Holding double degrees in law, Robin Sharma became a successful litigation lawyer. He had achieved all that he aimed for – money, status and success. Soon after he discovered that in his tryst of achieving a picture-perfect life he had lost authenticity. This was the time when he pulled back from the life he was living to reinvent his existence.

Now, Robin Sharma is not just a lawyer, he is an author of bestseller books, a sought-after keynote speaker and seminar leader for several Fortune 500 corporations and the founder of Sharma Leadership International Inc., which boasts an impressive client base of big companies including GE, Nike, Starbucks, IBM, The Coca-Cola Company, Microsoft etc.

“We are all here for some special reason. Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future.”

“Within you lies the sun, the moon, the sky and all the wonders of this universe. The intelligence that created these wonders is the same force that created you. All things around you come from the same source. We are all one.

You see when you nourish your own mind and your own spirit, you are really feeding the Soul of the Universe. When you improve yourself, you are improving the lives of all those around you. And when you have the courage to advance confidently in the direction of your dreams, you begin to draw upon the power of the universe. (…) life gives you what you ask of it. It is always listening.”

Goals
Your ability to discipline yourself to set clear goals, and then to work towards them everyday , will do more to guarantee your success .

Character
It takes considerable will power to do the “right thing ” in every situation. But the end result is the essence of increased self esteem and self worth.

Time
Self-disciple helps you to manage your time. The fact is you cannot “save time”; you can only spend it differently. Always ask yourself: “is this the best use of my time?”

Health
Self-discipline can improve your health. Proper diet, proper weight, proper exercise, proper rest and a proper attitude will assure you good health.

Money
Self-discipline can help you to never worry about money. Self control throughout your life will enable you to reach all your financial goals .

Courage
No one is born with fear. Unlearn fear by practicing self-discipline over and over again.

Responsibility
When you accept your responsibility and take control over your thoughts and feelings, you become more and more effective, a happy and positive person in everything you do.

The difference between success and failure is not Chance but Choice.

And how does one develop self-discipline? The mantra is simple:
Choose to do first what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not!

For regular insightful and inspiring words of wisdom, visit Swami Udit Chaitanya’s Facebook page.

I hear you now saying, “What has inner detachment to do with success? Isn’t detachment a state of indifference? How can one attain success with such a state of mind?”

These are erroneous assumptions! Inner detachment is not indifference! I am not speaking here about asceticism or abstinence. One can lead a normal, ordinary life, and yet display inner emotional and mental detachment.

I want to make it clear. True emotional and mental detachment is not a state of indifference, apathy or lack of energy. One can be loving, happy, helpful and energetic, and yet possess and display inner detachment.

True inner detachment manifests as the ability to think clearly and to be immune to what people think or say about you. It enables you to have more control over your moods and states of mind, and therefore enjoy inner balance, harmony and peace. It also helps you handle more efficiently your daily affairs of life, as well difficult situations or emergencies.

This is a state that comes from inner strength and inner peace, and not from apathy and indifference. It coexists with self-control, self-discipline and a focused mind. It brings inner calmness and tranquility that external circumstances cannot disturb or upset.

You will surely agree that all the above-mentioned qualities and abilities are important for the attainment of success!

Not everything always turns out as planned or expected. Plans sometimes do not work out, people don’t behave as expected and unforeseen obstacles might stand in the way. All this can dampen one’s spirit and weaken the motivation, ambition and faith, but a state of emotional and mental detachment will prevent all that. A person possessing detachment will not be affected or daunted by obstacles or failures and will try again and again.

While others become immersed in self-pity or in thoughts about failure and missed opportunities, the person who possesses detachment will be working on a new venture or trying a different approach. A state of inner detachment helps to forget failure and focus on the future and on success.

Lack of detachment is attachment, which means, among other things, clinging to old or outdated behavior and ways of thinking. Attachment manifests as fear to make changes, to progress or try doing things in a different way.

Lack of attachment is detachment, which equals to inner freedom and the ability to make and accept changes, take advantage of opportunities and adopt new habits.

