The success of my creative side-business was not because I was a talented seamstress. Unlike many international doll-makers who had been sewing since they were a young child, I had only ever briefly turned on a sewing machine in grade 8 home economics class when I unsuccessfully attempted to make a miniature pillow.
When I decided to learn how to make dolls, I didn’t know the name of stitches, how to replace a bobbin or even how to properly cut out a pattern. Not only did I lack those skills, but the skills did not come naturally. What I did have though, and what proved to be absolutely key for my success, was discipline.
I’ve discovered that I am a person of powerful habits and I use discipline, as a way of creating these habits. Thinking back to the process of creating a doll, it was always the same series of steps and the same process repeated, with the same resting places. If I ever tried to change the process, I would run into difficulties.
Was all this clear to me when I was in the midst of my business? No, I never gave it any thought. People would often tell me I had such talent – well, if talent could be defined as repeated processes and discipline resulting in a desired outcome, then sure – I was talented.
Discipline. I’ve since come to understand that when considering the range of discipline, there is a middle point at which discipline leads to success, and at either end of the range, it can lead to failure. The lack of discipline leads to achieving nothing. Too much discipline, can result in burn out, and discipline that is enough to create powerful habits – the magic point.
Next post: Using discipline to form the best habit for my overall wellness.