Working Hard or Hardly Working? The Choice Is Yours
When it comes to self-employment, discipline is key — here’s why.
Self-employables have the flexibility to work when and where we want — all that matters is that the work gets done. Sounds great, right? Not so much, especially for those who lack self-discipline and integrity.
Self-discipline refers to the ability to control how you feel. It often goes hand-in-hand with integrity, i.e. the ability to do what’s right, even in the face of adversity.
If you’re self-disciplined, you work hard, do your job well and meet expectations. Yet focus sometimes wanes — but with integrity, you resist the temptation to walk away from challenges. In fact, if you’re self-disciplined and maintain your integrity, you’ll survive and thrive, regardless of the challenges that come your way.
Know Who You Are. Be Who You Want to Be.
If you want to build self-discipline, you first need to accept who you are, both as an individual and as a professional. Own your flaws — and own what you decide to do about them. Then, you’re ready to become who you want to be.
As a self-employable, some people are going to criticize you. They will consider you “unemployed,” question your judgement and make you feel like a disappointment and a failure. Deep down, all that matters is what you think — that’s where your integrity comes into play.
If you are self-disciplined, you’ll know that you’re working as hard as you can to meet your goals. You’ll also have the integrity to try your best — and in the big picture, that’s what’s important.
Remember, self-employment is NOT a way of life; it’s a means to an end. Self-employment helps you earn the money you need to live, but it does not define you as a person. You define you — you write your narrative, so why not make it as awesome as possible?
So, here’s my advice: work as hard as you can, for as long as you can, and try your best in all that you do. At the same time, accept who you are, and accept that your self-employment goals are far less important than your family, friends, happiness and well-being.
