December 16, 2011 – DAY 16 | Self-Control: We are now halfway to the goal of January 1, 2012. If you have followed the blog from the first day and worked each of the small assignments, you are showing great promise toward self-control. When we activate self-control we prove that we are not only willing to own our decisions but to also act on them. Without self-control we spiral into poor decisions and at some level risk out of control behaviors that at the worst case are destructive. Self-control is tied to our ability to stay focused on the goal at hand. When we are able to stay focused on the proper healthy goals, we display self-control at its very best. Self-control and focus lead to achievements.
I will give you a personal example of self-control. I had wanted one of those one-cup coffee makers. The kind that you put a small packet of coffee in and you get a perfect cup of coffee out. A local big box store carried them and every time I went into the store I looked at the coffee maker. There were a few times I actually put it in my buggy as well. Here is where the self-control came in. I would ask myself do I really need this coffee maker. After all, I had a perfectly nice and acceptable full coffee maker at home. Each time I stepped toward purchasing the coffee maker I had this conversation with myself. I would ask other questions like: can I continue on without the new coffee maker? Is my current coffee maker doing the job, etc.. So you get the picture, I was displaying my own form of self-control by having a conversation with myself. I probably put that coffee maker back on the shelf a dozen times or more before I was actually in a place I felt I was ready to make the purchase.
Today – I would like you to write down the areas of your life that you feel are a struggle for you when it comes to self-control. After you’ve written down those areas, write down ways you can start working on becoming more self-controlled. What techniques do you believe would work to help you stay more focused and in control of self?
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Philip A Foster, MA is Founder/CEO of Maximum Change Inc. Elevating leaders and their organizations to the next level since 2005. Master Certified Coach, Philip A Foster, MA and his associates facilitate effective positive change by helping organizations, leaders and individuals in high demand — design and implement strategies that maximize focus and deliver results. Specializing in Organization and Strategic Leadership.