How do YOU achieve SUCCESS…Discipline III

Discipline is hard.

Discipline is painful.

But discipline is what YOU must have if YOU are going to achieve YOUR success.

So often, when discipline is talked about in our world today the discussion turns to athletics.

From young to old, amateur to professional, athletes have become our heroes.

Many people’s lives revolve around their favorite sports teams and favorite athletes.

Much is expected from these athletes.

They are held to a higher standard.

The best of the best may not be the ones with the most physical or cognitive ability.

The great ones are the most disciplined.

They are the ones that discipline their actions.

Their work ethic is legendary.

They are the ones that discipline their sacrifice.

Their sacrifices are difficult for most to comprehend.

They are the ones that discipline their persistence.

Their will to win refuses to let them even consider quitting.

Regardless of their pain and suffering, they continue to discipline themselves because they understand it is the only way they will achieve success.

They are following the Obsessuccess philosophy of achievement and they don’t even realize it.

For YOUR consideration,

Arguably, the greatest swimmer of all time and quite possibly the greatest Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps won an incredible 82 medals in major international long course competitions. He clinched 65 gold, 14 silver, and three bronze medals at the Olympics, the World Championships, and the Pan Pacific Championships.

A total of 28 Olympic medals, 23 gold medals, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals.

His discipline was astounding.

He swam 8 miles a day, six or seven days a week – at least 50 miles every week.

He trained on Sundays, holidays and even his birthday.

He would spend 5-6 hours in the pool every day.

He would do some functional training with weights at least three times a week.

His daily routine also included taking ice baths, doing a lot of stretching, getting regular massages and getting plenty of sleep.

His intensity and volume in training were astonishing.

For five years, He never missed a day…not one day.

“Eat, sleep and swim, that’s all I can do,” the US swimmer told NBC, after winning his 11th Olympic gold.

He goes on to say, “If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren’t willing to do.”

Michael Phelps could possibly be the most disciplined athlete in history.

Conversely, for YOUR consideration,

Pete Rose is the greatest Major League Baseball hitter of all time.

When he retired after 24 seasons, he was the all-time MLB leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053) and singles (3,215).

He won three World Series, three batting titles, one Most Valuable Player Award, two Gold Gloves and the Rookie of the Year Award.

He was a seventeen-time All-Star at an unequaled five positions.

He still holds all these records today, but he is not in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

“Why is the greatest hitter in baseball, a legend in cleats, that still holds numerous records to this day, not in the Hall of Fame,” you ask?

Very simple, he was undisciplined.

Not on the field or in his practice or training, but he lacked discipline in his personal life.

Pete Rose was a major gambler.

He would gamble on everything.

But he knew never to bet on baseball.

Unfortunately, Pete Rose was undisciplined.

He broke the cardinal rule of betting on baseball.

When he was found out, the commissioner of baseball confronted Rose and they both signed an agreement in 1989 banning him for the rest of his life.

But even after being found out and agreeing to the lifetime ban, he spent the next 15 years denying he ever gambled on baseball.

He lied.

In 2004, he finally admitted guilt.

Over the years, he has petitioned Major League Baseball to allow him to be on the ballot for the Hall of Fame, but as of this writing, the commissioner will not allow it.

Based on his discipline and performance on the field, he should be in the Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, his lack of discipline off the field has kept him from receiving the title Major League Baseball Hall of Famer.

Until next time. Be disciplined and be OBSESSUCCESS!