed;
So the multitude comes, even those we behold,
To repeat every tale that has often been told.

FOR we are the same our fathers have been;
We see the same sights our fathers have seen,—
We drink the same stream and view the same sun,
And run the same course our fathers have run.

The thoughts we are thinking our fathers would think;
From the death we are shrinking our fathers would shrink;
To the life we are clinging they also would cling;
But it speeds for us all, like a bird on the wing.

THEY loved, but the story we cannot unfold;
They scorned, but the heart of the haughty is cold;
They grieved, but no wail from their slumbers will come;
They joyed, but the tongue of their gladness is dumb.

They died, ay! they died: and we things that are now,
Who walk on the turf that lies over their brow,
Who make in their dwelling a transient abode,
Meet the things that they met on their pilgrimage road.

YEA! hope and despondency, pleasure and pain,
We mingle together in sunshine and rain;
And the smiles and the tears, the song and the dirge,
Still follow each other, like surge upon surge.

'Tis the wink of an eye, 'tis the draught of a breath,
From the blossom of health to the paleness of death,
From the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud,—
Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?" (8)

Existentially speaking, how can anyone truly "begin with the end in mind" (9) without reconciling the reality of one's own finite mortal existence? 

Moreover, is it not self-evident that your beliefs about "what dreams may come when [you] have shuffled off this mortal coil" (10) will have a tremendous influence on how you choose to direct your life here and now? 

Coming to terms with and properly reconciling the reality of your own impending death and ultimate departure from this world has at least two meaningful benefits. 

First, you eradicate any false sense that you will live in this world forever. This recognition of your own ultimate mortal demise sharpens your focus on your life's greatest priorities—what truly matters most to YOU. This sharpened focus provides you with greater direction and motivation here and now. 

Second, openly acknowledging and then tranquilly accepting this reality may lead you to cultivate and nurture your spirituality, which can aid you in confronting important metaphysical questions that science alone can hardly begin to address.  

I am still in my mid-forties and in good physical and mental health. As such, and barring any unexpected accident or other calamity, I assumably have several decades left in this world. Nevertheless, I am grateful for my knowledge and acceptance of death—as well as the peace I have made with its impending reality for me personally. 

As a result, I do not fear it. In fact, in many ways, I welcome it—not in a depressed or suicidal sense; I hope to live to a grand old age in this world—but in the sincere faith and enthusiastic hope that no matter how good things have been, or will yet be in this world, my best days lie ahead of me after my mortal body belongs to the ages.  

That is my irrevocable belief.

        And come what man, I am sticking to it!

I cannot prove there is an afterlife; nor can I provide intricate details of what it would be like even if it does exist. What I can tell you is that my present existence is hugely impacted by my beliefs about the eternal nature of my soul and what awaits me after passing through the veil of death, and that impact has been enormously positive and productive to my life here and now.

That's why it matters to me. 

Thus, I commend a similar pathway to you according to the honest and sincere "dictates of [your] own conscience." (11) Again, I am not asking you to be become a believer; nor am I requesting that you believe as I do. I am simply sharing my own perspective and suggesting that everyone can benefit from a serious and sincere search for answers to the following questions:

• Where did I come from? 
• Did I exist in any form before my physical conception in this world?

• Why am I here on planet Earth right now?
• Is God/Life/the Universe asking me to accomplish anything specific during my mortal existence? Or am I just a chance and capricious creature—a result of nothing more than a roll of the cosmic dice and the natural, evolutionary processes of nature?   

• Does my spirit/soul/metaphysical essence go somewhere after I die, or do I simply cease to exist altogether?

• Will I continue to exist after death in my present form?
• If so, will I someday be accountable to a Higher Power for my thoughts, speech, and actions in this life

• Is there a meaning to life, or is life completely meaningless?
• If there is a meaning to life, what is it?

• Does a Higher Power exist, and if so, what is the existential essence of He/She/It?
• If a Higher Power does exist, does He/She/It pay attention to and care about me?

While self-action leaders strive for a helpful and healthy viewpoint of death, they do not obsess about the subject; nor do they focus on it any more than they contemplate other elements of both the future or the past.

Instead, self-action leaders spend the vast majority of their time focusing on their present actions and lives and how we can make the most of each blessed and precious moment we have to live here in this world. 

Utilizing his famously uplifting and inspiring verse, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once penned a piece of poetry designed to help us stay focused on the all-important PRESENT and truly make the most of the finite number of breaths we are allotted in this world.  