Detachment goes with the ability to weigh the pros and cons of situations, circumstances and actions in an impartial way, and to make rational decisions, which are not based on moods. It helps to keep a clear and focused mind, and to recognize opportunities that others might not see.

Now you might be wondering whether it is possible at all to acquire this ability. Yes, it is possible, but this requires training and inner work. You will find below a few suggestions to help you start. Don’t underestimate these suggestions. Follow them, and you will gain inner detachment, inner strength and inner peace.

1. Pay more attention to your thoughts, feelings and state of mind. A heightened awareness of your thoughts and feelings shows you where you need to develop and progress.

2. Remind yourself every now and then how important it is to be calm, relaxed and in control of yourself, your mind and moods, especially when you feel agitated or unfocused.

3. When you desire to say or do something that is not really important, wait a few seconds before talking or acting.

4. When aware of anger arising in you, delay your reaction for a few seconds.

5. Learn not to take everything said or done too personally.

6. Here is another thing you can do. It is very simple, but in most cases real hard. Try sometimes, not always, to switch off your TV in the middle of your favorite program. Though a very simple act, it requires real inner strength. If you can do so once in a while, you will be able to manifest more and more emotional and mental detachment, which will help you on your road to success and achieving your goals and ambitions.

© Copyright Remez Sasson
Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are “Peace of mind in Daily Life”, “Will Power and Self Discipline”, “Visualize and Achieve” and “Affirmations – Words of Power”.

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

Will power is your inner strength to make decisions and act on them regardless of internal resistances. The Power of Will exists to help you cope with life’s challenges. It drives you to attain goals or apply your talents irrespective of your emotional state. It gives you the strength to overcome inertia and build momentum, and empowers you to achieve what you want by sticking to the job till it is done. Your Power of Will is strengthened whenever you reject instant gratification and instead choose to concentrate on something worthwhile.

The Power of Will helps you to gather your energies and focus them in a positive direction. Let’s say laziness prevents you from going on a planned morning walk. This is where you need to apply your Power of Will. This power can help you to overcome bad habits such as overeating, laziness,
procrastination and indiscipline.

The Power of Will prospers when you develop the ability to control unnecessary and harmful impulses. It improves the ability to arrive at a decision and follow it through with perseverance until its successful completion. When you decide upon a list of things and behaviour that you will no longer accept from yourself, your decision-making ability grows and so does your will power.

The three important factors that affect the development of your Power of Will are:
1) Self-discipline
2) Self-control
3) Self-determination

1) Self-discipline helps you do the right things in the right way at the right time, whether you like doing them or not. It involves setting standards that you always adhere to.

You are blessed with a free will; it is through self-discipline that you can train your will to overcome obstacles. Self-discipline may be used to lose weight, take up exercise or form a daily routine. It helps you persevere and rise above procrastination, laziness and indecisiveness. Self-discipline helps you respond to all tasks with the appropriate behaviour.

2) Self-control keeps a check over your internal universe—your thoughts and emotions—to gain control over your will and actions, which create the universe outside you.

According to an ancient Indian proverb, ‘Before conquering the world, the king has to first conquer himself.’ This holds true even today. To become successful, you must increase your Power of Will and exercise control over your thoughts, emotions, will and reactions. The more you can do this, the more successful you will become.

Self-control helps you to focus on your job. You are a treasure trove of energy and power. These can be best utilized when you stop succumbing to your cravings and whims. Once you start controlling unprofitable thoughts and become aware of the choices you make every day—even every hour—you start becoming more powerful from within.

3) Self-determination is your decision-making ability. Self-determination helps you to stick to your resolutions. Maybe you have tried to change your eating habits but failed to do so because of a lack of inner strength and persistence. Most people have had such an experience. Once you have determined to shun laziness and take control over your emotions, you will develop the ability to stick to your resolutions. You are born to be rich, famous, successful, happy and healthy. If you have fallen short on any of these counts, it only means that you need to examine the state of your spiritual orientation. Your inner voice will guide you towards the right path. You must listen to your feelings, notice what is working and what is not. Resolve to change your life. Self-determination is the vital first step.

