SUCCESS = DISCIPLINE

On Tuesday, May 29, 2007, I was attending 112th passing out parade of the National Defense Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasala near Pune. While the parade was going on the narrator was referring to basic qualities of armed forces, armed forces personnel, and those that are taught at the NDA. One of them that caught my attention was "DISCIPLINE".

Certainly, point since you enter this national academy that has contributed significantly to provide nation military leadership, discipline is evident every where. The neatness, smartness of the entrance gate, sign boards at select and needed locations, cleanliness would not have been possible without discipline. The starch ironed uniforms, smart and alter look of NDA affiliated armed and civilians would not have been possible without strict adherence to discipline. The parade would not have started on time, had there been no discipline in practice. The uniformity, coordination in march past, synchronized movements would not have happened if discipline was not assimilated in blood and mind of these folks.

I think DISCIPLINE is the single most deciding factor of the successful armed force. But most importantly it is single most quality that differentiate between successful person and unsuccessful person. In fact, in my opinion lack and presence of discipline defines and decide looser and winner respectively. Discipline helps you achieve your goals in defined time period. It leads to synchronized coordination in a team, and thus brings in high degree of unity in the group.

I often come across persons who smell and talk of great dreams that even most successful individuals can be envy of - but soon you realize that these individuals lack something that is holding them away from their dreams. In most cases that detrimental factor is lack of discipline. Without discipline it is very difficult to develop and implement action plan with defined timeline. If you can not execute action plan on time, how so ever big and great your dreams are you can never be able to achieve you. Thus, I often think that success is directly proportional to discipline. Higher the degree of discipline, greater is your success.

I have this friend of mine, she is very innocent and wish to do so much for the society, her family, and her kids. Her intentions are so very novel and pure that every one would wish that her dreams may come true. However, she is often very frustrated, as she cannot even accomplish 5% of the planned activities. Reason lack of discipline. One of the major reason for this lack of discipline is ones unpreparedness to pass through hardship and uncommon will power. If you need to get up at 4 a.m. requires determination, and willingness to go through hardship of getting early. If you have these two things quality call discipline would send automatic signals to your brain that it is 4 a.m. and weather you are well or unwell you must get up now. Securing first position in the class means going through pains of studying little more than rest of the others in the class. This calls that you have to sacrifice certain privileges and luxuries now, and postpone them for later time, which means you need determination to resist attractions and comforts till exam is over. All this requires is nothing but loads of discipline. Thus, SUCCESS = DISCIPLINE!