A PSALM of LIFE

WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO THE PSALMIST.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

   Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

   And things are not what they seem.

Life is real!  Life is earnest!

   And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

   Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

   Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

   Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

   And our heart, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

   Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world's broad field of battle,

   In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

   Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!

   Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act,—act in the living Present!

   Heart within, and God o'erhead!

Lives of great [ones] all remind us

   We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

   Footprints on the sands of time;—

Footprints, that perhaps another,

   Sailing o'er life's solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

   Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

   With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

   Learn to labour and to wait. (12)

Nurturing Your Spirituality

Whatever one's creed or belief system, self-action leaders cultivate the spiritual side of their natures. 

Why? 

Because they recognize that human beings are spiritual beings just as surely as they are mental, physical, social, and emotional beings. To reiterate the words of Chardin, shared in a previous chapter: We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a physical experience. 

"We are not physical beings having a spiritual experience;

we are spiritual beings having a physical experience."

—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Self-action leaders understand further that if they neglect any area or element of their nature, they will suffer the consequences of that negligence, which will deleteriously affect all other areas and elements.

Such is the straightforward math of Systems Theory and thinking.

There are many different ways to pursue a spiritual life. At Freedom Focused, we earnestly encourage YOU to seek out and find a path that is right for you. In choosing your pathway, make sure that it promotes goodness, rightness, and service to others as it concurrently leads to freedom, growth, and inner peace for yourself.

If you choose to be a believer, please be respectful, tolerant of, and open-minded toward non-believers. In the practice of your faith, I urge you to follow the sage advice of Jim Rohn, who encouraged all believers to "study, practice, and teach." (13)

As a believer myself, I would add SERVICE and PRAYER to this trio of worthy activities.

Lastly, if you choose to proselyte for your faith, please do so in a kind, compassionate, patient, tolerant, and understanding way that does not disrespect, demean, or diminish anyone who chooses to believe differently than you. Instead of contending with, belittling, or trying to marginalize non-believers, listen to, be tolerant of, and try to learn from them. 

After all, EVERYONE has something to teach; you simply have to look for their lessons in humility. In the sage words of Emerson: Every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.

"Everyone I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from them."

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you choose to not believe, please be respectful, tolerant, and open-minded toward believers. In the practice of your agnosticism or atheism, I encourage you to also study, practice, and teach those secular subjects that will contribute meaningfully to the long-term welfare of yourself and others. I also invite you to ponder and meditate in the place of prayer and serve others—just like a believer. 

If you choose to proselyte for your agnostic or atheistic views, please do so in a kind, compassionate, and tolerant way that does not disrespect, demean, or diminish those who do believe. Instead of contenting with, belittling, or trying to marginalize believers, listen to, be tolerant of, and try to learn from them. 

In Your Journal

• What are YOUR beliefs about a Higher Power or an afterlife? Why do you believe (or not believe) this?

• Do you think that your current theological beliefs (or lack thereof) help or hinder your life's journey? Why?

• If you desire more information about life's greatest mysteries, such as the existence (or not) of a Higher Power, and whether we continue to exist after our physical death, where might you go to find answers?  

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Homestead, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 398th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 208th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 397 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks    

Chapter 9 Notes

1.  Line from the poem Invictus. Henley, W.E. (1919) Poems. New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons. Page 119. (Google Books version).

2.  Shakespeare, W. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Act III. Scene I. Lines 74-75. Syntax slightly altered for contextual purposes.

3.  I thank Nick Sorenson, J.D., an attorney acquaintance of mine from Spring, Texas, for bringing this enlightening point of lawyerly evidence to my attention.  

4. Smith, J. Jr. (1842). The Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In the "Wentworth Letter" to John Wentworth, editor and proprietor of the Chicago Democrat. 1 March 1842. 

5.  Covey, S.R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York, NY: Fireside. See pages 95-144.

6.  Ibid. Page 97.

7.  Thoreau, H.D. (2001). Walden and Other Writings. New York, NY: MetroBooks. Page 75.

8.  Knox, W. (1877). Oh Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be Proud? Boston, MA: Lee and Shepard. No page numbers. Google Books version.

9.  Covey, S.R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York, NY: Fireside. See pages 95-144.

10.  Shakespeare, W. Hamlet. Act 3, Scene 1, Lines 74-75.

11.  Smith, J. Jr. (1842). The Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In the "Wentworth Letter" to John Wentworth, editor and proprietor of the Chicago Democrat. 1 March 1842. 11th Article of Faith.  