Two Action Steps:

Step 1: Keep a check over your negative emotions: Negative energies will try to pull you down like gravity. They may draw your attention to minor things and distract you from your real goals. So, beware of them and remain focused on your larger goals.

Step 2: Reject instant gratification: If you see an ice-cream parlour while walking down a street and are tempted to have your favourite flavour, do not give in to temptation. This way you will learn how to postpone gratification.

Success Mantra: Develop your willpower by using self-determination and self-discipline to keep a check over your negative emotions, and do what is necessary.

©Shishir Srivsatava, Motivational Speaker and Author ‘The Eight Powers within You’
www.shishirsrivastava.org and www.eightpowers.com

The truth is that everyone can reach high levels of will power and self-discipline through a practical method of training. These inner power are not reserved for a few special people.

Will power and self discipline are two of the most important and useful inner powers in everyone’s life, and have always been considered as essential tools for success in all areas of life. They can be learned and developed like any other skill, yet, in spite of this, only few take any steps to develop and strengthen them in a systematic way.

What is will power?
It is the inner strength to make a decision, take action, and handle and execute any aim or task until it is accomplished, regardless of inner and outer resistance, discomfort or difficulties.

It bestows the ability to overcomes laziness, temptations and negative habits, and to carry out actions, even if they require effort, that are unpleasant and tedious or are contrary to one’s habits.

What is self discipline?
It is the rejection of instant gratification in favor of something better. It is the giving up of instant pleasure and satisfaction for a higher and better goal.

It manifests as the ability to stick to actions, thoughts and behavior, which lead to improvement and success. Self-discipline is self-control, and it manifests in spiritual, mental, emotional and physical discipline.

The purpose of self-discipline is not living a limiting or a restrictive lifestyle. It does not mean being narrow minded or living like a fakir. It is one of the pillars of success and power. It bestows the inner strength to focus all your energy on your goal, and persevere until it is accomplished.

Both of these abilities are required for daily actions and decisions, and also for making major decisions and attaining major success. They are required for doing a good job, for studying, building a business, losing weight, bodybuilding and physical exercises, maintaining good relationships, changing habits, self improvement, meditation, spiritual growth, keeping and carrying out promises and for almost everything else.

One of the most simple and effective methods to develop will power and self-discipline is by refusing to satisfy unimportant and unnecessary desires. Everyone is constantly confronted and tempted by an endless stream of desires and temptations, many of which are not really important or desirable. By learning to refuse to satisfy every one of them, you get stronger.

Refusing and rejecting useless, harmful or unnecessary desires and actions, and intentionally acting contrary to your habits, sharpen and strengthen your inner strength. By constant practice your inner power grows, just like exercising your muscles at a gym increases your physical strength. In both cases, when you need inner power or physical strength, they are available at your disposal.

Here are a few exercises:
- Don’t read the newspaper for a day or two.
- Drink water when thirsty, in spite of your desire to have a soft drink.
- Walk up and down the stairs, instead of taking the lift.
- Get down from the bus one station before or after your destination, and walk the rest of the way.
- For one week, go to sleep one hour earlier than usual.
- If you like ice cream, don’t have any, for a day or two.

These are only a few examples to show how you can develop your will power and self-discipline. You may think that practicing such exercises is being tough on yourself, maybe a little, but they add so much to the storehouse of your inner strength. By following a systematic method of training you can reach far, have more control over yourself and your life, attain your goals, improve your life, and gain satisfaction and peace of mind.

Show and prove to yourself that you are strong and in control, and practice the above exercises for a little while, before passing any judgement on them.

© Copyright Remez Sasson

Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com
Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

So, I made it a point to watch all the 22 James Bond movies from a researcher’s perspective. Together with my wife Surekha, we watched the DVDs at home, over the course of a year and relished every bit of it. We ‘traveled’ with Bond to different parts of the world, adored his calmness in situations facing near death, enjoyed the chases and loved his mastery over human psychology. Bond not only entertains you but also educates you in global strategies. Today, with Chanakya’s thoughts, I have started to look at Bond differently.

