The definition of discipline today is almost in opposition to the freedom celebrated by the modern society today. Any sense of restriction, limitation, or adherence to a certain set of rules, teachings, regulations, laws is not something easily swallowed by our society. Instead, human freedom is promoted, human rights are fought, and hum
an expression is at the pinnacle throughout any point in the history.
While it’s not the intention of this post to specifically identify certain flawed human ‘rights’ today, it’s important for us to revisit the basic principle underlying human discipline. Far from what is embedded in the school system today, the word ‘discipline’ has an intrinsic meaning of ‘disciple’. The word ‘disciple’ is used when there is a master worth following, and the followers are willing to set their lives apart to imitate their master.
A short quote by Harry Emerson Fodsdick, as cited in Everyday Greatness written by Stephen Covey, wrote that
“No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined” (p.113).
Another one by Roy L. Smith,
“Real freedom is won through self-government, not through self-expression”.
One of the fruits we should seek as we mature and learn to be team players in an interdependent society is discipline. Some called it self-control, or self-restrain, or self-government. It has a sense of safeguarding and watching over our own actions, to see that these faculties of ours are not indulged in empty passions and destructive habits.
Evan just turned to age. Celebrating his ultimate arrival of freedom, he partakes alcohol, indulged in illicit sex, and crammed through his university years. Few years down the road in his early career as a business administrator, Evan felt unaccomplished with his dated human skills. Soon he lost his jobs, disappointment and depression sank in, and he wonders about the meaning of his existence.
Frank tires himself almost daily after school on the football field. It is his passion to play better, and he dreams about playing with the best team in his local district. Nevertheless, he flunk numerous times in Mathematics, which worries his family. Seeing an increasing imbalance between his academic and football commitment, the school teacher proposes if Frank would take additional hours during weekend to catch up with the studies. Feeling reluctant at first, Frank was eventually persuaded and was willing to press on despite his indifference to his scores. His eyes were on the football.
I gave two fictitious, imperfect examples. Evan thought of receiving his freedom by attaining age 21. The world is opened to him, or should we say he is now finally ‘opened’ to everything the world has to offer. We know the ending. The end is not good. Freedom does not promise good to Evan. He wasted his university years. He fails to build lifelong learning skill. He was way behind what the society wants from an employee. His freedom looks good at first, but he eventually pays the price.
Frank has a good future in developing his football habit. Constant discipline is needed to improve himself continuously. We may see that small setbacks, struggles, or some physical hurt did not hinder his passion. It has an unusual level of energy when it comes to football. While this piece of discipline may pay off, Frank’s academic result may betray him in the long run. Exercising discipline today to work on his studies means lesser contact hour with the round football, perhaps some sleep in the weekend, or some less interaction with other things. Discipline is essentially paying a price to work on a worthy goal, again and again to see the progress and eventually the finishing line.
When we think about discipline today, we think of body builder. Or when we think about discipline today, we think about yoga. But it can be more than that. Discipline means securing the freedom of our future by deliberating focusing our energy today on worthy goals.
Without focus, our lives are scattered. We may eventually lose our ways if we are not careful. With focus, add on discipline, and at its finishing line we may celebrate with the freedom. And this type of freedom is the function of our discipline.
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