The Importance of Self Discipline by Nick

The Importance of Self Discipline by Nick - March 2017 Scholarship Essay

As a martial artist, I feel that self discipline is one of the most important qualities to have in life. Self discipline allows people to set themselves up for success in school, sports, and life. I cannot picture accomplishing anything without having the self discipline to do so. Merriam-Webster defines self discipline as "correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement". I feel that everybody in my high school needs to know that they can achieve all that they want to achieve, as long as they use self discipline.
Self discipline not only applies to martial arts, but to school as well. In order to do well in a class, people need self discipline to study when they get home, to focus in class, and to persevere through an exam. Self discipline is essential to success and achievement. The best way to increase your self discipline is to start small, tell yourself "I'm going to study for five minutes when I get home every day this week." and as you study everyday, you will realize it becomes easier and easier to do.
Self discipline also means you are holding yourself accountable for when you do fail to accomplish a task or you do not get done everything on your agenda. Of course a person does not want to go too hard on themselves, but a person cannot just let their hard work fall to waste. The best way to maintain self discipline is to recognize what you did wrong, and to immediately make a plan to improve it. For school, I might forget to do the homework and not have anything to turn in. By using self discipline, I tell myself that "Hey, you need to be honest with the teacher and ask nicely if you can turn it in as soon as possible." . This is how self discipline applies to school and how you can use self discipline to remedy a mistake you have made.
Self discipline is a key facet of my lifestyle. I know that without self discipline, I would not be where I am today. Self discipline is a tool I use to accomplish my goals and to keep myself from snow-balling into trouble. I know I can always fall back on self discipline if I make a mistake, or if I need to do a little bit more to reach my goals. Self discipline is a trait that everyone needs to develop in order to succeed because ultimately, the person most in charge of you IS you.