In the first book of Kautilya’s Arthashastra called Vinayadhi-karikam (The topic of training), three chapters viz. chapter number 11, and 16, are dedicated to persons in secret service. It describes in detail appointment of secret service agents, their qualities, creation of an institution of spies and also rules and regulations for them.

Let’s see many of the qualities of James Bond that Chanakya espoused in his work centuries ago.

Planning well in advance
Chanakya: “He should start after making proper arrangements of vehicles… etc” (Arthashastra 1.16.5)

James Bond is very well prepared on all his missions. We find him getting thoroughly briefed by his seniors before proceeding to a foreign country on an assignment. Even Mr.Q the scientist who develops the latest gadgets and vehicles for James Bond gives him an update on the latest inventions to be used during the mission. James Bond always has a backup plan ready before he enters into the enemy territory.

Thinking how the enemy thinks
Chanakya: “Reflecting over the discussions and reply expected from the enemy he should proceed” (Arthashastra 1.16.6)

Bond is a strategic thinker. He has done thorough research on the background of his opponent. Mentally he rehearses the possible discussions that will occur between him during the meeting with the enemy. He always prepares his replies accordingly. This ensures that he is always cool and confident while in front of the enemy.

Know the enemy’s territory
Chanakya: “He should enter the enemy’s residence with permission. And he should aim for the results, even when danger to his life is seen (in doing so)” (Arthashastra 1.16.10-11)

Bond movies are shot at different locations across the globe. While in his missions he is sent to unseen territory he very well knows his enemy’s region is best suited to the enemy himself. Therefore whenever he enters enemy territory he does that with grace while showing respect to his opponent. Most James Bond movies show him entering the enemy’s territory. Out there he never loses focus on what he has to achieve in his mission. Even while risking his life, he fulfils his mission.

Body language
Chanakya was an expert in Body language also known as Anga-Vidya. A spy is expected to be a master of this art. He said, “He should notice graciousness in speech, expression and the eyes of the enemy” (Arthashastra 1.16.112)

People read books but how many know how to read human beings? Bond is a good reader of human beings. He has a good sense of observation. He watches the speech, the tone, the voice modulation and expressions of the people he meets. He is not afraid of directly looking into the eyes of the enemy demonstrating the high level of self-confidence he has. To be successful in life, the skill of reading and understanding body language is a must.

What not to do
There is one thing, though, that James Bond does which Chanakya did not recommend. Says Chanakya: “He should avoid women and drink. He should sleep alone. For it is often seen that the intentions of a person are revealed in sleep or intoxication” (1.16.21-23)

Chanakya is not against sex and that is not the point here. In fact, some scholars have said his other name could have been Vatsyayana – the author of Kamasutra. But here a man on duty and mission of the country has to be extremely alert with wine and women. This is most applicable when you are in another country. The reason is clearly explained. Women as spies who can eke out precious secrets is not uncommon. The concept of Vish-kanya, the woman spy was also invented by Chanakya himself. The movies do show women who fool James Bond and almost get him close to death.

‘Be alert’ says Chanakya. Do not drink- as in an intoxicated state one will open out secret intentions. Sleep alone- as talking during sleep unconsciously reveals inner thoughts.

Those who want to study Chanakya should study James bond. And those who have enjoyed Bond movies and books will enjoy Chanakya’s ideas too. Both are extremely intelligent persons who understand ‘human psychology’. The important difference is that James Bond is a figment of somebody’s imagination Chanakya was a real thinker about 2300 years ago who still continues to stimulate everybody’s imagination!

- Radhakrishan Pillai

Radhakrishnan Pillai is an expert on Kautilya Arthashastra the book of 6000 sutras written by Chanakya in the 3rd Century B.C. To know more about him and his research work, visit www.spmfoundation.in. His book, Corporate Chanakya, Successful Management the Chankya Way published in 2010, is now available on all leading bookstores across India.

