“Some people regard discipline as a chore. For me, it is a kind of order that sets me free to fly.”   Julie Andrews

“Discipline is the bridge between goal and accomplishment.”    Jim Rohn

“The pain of discipline weighs ounces; the pain of regret weighs tons.”   Dr. Rob Gilbert

“Discipline is recognizing what has to be done, doing it as well as you can do it, and doing it that way all the time.”   Coach Bobbie Knight.

“Self-discipline is a form of freedom. Freedom from laziness and lethargy. Freedom from the expectations and demands of others, freedom from weakness and fear — and doubt.”  H.A. Dorfman

I know, I know. It’s Monday and I should be reaching out with a light hand and deftly easing us into the week, passing on something sweet and airy. But the fact of the matter is this: I need a strong dose of discipline right now and I’m sure I’m not alone here. You, too, may be struggling with completing a project and you, too, may need a dose of discipline to get you to the finish line.

While all the words of wisdom above have meaning for me, H.A. Dorfman’s comment seems the most helpful in my own struggle to bring sustained focus to my writing right now. Lethargy and doubt seem to be my biggest enemies to completion, along with their terrible triplet, distraction. As Dorfman wisely points out, the antidote is self-discipline: The only way to free myself from the pesky puller-downers that are getting in my way is to hunker down and focus — to bring sustained effort to the job at hand.

“Success isn’t hokus pokus, it’s focus focus,” I once heard a smart speaker say — and I believe it. And what is focus? It’s concentration, attention, directed energy. So let’s get down to work today. I’m talking to you, Karin! Let’s banish the laziness and lethargy, the doubt and distraction — whatever is getting in our way. Let’s put our blinders us and just push straight ahead. Let’s free ourselves to fly. Write on!