Three Feet from Gold

Module 9
Self
Discipline
Reading Assignments
• Review pages 177-191 of Three Feet From Gold
• Read any additional selections your coach recommends:

Primer S e s s i o n O b j e c t i v e s M a s t e r S e s s i o n O b j e ctives
In this session you will learn to: In this session you will learn to:

• Practice Self-Discipline in five key ways: • Leverage Self-Discipline into uncovering seven of the
– Your Emotions 12 Great Riches
– Your Physical Body • Reconnect with your Desires and use Self-Discipline
– Your Mental Attitude to control how you take action
– Your Time • Discover who can help you create accountability in
– Your Definite Major Purpose your life that goes beyond your own personal
accountability
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Concept Summaries
Introduction
In Three Feet from Gold, Greg learned from Rudy Rutteger that you shouldn’t
quit five minutes before the miracle happens. What keeps you from quitting?
Pure and simply, self-discipline.

A truly disciplined person balances all of the aspects of self-discipline to achieve

his or her Definite Major Purpose.

Self-Discipline
No other single requirement for success is as important as self-discipline. Wheth-
er you call it self-discipline, self-control, self-possession, or self-restraint, it still
implies taking possession of your life.

How do you go about taking possession of your life? You will gain control over
key aspects of your life—power over your emotions, power over your physical
body, power over your mental attitude, power over your time, and power over
your Definite Major Purpose.

If you can’t master yourself, how can you hope mastering anything or anyone
else—including a Mastermind group?

What Is Self-Discipline?
Think of self-discipline as the “channel through which all of your personal pow-
er for success must flow.” No matter how great of an idea you have, no matter

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what good intentions you might have, no matter how lofty your goals might be,
they can never move forward without self-discipline.

Remember: the key Greg learned from all the experts he interviewed was not
that one should listen to advice. Anyone can listen to what someone says and
write it down, but it takes a special person to use the advice. It’s how a person
takes action with the new knowledge that makes the difference.

As we mentioned above, Three Feet from Gold Mastermind Mentoring focuses on

self-discipline as it applies to five primary aspects of your life:

• Your Emotions
• Your Physical Body
• Your Mental Attitude
• Your Time
• Your Definite Major Purpose

Self-Discipline: Mind & Emotions

You may have heard the Eastern philosophy that considers the mind a “wild
monkey out of control, bouncing around from one thing to another.” Each day
your mind is receiving all kinds of messages from television to podcasts. It’s easy
to get caught up in the images, voices, and chaos that bombard us each day.

Your mind, when undisciplined, moves around at will to entertain whatever

random thoughts come to it. You see, your mind is “hooked up,” you might say,
to the mass consciousness. French social theorist Émile Durkheim called it the
“collective consciousness.”

Your mind is both a broadcast¬ing station and a receiving station. You are
constantly receiving thoughts; when you watch TV, read a paper or listen to a
conversation. You even receive them when you are close to someone emotionally.

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Remember that your mind can receive and transmit thoughts—in a way, like
radio waves or energy. Most of the thinking you’ll encounter in this world is full
of negativity and fear. That’s why disciplining your mind becomes so important.
If you don’t steer your mind to your Definite Major Purpose, your mind will be
subject to the whims of the mass consciousness.

Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts and your emotions. If
you do not control your thoughts, you cannot control your actions. Therefore,
in its simplest form, Self-discipline causes you to think first and act afterward.
The challenge is that human nature is to do exactly the opposite. Most people
act first and think later. By taking possession of your mind and controlling your
thoughts and deeds through self-discipline, you put yourself in a more elite class
of achievers.

Whether you believe that emotions give rise to thoughts or thoughts give rise to
emotions, self-discipline means that you will control both. The key to controlling
your emotions is to strike a balance between your negative emotions and your
positive emotions. We all have them—positive and negative. How we act on
them makes all the difference.

Napoleon Hill identified the seven primary negative emotions:

1. Fear
2. Jealousy
3. Hatred
4. Revenge
5. Greed
6. Anger
7. Superstition

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and the seven primary positive emotions:

1. Love
2. Sex
3. Hope
4. Faith
5. Enthusiasm
6. Desire
7. Loyalty

Take the time to analyze how each emotion drives your actions. When you can
channel your energy away from the negative emotions and toward the positive
emotions, you’ll experience greater success.

Self-Discipline: Your Physical Body

Have you ever watched someone in an office setting in a “bad mood?” They
rant and rave, fly off the handle at the slightest problem, and want to blame
the world for their trouble. Your first thought is, did they get enough sleep last
night? Or, do they have a headache?

These ideas spring to mind because our physical bodies affect our moods and
vice-versa. We have the ability to handle stress and work when we’ve had more
sleep, when we’ve taken time to exercise, and when we’ve eaten healthy food.

