Self-Mastery … Me? Really?

“Self-Discipline opens the door to Self-Discovery. Self-Discovery breeds Self-Confidence. Self-Confidence develops Self-Competence. Self-Competence leads to Self-Mastery!” –Leadershipology.com

What do you think of when you hear the term, self-mastery? You might picture someone who has his/her life planned and is in control of his/her own future. Or, maybe you envision someone like a martial arts master – calm, focused, and always in control.

Do you show these traits on a regular basis? Do you feel in control of your life … your goals … your career? Or, like many people, do you feel that you should take more control of your emotions and actions? In fact, you might be thinking, “Self-mastery … Me? Really?”

Yes! You can achieve self-mastery. When you do, you have the ability to control yourself in all situations, and you move forward consciously and steadily toward your goals. You know your purpose, and you have the self-discipline needed to do things in a deliberate, focused, and honorable way. You have also mastered your emotions, impulses, and actions … all vital if you want to achieve your goals in life.

So where do you start? Begin with self-discipline. When you become self-disciplined in any area, you cultivate practices and principles that govern and train for effectiveness. While self-discipline is hard, a lack of it produces a harder path. It opens the door to self-discovery, which breeds self-confidence, develops self-competence, and ultimately leads to self-mastery.

Think about people you know who don’t have any self-mastery. They are probably impulsive and rash. They might let their emotions control them, having outbursts when they are angry and then being overly polite to make up for it later. They are unpredictable and, as a result, people see them as untrustworthy.

When you demonstrate self-mastery, you prove to yourself and others that you have the inner strength and steadiness needed for effective leadership. So, it’s well worth the effort to invest time developing self-mastery. You’ll likely become a happier, more balanced person – and you’ll find that opportunities arise because of this!