Self-discipline means living your life the hard way: resisting
temptations and instant gratification, in order to receive bigger and better
rewards in the future. It’s certainly easier to avoid all kinds of discomfort
and indulge yourself whenever you want, but in the end, all that you get
from that approach is fleeting pleasure now at the expense of your future,
which otherwise could have been much better.
Consider a weak-willed person who, when faced with a challenge,
immediately opts out. How likely is this person to achieve anything
substantial in life if their primary value is to feel comfortable? How is this
person going to manage a crisis that they must face? Even a relatively
insignificant problem can become an insurmountable obstacle for a person
who’s been living a sheltered life and always avoided what’s difficult or
disagreeable.
Now contrast that with a person who voluntarily makes his or her life
harder. They seek out and welcome challenges as opportunities to grow.
Each self-imposed affliction strengthens them, so that fewer and fewer
difficulties in life overwhelm them. Day by day, they immunize themselves
against problems, precisely because they seek them out. When life deals
them an unexpected blow, they’re ready to handle it because — thanks to
living their lives the hard way — they’re always ready for hardships.
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