12.  Longfellow, H. W. (1912). From A Psalm of Life in The Poetical Works of Longfellow. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Page 3.

13.  Rohn, J. (2000). Building Your Network Marketing Business. (Compact Disc). VideoPlus.

The Power of Personal Experience

 

Chapter 13

The Power of Personal Experience 

Our personal experiences profoundly influence who we are, how we see the world, and what we eventually become. Like it or not, we are all products of our experiences. No matter how similar two people may be in terms of their race, ethnicity, culture, background and upbringing, DNA, disposition, personality, education, or career path, the experiences of each and every human being that has ever lived remain remarkably unique. 

Life is all about mining precious experiences
out of the ore of the everyday drudgery and humdrum

Experience matters—not only because it shapes who we are and how we see the world—but because precious gems of wisdom can be mined from its rocky ore. If you are willing to mine your experiences for these gems, you will be able to refine it to obtain insights worth their weight in silver, gold, or even diamonds—speaking either metaphorically or literally. Likewise, if you are willing to seek out new and challenging experiences, you will reap all sorts of riches in the form of knowledge, maturity, perspective, and personal capacity. 

No matter who you are, life is full of opportunities to gain worthwhile experiences. Sadly, many people fail to recognize opportunities for achievement and growth when they are staring them right in the face. Sadder still is when people do recognize opportunities, but fail to take advantage of them because of fear or laziness.

The great business philosopher, Jim Rohn, once spoke of his aged father who, even in his last days on Earth, was still actively engaged in productively living his life. Rohn counsels us to follow his father's example and take advantage of every worthy opportunity that crosses our path. As he puts is: "Don't miss anything" (1) that is worth doing.

Rohn further taught that embracing worthy opportunities is an impetus for the creation of wealth (financially as well as intellectually, physically, socially, etc.). According to Rohn, "If you live well, you will earn well." (2)

"If you live well, you will earn well."

—Jim Rohn

Unfortunately, many people get this formula mixed up; they mistakenly believe that if you earn well, then (and only then) you will live well. Rohn got the equation right—living well is the key to earning well, not the other way around. Your life doesn't improve as you get rich; you get rich as your life improves. 

SAL Mantra

Life doesn't improve as you get rich. You get rich as your life improves.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

It has been said that "there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." (3) If you watch television with a critical eye, you will readily perceive the insight of this statement. If you spend time online, you will find it corroborated even further. As one Internet expert (4) put it: "You can go on to Google [and] find whatever facts you want. You pick any story out there, give me fifteen minutes on Google, [and] I can give you facts that support both sides of the story." (5)

From media and politics to marketing and litigation, a diminishing ensemble of truth tellers face an uphill battle in their efforts to expose, indict, and quell the capable, determined, and well-funded "Spin Doctors" who are more interested in defending their point and proliferating their ideology than they are in opening up their eyes (or yours) to reality. It is a tragic waste of intelligence and a perpetual embarrassment to the collective populace. 

With the exception of BOOK the SEVENTH, where I share a few, brief stats in addition to presenting data from my own action research, I have intentionally chosen not to use statistics to support the points, postulates, and premises I put forth in this Life Leadership textbook. 

I have pursued this course for two (2) reasons.

First, I am neither a statistician nor a sociologist. I am also not a cultural warrior, and I make a habit of NOT speaking on topics of which I am not an expert. I am an educator. I am also a writer (poetry and prose), philosopher, family man, religious leader, amateur historian, and athlete. It is, therefore, most appropriate that my message be communicated through the lens of pedagogy, literature (poetry and prose), philosophy, family, theology, history, and athletics.  

Second, no matter how reliable cited data may be, the veracity of the SAL philosophy and its accompanying theory and model cannot be validated on a strictly empirical basis. The honest consultation of heart and conscience must play a vital role. If you are unwilling to listen to the still, small voice of conscience that resides deep down in the sacred recesses of your own mind, heart, and soul, trust that visceral intuition, and be categorically honest with yourself along the way, you will find little value in this Life Leadership textbook. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once put it: Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.  

"Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind."

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is absurd watching otherwise intelligent persons cite and then spin statistics in every which way—truth, reality, and consequences be damned—their only real intent being to protect and advance themselves and their own personal or professional pet projects and power, all the while lining their pockets with cash from the accompanying pecuniary pursuits.