The discipline that you practice over your physical body will help your thoughts
and emotions to be more pure—meaning, they will come from real events, real
observation, and real objectivity. In effect, physical ailments, pains, or distrac-
tions won’t cloud your emotions and thoughts.

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Self-Discipline: Your Time

It’s vitally important for you to gain control over your time. The more you
exercise self-discipline over your time, the greater your chances of success. Even
though the Success Equation doesn’t mention time, it’s implied. Think of every
variable in the Equation as being linked to time—the time you use to “take Ac-
tion,” the time you use to create the “right Association,” and the time you save
by “combining your true Talent with your Passion.”

Remember, time is closely related to money, and it’s closely related to success.
The time you spend improving your efficiency and working toward your Defi-
nite Major Purpose will have the greatest impact on your outcome. Time has a
way of healing all things, of separating the amateurs from the professionals, of
determining which people were able to trade instant gratification for something
more fulfilling.

Self-Discipline: Your Definite Major Purpose

Self-discipline in this case is important for two reasons. Number one, the time
you set aside in your schedule will determine how often you can work toward
your Definite Major Purpose. Number two, the self-discipline you exercise in
pursuit of your Definite Major Purpose determines how well you stay focused
on the activities that have the greatest payoff—the greatest impact on your
achievement.

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Self-Discipline And Relationships

Remember, your thoughts attract similar outcomes. If you have positive
thoughts, you will attract positive life experiences. If you look for the good in a
situ¬ation, find what is working and amplify it, you will create a world that
supports your perceptions. This will help you kick the habit of complaining
about what seems to be wrong. Stop criticizing, accusing and blaming; instead,
put your energy into the attainment of your Definite Major Purpose.

When you maintain a Positive Mental Attitude and see people in a positive light,
you will find this world a very friendly place. If you want people to share your
perceptions, or to cooperate with you, do your part first by getting into the right
frame of mind to attract them. You will be surprised at how quickly they will
change their attitude toward you.

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Primer Session Assignments:

Discuss with your mentor which of the following assignments would best suit
your needs, progress, and development:

____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Emotions

____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Physical Body
____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Mental Attitude
____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Time
____ Practice Self-Discipline Over Definite Major Purpose

Master Session Assignments:

Discuss with your mentor which of the following assignments would best suit
your needs, progress, and development:

____ Self-Discipline: The Great Riches

____ Self-Discipline: Your Desire(s)
____ Self-Discipline: Finding Your Rock(s)

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV ER EMOTIONS
Much of our self-disipline starts with our emotions. Once we gain control over these primal parts of
our lives, we can branch out and practice self-discipline over our physical body, our mental attitude,
our use of time, and our Definite Major Purpose.

Emotions are powerful and can fuel our actions. The key is to balance our negative emotions with our
positive emotions. To begin, take inventory of your Positive Emotions. How do each of these emotions
affect your day-to-day actions?

Emotion: Love
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R EMOTIONS (cont)
Emotion: Sex
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

Emotion: Hope
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R EMOTIONS (cont)
Emotion: Faith
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

Emotion: Enthusiasm
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R EMOTIONS (cont)
Emotion: Desire
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

Emotion: Loyalty
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it and have the opportunity to express or use it):

Steps you can take to channel this positive emotion in more powerful ways each day:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R EMOTIONS (cont)
Negative emotions can creep into our daily lives and wreak havoc—if we let them. You’ve taken
inventory of your Positive Emotions. Now it’s time to do the same for your Negative Emotions. How
do each of these emotions affect your day-to-day actions?

Emotion: Fear
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R EMOTIONS (cont)
Emotion: Jealousy
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

Emotion: Hatred
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R EMOTIONS (cont)
Emotion: Revenge
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

Emotion: Greed
Effect on Day-To-Day Activity (when do you feel it & have the opportunity to repress it or control it):

Steps you can take to re-channel, re-purpose, or replace this negative emotion with a positive emotion:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R PHYSICAL BODY
Once you have a handle on your emotions, you can begin practicing self-discipline over your physi-
cal body—namely, your appetites, food & drink intake, and physical exercise. In the space below and
pages to follow, take a look at steps you can take to manage your physical body.

Food Intake
Do you have control over your appetite? What can you do to manage your hunger?

Do you plan your food intake? Do you follow a specific diet to manage your health, your weight, and/
or your energy level? Describe the steps you can take to improve your eating habits:

What can you do to control your caloric intake?

What can you do to improve your balance of macronutrients—fats, carbohydrates, and protein?

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R P H YSICAL BODY (cont)
Drink Intake
Do you consume soft drinks? Do you do so in moderation—or would you consider your intake to be
excessive? Why or why not?

