Perception & Discipline on the Path

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Perception. Discipline. Perseverance. Drive.

The words above hit close to home. They hurt a little. Because, somewhere along the line, I forgot. Somehow my dreams faded when I grew up. Have you ever felt that numbing sting?

I remember dreaming, when I was young. Vivid, vivacious, vibrant dreams consumed my days & nights. As an only child, my imagination was always in overdrive. I wondered what I could be when I grew up. At a young age, I thought I could take over the world by 25. Something shifted along the way & that didn’t quite happen. It wasn’t until almost a decade after that that I realized I was missing something. What I was missing wasn’t revealed immediately, but it emerged over time. And, I started to believe again.

What is it that you believe you can do?

   Or, more importantly…

      What do you believe only you can do?

Almost a year ago (to the day), I published my first book. The process leading up to that moment took focus. The perception of where I thought the storyline (and in a sense, my life) would go, discipline to make it happen, perseverance on those days when I felt overwhelmed & wanted to quit, and drive to continue keeping my eye on the prize is why I can call myself an author. I am an author. By focusing on where I wanted to be, without being bound by false limitations…I became what I was meant to be.

The perception part was a little fuzzy at first. A friend asked me if I knew how the stories would go. I don’t do outlines. I told him that when I started on the first book I immediately knew there would be a second & third in the first series set. The trilogy’s beginning & end were written, before any of the middle. So, I knew there would be three books created & released in a short span. The perception part was knowing I was creating a universe and not a standalone novel.

Where does your perception lay? Your perception of your truth doesn’t always make it true. You have to work at it. That’s where discipline comes in.

Discipline is the reason I have a novel. Prayer, late nights, early mornings, at times tears and lots of tea provided the framework for achieving my goals. My mindset is what I needed to work on to get to this point. It’s been said that if you change the way you think, you change your life. It’s true. And it takes practice & determination. (Sidenote: If you’d like more on mindset. I’m a contributor at Change Your Mind, Change Your Life on Medium & those articles are unique to the site.)

Where can you be more disciplined? Is there anything you need to tweak to reach your goals? What is hiding inside of you?

Perseverance was pushing through on the days that I wanted to sleep. It was thinking about what life would be like if I didn’t follow through. The main word that kept flashing behind my eyes was…regret. It was followed closely by an anxiety of missing my calling. It was important to keep my head in the game. And, as an F.Y.I., if you start with developing discipline, you’ll eventually form perseverance. And, the two weave together to form your drive.

Do you follow through? What word flashes behind your eyes, when you think about that thing you’ve been holding off on? Maybe that will be your drive.

Drive is keeping your eyes up when you want to quit. It’s what will keep you up at night, jotting down ideas, when you know the alarm will sound in three hours. It’s what pushes you forward when you want to curl under a blanket and nap. It’s the beat of your heart, saying this needs to be done.

Do you feel the beating of your heart against your chest?

Are your thoughts consumed by the dream you once had?

Do these steps make sense?

If so… Congratulations! You’re halfway on the path. Your path.

Don’t quit at the halfway point. Embark on your path, as only you can. And, believe you’ll make it through to the end.

Because getting to this point is the hard part. Perception. Discipline. Perseverance. Drive. It’s hard work to become who you are.

But, you will.

If you want it. I believe in you.

#discipline #dreams #inspiredliving #believe