Amazingly, the exact same—or at the least very similar—statistics are often used by opposing persons or organizations to champion entirely contrary conclusions and their concomitant causes. It is a profound insult to my (and your) intelligence. This use of statistics to selectively and seductively provide so-called empirical data to corroborate whatever ideological, social, political, or marketing point someone is paid to promote is nauseating and we at Freedom Focused do not respect anyone we see engaging in these dishonest practices.  

In an effort to avoid such sophistry, I have chosen to steer clear of statistics altogether. Instead, I rely on the highly credible words and works of a considerable collection of the finest minds, hearts, and souls that have existed throughout human history. I then ask readers to tap into YOUR own conscience to determine the veracity or speciousness of the principles and practices. For those who wish to verify and validate this message with statistics and have the time, energy, and expertise to access or compile them, you won't have much trouble producing a reference list that is many miles long. We encourage such parties to pursue said course if they wish; statistics is simply not our passion or project. Our desire is to share a message we already know in our hearts is right and true—with or without the added corroboration of statistics.  

The Power of a Well-Cultivated Idea

"It is funny how mortals always picture [devils]

as putting things into their minds;

in reality [their] best work is done

by keeping things out." (6)

—C.S. Lewis

Never underestimate the power of a well-cultivated idea rooted in True Principles and Universal Laws. One veracious idea properly planted in your mind and heart and then nourished with consistent action over time can positively transform a relationship, a career, or a life. I know this is true because I have experienced it over-and-over-and-over again throughout my own life's circuitous and challenging, yet enormously fulfilling journey.  

For example, the ideas planted in my mind, heart, and soul as I read and studied Dr. Stephen R. Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People changed my life as a young college student. Not only did it produce many of the thought "acorns" that eventually grew up into the "Oak Tree" of this expansive Life Leadership textbook, but it also expanded my professional credibility and has been worth its weight in solid gold (literally and metaphorically) in my life and career.  

On one occasion, my knowledge of the 7 Habits material even helped me land a contract training position with a seminar company. I believe these same thought seeds will be worth untold millions of dollars to me before I retire. More importantly, they will contribute to my attainment of untold additional riches whose worth far outweighs any monetary remuneration. These riches include quality relationships, meaningful experiences, fulfilling achievements, and the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of other people. Indeed, the day will come when the fruit produced by these seeds will be of inestimable worth and value to countless others whom I will eventually reach with the unprecedented work you know hold in your hands.  

Talk about a real-life money tree! 

Indeed, that one book has helped to make me a very rich man (financially and otherwise). And guess how much it cost me to procure this gold mine of ideas? 

It cost me absolutely nothing, because I found it on the bookshelves of my own home growing up. It belonged to my parents and I annexed it into my own personal library (thanks Mom and Dad!). I should emphasize here that the book itself did not produce the magic in my life. It was my willingness to invest the time, energy, and thought power to read, digest, ponder, internalize, and act upon the information I found therein.

This was a small price to pay in comparison to the residual benefits I accrued from the efforts.

        But I still had to make the effort! 

And this is to say nothing of the impact of a host of other books, poems, speeches, essays, and quotes (7) have had on my life, career, and relationships.

Communication is, among other things, a process of planting "thought seeds" in the mind, heart, and soul of another person. Leadership is about putting the right kind of ideas into the minds, hearts, and spirits of those you lead and then influencing them to act wisely on those ideas for the purpose of benefitting oneself and others in the long-run. Individuals can become capable, influential, and powerful beyond measure when truth is allowed to properly germinate within their minds, hearts, and souls, and then steadily cultivated, fertilized, nurtured, pruned, and protected over time.  

The embrace and proliferation of right principles was the foundation of Winston Churchill's genius and success during World War II. Throughout the Blitz, the Battle of Britain, the African Campaign, the Italian Campaign, and finally the Allied invasion of northern France, Churchill was continually planting thought seeds of liberty, freedom, fortitude, resolve, resilience, endurance, calmness, patience, and personal power into the minds of the British Empire and her Allies throughout the world. Utilizing his talents to their utmost, Churchill the leader truly "mobilized the English language and sent it into battle," to the benefit of us all. (8)

A middle-aged Winston Churchill

Obviously, this same principle and practice can be similarly applied to nefarious purposes through the corruption of educational processes and the sinister practice of brainwashing through the proliferation of propaganda. Hitler, Goebbels, Himmler, Heydrich, and their Nazi minions successfully indoctrinated the German masses with a steady diet of racist and xenophobic principles and propaganda throughout the 1930s. This pernicious program of poison fueled the Third Reich's extraordinary rise to power in the years leading up to the Second World War. The results of this diligent "sowing" of evil ideas was nearly as devastating as Churchill's campaign was triumphant. 