Do you primarily consume such drinks because you enjoy/need:

Sugar ____ Caffeine ____ Energy ____ Psychological fix ____

What about hard drinks? Are you a teetotaler, social drinker, moderate drinker, or heavy drinker?

When you drink hard drinks, how are you feeling—are you celebrating, are you generally alone or
with other people, and has it ever gotten in the way of a relatioship or your work? Describe your an-
swers to these questions:

How do you adopt a habit of moderation?

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R P H YSICAL BODY (cont)
Exercise
How long have you maintained an exercise routine?

What has worked in keeping you on track (Or, what would work)?

Describe your routine, particularly your exercise type, duration, intensity, and frequency (If you don’t
have a routine, formulate a possible exercise routine):

Describe how you view exercise as a priority (or could become a priority) in your day:

What time of day/week do you generally find the time to exercise (What time could you find, if you do
not have a routine in place):

Location:

Cost:

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R M ENTAL ATTITUDE
One of the most powerful ways to proactively control your attitude is through affirmations. Look back
on your initial affirmations in Module 3. Take a look at each affirmation and ask yourself:

1) Do I believe them? Why or why not?

2) What would I have to change in my thinking to “truly believe” them?

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE
OV E R YOUR USE OF TIME
Do you feel you have control over your time? Do you feel that you have the means to determine your
schedule and hold to it? When talking with Greg and Sharon, Genevieve Bos quoted Dr. Raymond
Charles Barker’s The Power of Decision: Not making a decision is a decision to fail or to live a law of
averages. The same goes for your time. If you allow other people’s decisions to dictate your time, you
will never be able to pursue your Definite Major Purpose.

What steps have you taken to create a time budget?

Sometimes the problem can be in optimism. While that sounds like a reverse in logic, many people
have an over-optimistic view of their time. When they fail to fit it all in, they get further and further
behind until their schedule is completely dictated by other people. If that is a problem for you, what
can you do to overcome it?

What steps can you take this week to be more realistic about your time, and to gain control of your
schedule?

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Exercises

P R AC T I C E SELF-DISCIPLINE:
D E F I N I T E MAJOR PURPOSE
Take a look at your Definite Major Purpose at this stage. Describe the ways you feel as though you
have control over the activities relating to your DMP:

Describe the ways you feel you could exercise more control/self-discipline over your activities so that
they better contribute to your DMP:

Are you busy doing things or doing the right things? Explain (justify yourself to yourself):

How are you measuring your progress to know when you’re on track?

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Exercises

S E L F-DISCIPLINE:
T H E GREAT RICHES
Napoleon Hill determined that self-discipline helps you enjoy seven of what he called the 12 Great
Riches. He felt that self-discipline leads to:
• A Positive Mental Attitude
• Harmony in human relationships
• Freedom from fear
• Hope of achievement
• Capacity for faith
• An open mind on all subjects
• Sound Health

How can you leverage self-discipline to adopt a Positive Mental Attitude?

How can you leverage self-discipline to create harmony in your relationships?

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Exercises

S E L F-DISCIPLINE:
T H E G R EAT RICHES (cont)
How can you leverage self-discipline to free yourself of debilitating fear?

How can you leverage self-discipline to inspire your inner hope of achievement?

How can you leverage self-discipline to expand your capacity for faith?

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Exercises

S E L F-DISCIPLINE:
YO UR DESIRES
With proper self-discipline, your desire(s) can be used to drive you forward. Use this exercise to revisit
your desires for positive change:

List the information or knowledge you desire to acquire:

List the kind of work you desire to do:

List the kind of personality you desire to be:

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Exercises

S E L F-DISCIPLINE:
YO U R DESIRES (cont)
Write down how much you desire to earn and receive each year:

List the places you desire to visit and see:

List the skills, arts, crafts and sciences you desire to master:

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Exercises

S E L F-DISCIPLINE:
F I N D YOUR ROCK(S)
Self-discipline can be faster and more lasting when you work with someone to create accountability.
Often you have people within your network who can serve as your “rock.” Whether it’s a workout
partner or personal trainer for your health and fitness goals, or a person you look to for mental stimu-
lation, take some time to identify who within your network could be your “rock” in each of the aspects
of self-disclipline.

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Emotions? Why would they be good
at helping you create accountability?

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Physical Body? Why would they be
good at helping you create accountability?

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Exercises

S E L F-DISCIPLINE:
F I N D YO UR ROCK(S) (cont)
Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Mental attitude?Why would they be
good at helping you create accountability?

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Use of time?Why would they be
good at helping you create accountability?

Who could be your “rock” as you exercise self-discipline over your Definite Major Purpose?Why would
they be good at helping you create accountability?

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