​Discipline Is Destiny: 25 Habits That Will Guarantee You Success

The ancients were fond of an expression: Character is fate.

Discipline is the win. When you are disciplined about your craft…you win. When you know you put your best into something…you win. When your self-worth is tied to things you can control (effort, for example)…you win.

At the core of the idea of self-mastery is an instinctive reaction against anything that masters us.

It is impossible to be committed to anything–professionally or personally–without the discipline to say no to all those other superfluous things.

Practice. The wonderfully curious economist Tyler Cowen has come to ask greats of various fields some version of the question: How do you practice your scales? What drills or exercises make you better at what you do? If a person wants to get better, wants to continue to develop and polish, they must know the answer to that question.

Robert Greene puts it perfectly: “Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less.” They have the discipline and this discipline creates a powerful presence.

As Steve Jobs, speaking to his top designer Jonny Ive, would explain, “focus is not this thing you aspire to…or something you do on Monday. It’s something you do every minute.”

Delegation is not cheap but it affords you the most expensive thing in the world: time.

Tolerant with others, he reminded himself, strict with yourself.

“perfection of character: to live your last day, every day, without frenzy or sloth or pretense.”