Fortunately—for all of us—Churchill triumphed over Hitler. 

        Unfortunately, evil is not always checked and extinguished as quickly and significantly as fascism was in the mid-1940s.  

This Life Leadership textbook provides you with a storehouse of true and virtuous ideals you can sow and ingrain into your mind, heart, and soul as well as the souls, hearts, and minds of those you teach, lead, and love. I invite YOU to plant these ideas by reading and pondering the principles of this book. I then encourage you to water, fertilize, prune, and protect by setting goals, working hard, and exercising persistence in applying the accompanying practices. Finally, I suggest you allow the sunshine of Serendipity to nourish your newly sprouted knowledge, skills, and habits. If you will do this, you will come to find that over time, the tree of your life will bear many bountiful bushels of delicious fruit in the form of growth, freedom, achievement, joy, and inner peace. 

YOU will have truly become an OAK TREE!

Your Unlimited Potential

I am not a perfect human being, nor do I claim to have all the answers to the challenges and mysteries of life. I do, however, place enormous confidence in SAL mixed with Serendipity because this potent and powerful existential cocktail has been developed, tested, and refined through the fiery crucibles of my own life and career experiences spanning nearly 40 years of time.

That'a a LOT of time!

More importantly, it has been corroborated by the experiences of many of the world's wisest and most successful men and women throughout history—as recorded in their own words. 

Like emotional intelligence, your capacity and potential for freedom and growth is not limited by your genetic makeup or mimetic heritage alone. The only real limits are the ones you place upon yourself.

That means that in the end, you really have only yourself to blame if you fail to rise to the full measure of your potential.  

Everyone throughout history who has humbly and diligently learned SAL principles and applied SAL practices over time has eventually become very happy, successful, fulfilled, and at peace. Most of these persons wouldn't have known the principles by the name of "SAL" but that is okay because I didn't invent the principles or the practices; I merely organized them into an original package, gave that package a unique name, and then articulated its particulars in a creative and unusual way.

The beauty of SAL is that there are no limits to how much you can grow or how much freedom you can obtain over time. This fact engenders enormous hope for anyone interested in, and willing to apply SAL in one's life. It means you are able to move forward for as long and as far as you are willing to push forward, plow onward, and keep trying. This reality begs two key questions, as follows:

How far will you choose to go?

        How much will you choose to grow?

In the end, YOU—and you alone—will have to answer these two questions for yourself, and your answer will ultimately be articulated not in words, but in actions and results.

How will you choose to act?

        And what will you choose to become?  

In Your Journal

• What is something you could do this week, month, or year to gain an educational or otherwise meaningful experience that you might have avoided before reading this chapter? 
• Who and/or what do you want to become in the long-run?
• What are some of the changes you must make to realize your future vision?

This is the end of BOOK the SECOND: In Pursuit of Change, Growth, and Freedom: An Introduction to Self-Action Leadership. It marks the conclusion of the SAL prefacing material. The next book introduces the SAL Philosophy, which sets up the SAL Theory and Model to come in BOOKS the FOURTH and FIFTH.  

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 381st Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 192nd consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 380 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE to access the FULL TEXT of Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks    

Chapter 13 Notes

1.  Rohn, J. (2000). Building Your Network Marketing Business. (Compact Disc). VideoPlus.

2.  Ibid. 

3.  Attributed to Mark Twain (1835-1910) and Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), among others.

4.  Michael Maslansky, author of The Language of Trust: Selling Ideas in a World of Skeptics. See URL: www.maslansky.com

5.  Michael Maslansky speaking on The O’Reilly Factor. Fox News Channel. January 6, 2015. URL: http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/index.html#/v/3974678980001

6.  Lewis, C.S. (1995). The Screwtape Letters. New York: Bantam. Chapter IV, Page 11.

7.  To review a list of the books, poems, speeches, essays, and quotes that have had the greatest impact on the life of Dr. JJ, see Appendix A & B.

8.  President John F. Kennedy said this of Churchill upon granting him honorary U.S. citizenship nearly two decades after the end of World War II.