The Habit of Discipline
In his two books, Good to Great (2001) and Great by Choice (2011), Jim Collins tells us what successful entrepreneurs need to grow healthily and meaningfully,
both in good times and in chaotic and negative periods. The answer is unexpectedly simple: discipline, discipline and discipline.
Jim uses the principle of the twenty-mile march as an example, a lifestyle that was used by the Romans. The Roman army – sometimes as many as ten thousand soldiers – bridged large distances by marching exactly twenty miles (thirty-two kilometers) each day, no more and no less. Over the plains, through the mountains, in the sun and in the rain, the Romans walked twenty miles a day. The conditions of the trip had no influence on the result at all. By adopting this disciplined attitude, scouts could prepare the encampment at the precise location and a commander could plan campaigns more easily. This principle reflected the lifestyle of the Romans and was an important factor in building a thriving global empire.
What does the story of the Romans mean for you as an entrepreneur? If you want to create something that’s sustainable, you will have to work on a lifestyle of discipline. You must do this for yourself, and in cooperation with your team.
Here are some concrete building blocks for a healthy, disciplined lifestyle:
- Exercise and movement. Walk ten thousand steps per day and do a sport at least two or three times a week intensively.
- Sleep well and rest well. Every person needs seven to eight hours of sleep with strict regularity.
- Nutrition. Eat healthily, but also with pleasure. Maintain your ideal weight in an emotionally healthy way.
- Time. Manage your time so that every day you have two blocks of ninety minutes for ‘deep work’: intensive, substantive work that is important to you (and your assignments). These blocks must be undisturbed by human or digital interference. Reading tip: Deep Work (2016) by Cal Newport.
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