There are some keywords that are integral to enduring success: hardwork, perseverance, patience and discipline. Nobody ever achieved any mention-worthy success without putting in the hard yards. In fact, as Malcom Gladwell points out in his popular book “Outliers”, there is a 10,000-hour work rule for somebody to achieve great success in a particular field ie. a person has to put in a minimum of 10,000 hours of effort to be reasonably successful. Anything less won’t cut it. Look around and you will find this maxim hold true– no matter what discipline you are talking about. Great scientists, entrepreneurs, sports persons, writers, dancers, musicians have all had to put in enormous amount of disciplined hard work to achieve whatever success they did.

So, even if we live in the times of ‘instant’ everything, it is important to remember that there is no real substitute to hard work. Those who believe otherwise are probably deluding themselves.

Your Most Precious Resource
Time is your most precious resource. It is the most valuable thing you have. It is perishable, it is irreplaceable, and it cannot be saved. It can only be reallocated from activities of lower value to activities of higher value. All work requires time. And time is absolutely essential for the important relationships in your life. The very act of taking a moment to think about your time before you spend it will begin to improve your personal time management immediately.

The Starting Point
Personal time management begins with you. It begins with your thinking through what is really important to you in life. And it only makes sense if you organize it around specific things that you want to accomplish. You need to set goals in three major areas of your life. First, you need family and personal goals. These are the real reasons why you get up in the morning, why you work hard and upgrade your skills, why you worry about money and sometimes feel frustrated by the demands on your time.

Decide Upon Your Goals
What are your personal and family goals, both tangible and intangible? A tangible family goal could be a bigger house, a better car, a larger television set, a vacation, or anything else that costs money. An intangible goal would be to build a higher quality relationship with your spouse and children, to spend more time with your family going for walks or reading books. Achieving these family and personal goals are the real essence of time management, and its major purpose.

How to Achieve Your Goals
The second area of goals is your business and career goals. These are the “how” goals, the means by which you achieve your personal, “why” goals. How can you achieve the level of income that will enable you to fulfill your family goals? How can you develop the skills and abilities to stay ahead of the curve in your career? Business and career goals are absolutely essential, especially when balanced with family and personal goals.

Personal Development Goals
The third type of goals is your personal development goals. Remember, you can’t achieve much more on the outside than what you have achieved and become on the inside. Your outer life will be a reflection of your inner life. If you wish to achieve worthwhile things in your personal and your career life, you must become a worthwhile person in your own self-development. You must build yourself if you want to build your life. Perhaps the greatest secret of success is that you can become anything you really want to become to achieve any goal that you really want to achieve. But in order to do it, you must go to work on yourself and never stop.

Action Exercises
Here are three things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, develop the habit of stopping on a regular basis and thinking about what is really important to you. The more often you stop and think, the better decisions you will make.

Second, decide clearly upon your personal and family goals. Write them down. Discuss them with others. Be clear about why you are doing what you do.

Third, take some time to think about your career goals and the steps you will have to take to achieve them. Do something every day that moves you forward in all three areas.

Article by Brian Tracy. Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations.

Each time you stop working however, you break this cycle and move back up the curve to where every part of the task is more difficult and time consuming.

Self-Discipline Is the Key
Elbert Hubbard defined self-discipline as, “The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”

In the final analysis, success in any area requires tons of discipline. Self-discipline, self-mastery and self-control are the basic building blocks of character and high performance.

The True Test of Willpower
Starting a high-priority task and persisting with that task until it is 100% complete is the true test of your character, your willpower and your resolve.

Persistence is actually self-discipline in action. The good news is that the more you discipline yourself to persist on a major task, the more you like and respect yourself, and the higher is your self-esteem.

And the more you like and respect yourself, the easier it is for you to discipline yourself to persist even more.

Focus Clearly on Your Number One Task
By focusing clearly on your most valuable task and concentrating single-mindedly until it is 100% complete, you actually shape and mold your own character. You become a superior person.

You become a stronger, more competent, confident and happier person. You feel more powerful and productive.

Build Your Self-Confidence
You eventually feel capable of setting and achieving any goal. You become the master of your own destiny. You place yourself on an ascending spiral of personal effectiveness on which your future is absolutely guaranteed.

