Creative Director: Discipline

I Create: Creative Director of My Life.

What would I rather? Would I rather do work gradually over time and have illustrations in a book? Or would I rather sleep in that extra hour and then just wish I had started sooner on my goal? Would I rather have evenings to read books and scroll on my phone (pinterest) for some ideas, or write a blog weekly, which expands my website and engages (perhaps just a few) people? Would I rather look at reel after reel on instagram of artists I admire, with jealousy building, or put in the work and do some paintings to maybe be as good as them one day myself?

There are many similar ways to talk about this. I’ve written about consistency before. Discipline, though, is what makes someone consistent. I consistently do a thing, because I am disciplined. Which is also a self motivation.

My dad reminded me about an accomplishment of my time management in high school. The school was self-paced, meaning you had to get the work done in order to move on to the next class, which gave others an incredible opportunity to procrastinate. I finished and graduated on time because I had signed up to do an exchange year abroad (to the Netherlands), the year following. There was no way I wanted to come back and have to finish a class or two of grade 12, after I returned. So I got it done. I took that success for granted, since I was thinking about the exchange. It took my dad to remind me that I finished tasks when I had a goal.

Codie Sanchez, author of Main Street Millionaire, and who I enjoy following on Instagram, often says, ‘choose your hard.’ I believe it came from a source prior.. I just looked it up and it is a poem written by a Devon.

Devon Brough:

Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard.

Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard.

Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.

Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.

Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Choose wisely.

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It’s how I think about everything. If I do something now, it will make something easier for ‘future me.’ Or ‘future me’ will be glad I put in the work gradually over time, rather than leave something all to the last minute.

To create a life I love, I would rather do some hard things. I would rather do the work, and the reward will be that much sweeter. I will have made myself proud.

Until next week,

Devon