Discipline...Or Something

Without fail, I’ve put out an article every Friday for well over a year now. I think this is the sixty-sixth consecutive weekly article. Some weeks I write an article or two early and schedule them out, giving myself a queue. Some weeks, like this one, I have no idea what I should write about, and this discipline hangs over my head until the very last minute the night before my self-imposed deadline. Either way, the show goes on and you’re none the wiser because of discipline…or something.

Renowned podcaster and Navy Seal Jocko Willink coined the phrase “discipline equals freedom.” There’s truth there. If I keep putting one word after the next week after week, this discipline makes me a better writer. So, on weeks when I’ve got nothing to write about, I can still pull something out of the old fourth point of contact to deliver to you—the reader.

I’m sure I could have written about how a former president was almost assassinated last week. It’s a noteworthy event. There are already enough people writing on that this week. Everyone who ever donned a uniform of any type has already weighed in with their “expert” opinions and frankly, I’ve got nothing to add other than it’s a real bummer that our country is this divided. I could write about the cognitive decline of our current president and how his party is encouraging him to step down, but his pride refuses to make that concession. It’s admirable on the one hand and terrifying on the other.

If you’re like me, you’re probably exhausted with politics, politicians, and the state of our nation. That’s about as deep as I want to go anyway. To quote Rodney King “Can we all just get along?” I realize that’s probably just me being overly naïve or idealistic, but what would that look like? There’s a book many people claim to have read that says to love your neighbor as yourself and to fix the plank in your eye before addressing a spec in someone else’s. What if—hear me out—what if we stopped getting wrapped around the axle on how we differ and start just being good people?

Who am I kidding though, I hold a grudge worse than anyone. This is one of those do as I say not as I do moments. I at least can admit my shortcomings and eventually, I come around. It’s hard to forgive those who have wronged me. But eventually, I do. I still believe the change we need as a country starts in our neighborhoods. We may not be able to change the world, but we can change our communities. Simple acts of kindness can go a long way. A rogue smile, holding a door open, or helping those in need—these are things that can change lives; one small step at a time. What do I know? I’m just some dude trying to write an article on the internet.

Discipline, whether in consistently writing articles, or making a concerted effort to be nicer to people takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight—nothing worth having does. One day you will look back and say “Wow, all that work paid off and made me better.” Here’s hoping we can all be disciplined in whichever areas we need work and buff out the rough edges to make this world a better place.