And the key to all of this is for you to determine the most valuable and important thing you could possibly do at every single moment and then, “Eat That Frog!”

Action Exercises
Once you start your most important task, discipline yourself to persevere without diversion or distraction until it is 100% complete. See it as a “test” to determine whether you are the kind of person who can make a decision to complete something and then carry it out. Once you begin, refuse to stop until the job is finished.

Article by Brian Tracy. Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations.

The quality that I am talking about is the quality of self-discipline. It is a habit, a practice, a philosophy and a way of living. All successful men and women are highly disciplined in the important work that they do. All unsuccessful men and women are undisciplined and unable to control their behaviors and their appetites. And when you develop the same levels of high, personal discipline possessed by the most successful people in our society, you will very soon begin to achieve the same results that they do.

All great success in life is preceded by long, sustained periods of focused effort on a single goal, the most important goal, with the determination to stay with it until it is complete. Throughout history, we find that every man or woman who achieved anything lasting and worthwhile, had engaged in long, often unappreciated hours, weeks, months and even years of concentrated, disciplined work, in a particular direction.

Fortunately the quality of self-discipline is something that you can learn by continuous practice, over and over, until you master it. Once you have mastered the ability to delay gratification, the ability to discipline yourself to keep your attention focused on the most important task in front of you, there is virtually no goal that you cannot accomplish and no task that you cannot complete.

Successful people engage in activities that are goal-achieving. Unsuccessful people engage in activities that are tension-reliving. Successful people discipline themselves to have dinner before dessert. Unsuccessful people prefer to have dessert most of the time.

Successful people plan their work, and work their plan. They take the time to think through their responsibilities before they begin. They make clear decisions which they then implement immediately. They get a lot more done in a shorter period of time than the average person. And it all has to do with their disciplines.

Feel empowered and successful with self-discipline
Perhaps the most important benefit of self-discipline is the personal benefit that you receive. Every act of self-discipline increases your self-esteem. It gives you a feeling of personal power and accomplishment. Each time you discipline yourself to persist in the face of distractions, diversions, and disappointments, you feel better about yourself. As you continue to discipline yourself, you achieve more and more in life. As you achieve more things, you feel more like a winner. Your self-confidence goes up. You feel happier about yourself. You get more done and you have more energy. You earn the respect and esteem of the people around you. You get more rapid promotions and are paid more money. You live in a nicer house, drive a nicer car, and wear nicer clothes. You get a natural high from the thrill of achievement. And the more things that you achieve as the result of employing your personal habits of effectiveness and productivity, the more eager you are to achieve even higher and better tasks. Your life gets onto an upward spiral of success and happiness. You feel great about yourself most of the time.

Every act of self-discipline strengthens every other discipline in your life. Every weakness of self-discipline weakens your other disciplines as well. When you make a habit of disciplining yourself in little things, like flossing your teeth every night, you’ll soon become able to discipline yourself to accomplish even larger things, like working long, long hours to bring a major task to completion.

Choosing between forces of discipline and those of expediency
Your entire life is an on-going battle between the forces of doing what is right and necessary on the one hand and doing what is fun and easy on the other hand. It is a battle between the forces of discipline and the forces of ease or expediency. And when you develop the strength of character that gives you complete self-mastery, self-control and self-discipline, you feel wonderful about yourself. You develop a deep inner sense of strength and confidence. You replace positive thinking with positive knowing. You reach the point inside where you absolutely know that you can do whatever it takes to achieve any goal that you can set for yourself.

The reward of self-discipline
Self-discipline is its own reward. Not only does it pay off in terms of greater self-esteem and a more positive mental attitude, but it pays off throughout your life in terms of the goals that you achieve and the success that you attain in everything you do.

Developing the skill and habit of self-discipline
Self-discipline is a skill and a habit that can be learned by practice. Every time you practice a little self-discipline, you become stronger and stronger. Bit by bit, you become more capable of even greater disciplines. As you become a totally self-disciplined individual, your entire future opens up in front of you like a broad highway. Everything becomes possible for you and your future becomes unlimited.

Article by Brian Tracy, Chairman & CEO of Brian Tracy International