Reward or punishment?

Once a year, I come up with a big event. I did one for this year last March 1. It was entitled, “Inspiring Excellence”. The theme speaks for itself. I had a great line up of speakers, the best in their field. And a record 2,200 participants showed up. Survey showed that the learning event was appreciated.

Last year’s event was “Winning Disciplines for Success”. The audience was around 2,000, I was told. I remember facing the huge audience and asking them this question: “Whenever you hear the word ‘discipline’, does it draw out a positive or a negative reaction from you?” Majority of the hands went up saying “Negative.”

I asked them why, and the whole audience became silent.

Soldiers appreciate discipline. Successful business people rely on discipline. Olympic athletes understand discipline. But most of us shy away from it.

Why do most of us react negatively when the word “discipline” is mentioned? I think it’s because people often associate discipline with punishment. When we were in school and we violated school regulations, we were disciplined. Every business organization has its own rules and regulations, and people who break those are disciplined.

The truth is discipline enables us to do things that are good for us. Discipline allows us to undergo a process of strengthening and gives us rewards that we wouldn’t receive otherwise. Instead of punishment, why don’t we associate reward with discipline then?

One day, a professor in a medical school was discussing a particularly complicated concept in Physics class. A student rudely interrupted to ask, “Why do we have to learn this stuff?”

“To save lives,” the professor responded quickly and continued the lecture.

A few minutes later, the same student spoke up again. “So how does physics save lives?” he persisted.

“It usually keeps the idiots like you out of medical school,” replied the professor.

And those who don’t want to go through the process of discipline will be kept out of the success game as well.

Self-discipline is never easy especially in our culture. Most fail to see the “cause and effect” nature of life; they have a very myopic view of the here and the now. Many suffer from shortsightedness, and only a few are fans of delayed gratification. And many are prone to the “Bahala na!” syndrome. But self-discipline remains a key to long-term, sustainable success. Scriptures say whatsoever you sow, you shall harvest.

Vince Lombardi, the head coach who led the Green Bay Packers football team to three straight and five total league championships in seven years, said, “I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline... I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour – this greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear – is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”

You know what? He’s right.

(Develop your leadership skills and spend two whole days with Francis Kong, as he facilitates the well-acclaimed Dr. John C. Maxwell Program “Developing The Leader Within You” on April 25-26 at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries, contact Lylee at 09175482876, or call 632-6310912 for details.)