There is one quality that can set a person apart from the ranks of the mediocre and unremarkable: it is not innate talent, nor education, nor IQ—rather, it is self-discipline.

With self-discipline, anything is possible; without it, even the simplest goals seem out of reach.

—Theodore Roosevelt

01

People who harbor great ambitions in their hearts are often highly self-disciplined.

During the Chongqing Negotiations, Chiang Kai-shek once said to his secretary, Chen Bulei:

“Mao Zedong should never be taken lightly. He was a chain smoker, yet upon learning that I do not smoke, he refrained from lighting a single cigarette throughout our entire conversation. His resolve and spirit are by no means to be underestimated!”

Self-disciplined people are both formidable and admirable.

If he is a partner, you must learn to be self-disciplined with him; Every act of self-disciplinelessness will bring you greater suffering.

Don’t be a slave to desire; self-discipline allows us to live a more refined life.  

02

Kant said that so-called freedom is not doing whatever one pleases, but rather being the master of oneself.

You may not notice the difference after a day or two, and perhaps not even after a month or two. But over the course of a year, two years, or even ten, twenty years, those who are self-disciplined will inevitably end up on a vastly different path from those who are not.

Good perseverance is, in itself, a form of self-discipline. The same holds true for the body and for life.

I still remember last year, a person named Shen Hua... A 96-year-old grandfather has gone viral online. After 26 years of fitness, he boasts a robust physique that hardly suggests he’s nearing a century old. Everyone calls him “Hua Zai” or “Uncle Hua.”

Mr. Shen maintains a remarkably regular daily routine: he never goes to bed after 10 p.m., gets up at around 4 a.m. to stretch and move his body, and heads to the gym every afternoon.

Many of his peers are no longer with us, Old Shen said: “These days, fitness and exercise are my best friends.”

In his seventies, Shen Hua initially faced a lot of skepticism when he first joined the gym; many people assumed that at his age, he surely wouldn’t be able to stick with it for long.

Yet the reality is that many young people are merely passing through the gym, while Shen Hua has, over two decades, become well-known. “Muscle Grandpa.”

 03

The self-discipline of business tycoons is truly awe-inspiring: even someone as successful as Li Ka-shing still makes it a daily habit to watch English-language television after dinner—not only watching, but also speaking along loudly, for fear of being left behind. Make it a daily habit to read before going to bed.

There are many business leaders as self-disciplined as Li Ka-shing; the world’s richest person, Bill Gates, has made it a habit for decades to read at least two books every week.

More often than not, it’s not that you’re disciplined because you’re already excellent—it’s that being disciplined is what makes you excel.

As for those who are self-disciplined, even Heaven itself is reluctant to let them down.

 04

Make self-discipline a good habit.

The highest form of self-discipline is nothing more than a habit that comes naturally.

We all know that actions cultivate habits, habits shape character, and character determines one’s destiny.

American psychologist William James said: It takes only 21 days to form or change a habit.

Self-discipline over a short period helps us develop a habit, while sustained self-discipline over the long term can transform a person’s life.

As company employees, we must diligently comply with all rules and regulations—but even more importantly, we must practice self-discipline. The more self-disciplined we are, the more outstanding we will become.