In a blog post related to discipline and goals, adapted from his new book The Earned Life, the renowned leadership expert and bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith talks about what you need to create discipline in your life. It's not just willpower.
Goldsmith writes, “The building blocks of discipline and willpower are much more concrete and comprehensible: Compliance, Accountability, Follow-up, and Measurement. These four actions are not surrogates for discipline and willpower. They are replacements. Each of the four actions is situational. Compliance resolves a different problem than accountability or follow-up or measurement. We call on one or the other at different moments as we earn our life. Together they become your template for structuring your pursuit of any goal. You’re probably already practicing them, albeit inconsistently. If you want to live an earned life — they work.”
Many totalitarian regimes try to discipline their people, believing that their citizens are incapable of creating their own lives. This often backfires, as in the case with the outbreak of Covid in North Korea. The number of people reported to have fallen ill from Covid in North Korea rose to almost 1.5 million. The outbreak is almost certainly greater than the official tally, given a lack of tests and resources to monitor and treat the sick.
The regime is not thought to have vaccinated any of its population and does not have access to antiviral drugs that have been used to treat Covid-19 in other countries. Viruses don’t care about dictatorial power. But vaccine discipline cannot be imposed.
In The Earned Life Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crises, including regrets that stem from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroute destinies, and haunt our memories. These are particularly timely themes today.
With Goldsmith’s book as a guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life that is fulfilling in the long run.
You can read Marshall Goldsmith’s blog here.
About MARSHALL GOLDSMITH
Marshall Goldsmith has been recognized for years as the world’s leading executive coach and the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Mojo, and Triggers. He received his Ph.D. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In his coaching practice, Goldsmith has advised more than 200 major CEOs and their management teams. He and his wife live in Nashville, Tennessee.
About THE EARNED LIFE
In THE EARNED LIFE (Currency Books), Marshall Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crisis: regret, the kind stemming from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroutes destinies, and haunts our memories—particularly timely themes as the pandemic and Great Resignation inspire people to seek meaning in their lives, get unstuck and make changes. With this book as their guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life too fulfilling to dwell on the “what ifs.”
If you’d like more information on Marshall Goldsmith, The Earned Life, and his work, please get in touch with Lyda Goldsmith.
