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Every Sunday afternoon, I get notice when my weekly column is published. Sundays are often dedicated to family and cleaning the house, with brief email and social media checks. Earlier this month—March 4—I was particularly eager to receive notification about my column, and I promptly took a break when it came.
That week, I had written a piece that analyzed Ta-Nehisi Coates’ latest book, We Were Eight Years in Power, and I offered a response for men interested in taking a stand against racial injustices. Due to the topic and my goal, writing it required a significant amount of time, energy, and effort.
I wrote it intentionally to inspire others with interests in creating a more equitable society.
With excitement to encourage conversations around my understanding of Coates’ latest book and the proposed responses, I shared the article on Facebook. I tagged my oldest sister, Camile—an attorney and writer with an appreciation for Coates’ contributions to discussions on racism and politics. After reading, she sent me a message.
Of my five sisters, I can consistently rely on Camile to offer critical and honest feedback to any endeavor I pursue. My writing is no exception.
Camile asked for clarity on a couple of my statements and offered some advice for improvement. We exchanged messages the rest of the day, and then she recommended that I read Stephen King’s book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.
Due to the popularity of the films based on King’s books, I was familiar with his work in the science fiction and horror genres. The movie Pet Sematary—based on his 1983 book—was one of my favorites as a child. Although I knew the films, I could not claim to have read any of King’s books in their entirety.
I devoured King’s memoir on writing over the course of three days. Although I don’t specialize in fiction writing, I found his advice relative to anyone who desires more success in the field of writing and in other areas that require consistent practice.
Discipline is at the center of King’s success. In addition to advice about grammar and storytelling, he discusses the importance of creating writing goals and establishing a quiet space where you can show up to work every day at the same time. He aims to write 2,000 words during each daily session. And when he is home, it happens in the same room with the door closed. This ability to shut out the world and focus on writing has enabled him to write 92 books!
King also subscribes to writing two drafts and a polished version of his books before sending them out for publication. Committing to daily goals, showing up in the same place every day, and making multiple revisions has empowered King to accomplish a significant number of writing goals.
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I believe one of the impediments that prevent some men from achieving the success they desire is the limited application of discipline to key areas of their life. If you are like me, your parents and other adults in your community introduced you to discipline. They taught you that discipline was synonymous with punishment—a response to misbehavior at home or underachievement at school.
It is time to shift discipline from an external entity others control to an internal mechanism we use to maintain consistent and positive activities that can lead toward success.
It takes discipline to commit to a weekly schedule. Discipline is also critical to understanding how to receive feedback and respond in a way that pushes dreams, aspirations, and goals to fruition.
Discipline in any personal and professional endeavor can lead toward achievements. It is a challenge to control every area of your life. I believe that a part of manhood is being brave enough to ask for help. Hire a coach or create a group of your closest friends to hold you accountable.
My goal this week and throughout March is to encourage you to discover ways to embrace more discipline in your life.
If this resonates with you, please connect with me.
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This post is republished on Medium.
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Photo Credit: iStock