DISCIPLINE is a simple word, but yet one of the most powerful words in life. The most successful people exert discipline on a daily basis. Without it the world would be in utter chaos. Great leaders, people that inspire high achievement and those that fight valiantly under tremendous challenges ALL demonstrate self-restraint and control.

One of the all-time most successful coaches, Alabama’s Nick Saban, asks his players, “Are you going to do what you feel like doing or are you going to choose to do the things needed to accomplish the goals and vision you have?”

On a local level, Owasso’s Coach Blankenship has expressed a coaching philosophy that incorporates discipline from scripture, “Be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2). That philosophy has to come from a place of love and discipline. The words “be prepared” imply discipline.

The bible tells us that the behavioral fruit of a Godly Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (discipline). I’ve heard it said that love is the first trait and self-control is the last, holding all of the other traits together as bookends. With love and discipline everything is achievable. The world would be such a difference place if we live by those traits.

We define discipline as choosing behaviors to help us reach our goals. As the Nike slogan states, “Just Do It”… Make a decision, and choose discipline to achieve it.