Section 1.02- Discipline
Module 1
Discipline is not a habit but an aptitude – Melvin Mayard
Self Discipline
In today’s world, being a marketer is tough—you’re under constant pressure to source leads and run great campaigns, as well as come up with the next big idea, the next one, and the next one…
There’s a lot on your plate, and to achieve all the goals you need to over-achieve at each level.
But that doesn’t always happen, does it?
We often start going after our goals with a lot of enthusiasm, but as the weeks go by, our excitement starts to fizzle. Think about that time you were excited about launching a massive paid ad strategy or pushing a new ebook, but despite all your initial enthusiasm, the project was a failure.
We’ve all been there but:
You have to focus on changing the outcome—otherwise, you’ll keep falling into the same patterns and ultimately getting the same results: not achieving your marketing goals.
Self-discipline for marketers
By practising self-discipline, you can achieve tremendous success as a digital marketer.
Self-discipline helps you identify your true potential.
Self-discipline enables you to think objectively.
Self-discipline leads to better focus.
Now, you might say that self-discipline is a matter of grit and doesn’t come quickly to everyone. But it’s not impossible, especially if you put systems in place to hold yourself accountable.
Set Clear Priorities & Goals
The inability to deliver by the deadline is frustrating enough without all the glaring and judgmental looks from your colleagues.
Nobody wants to be in that situation, but sometimes we’ve just too much to do and not enough time to do it.
We find ourselves coming up against pressing deadlines because we try to do everything at once. Not having defined goals further adds to the chaos. The result? Without a priority matrix and clear goals, we end up achieving nothing within the timeline.
Setting clear priorities and goals is a cornerstone of self-discipline. Here’s what you can do:
List your broad goals for the month, then filter them by week and day. This will give you a clear idea of how much you need to accomplish without getting overwhelmed.
Allocate days in the calendar for specific tasks. Add priority tags to your to-do list that mark each task as urgent, important or not so important.
Outsource, automate and batch tasks wherever needed. Create templates for tasks that are recurring.
Leave some space for unplanned things that may crop up.
Defining your goals and priorities helps you focus on what’s important and stay highly productive instead of just staying busy.
Focus on one task and own it
As screen-happy humans, we have lost the ability to focus on a task for a long. Often it is difficult to maintain focus to concentrate on a subject. There are so many distractions and noises in the world.
Every digital device is calling, beeping, and notifying for our attention.
Is there a way to kill distraction? Yes.
It’s called discipline.
But there are different kinds or levels of discipline.
What kind of self-discipline does that require? You need to master these essential elements:
- You have to avoid things that emotionally weigh you down.
- Don’t check your email or social media while working on a task.
- Don’t engage with that coworker who gets on your nerves.
There is positive and negative discipline, doing on purpose and avoid to act in specific ways.
Self-discipline is exercising willpower of positive and negative behaviours towards your goals.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments – Jim Rohn
Discipline isn’t a matter of dominance or punishment. It’s about making the work environment safe and pleasant for you and your company. Discipline works best when there’s a foundation of trust between the two parties. That starts with clear communication and continues through consistency.
You will need to show consistency and enough drive to meet the criteria for progressing from Level 1 to Level 2 and likewise to Level 3.
The criteria are you should wholeheartedly practice what you learn, be enthusiastic and self-motivated, engage with us by giving feedback and completing your journal etc.
Your level of discipline is determined by your attitude Goals, consistency and ability to take the pain – Melvin Mayard
>> Place in a box with the bullet point summary
• Yellow stage reminder (more than 5 days absent)
• Orange stage reminder (more than 10 days absent)
• Red stage reminder (more than 15 days absent)
We encourage students to be self-reliant in keeping a steady speed of work and be responsible for delivering the activities on time.
We wish you a great learning and focusing experience with long-term benefits ahead.
Summary
- Discipline is not a habit but an aptitude
- There are two disciplines,
- positive – doing for.
- negative – avoiding a behaviour.
- Discipline is exercising willpower and working towards your goals.
- Discipline is a bridge between goal and accomplishment
Activity 1.03
In your journal, write down two activities to help you stay disciplined throughout the training.
1.
2.
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