SOME SIMPLE DISCIPLINES THAT WEREN'T TAUGHT IN SCHOOL BUT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE (PART 3)

We’re diving deeper into the transformative disciplines that traditional education overlooked—simple yet profound practices that possess the power to fundamentally reshape your existence. If you’ve been following this series, you already know: the most powerful changes in life rarely come from complex strategies. They emerge from simple disciplines, practiced consistently.

Here’s what the titans of personal development—from Jim Rohn to Tony Robbins—have always understood: success leaves clues, and those clues are often hiding in plain sight.

Understanding the True Nature of Change

Let’s address the elephant in the room: change is uncomfortable. It’s messy. It’s non-linear.

The key insight? Life changes are not events—they’re processes.

Yes, I believe in the power of instantaneous transformation. A single decision can alter your trajectory forever. But sustainable change? That’s a different story. It has a beginning, middle, and end. It unfolds like a compelling narrative, complete with plot twists, setbacks, and ultimately, resolution.

Here’s the paradox: many of us resist change precisely because it’s found in the non-fiction section of life. It’s real. It’s unpredictable. It demands something from us. Unlike the fantasy novels we escape into, the story of personal transformation requires us to be both the author and the protagonist.

But here’s what I’ve learned after years of coaching high-performers: when given a genuine chance, the story of change ends well most of the time. The determining factor? How we interpret the events within that story.

As Darren Hardy would say, “It’s not the big things that add up in the end; it’s the hundreds, thousands, or millions of little things that separate the ordinary from the extraordinary.”

So let’s explore three more simple disciplines that weren’t taught in school but can profoundly and irreversibly change your life.

Discipline #1: Practice Forgiveness—The Ultimate Act of Self-Mastery

Let me be direct: forgiveness is not about them. It’s about you.

The pain of betrayal, disappointment, or offense cuts deep. When someone you trust says or does something hurtful, the wound can feel unbearable. This is where most people make a critical error in judgment.

We’ve been conditioned to view forgiveness through a distorted lens. Society whispers that forgiveness equals weakness. That it invites further abuse. That the only appropriate response to offense is retaliation—an eye for an eye, a hurt for a hurt.

This is perhaps the most expensive lie you’ll ever believe.

True forgiveness is one of the most powerfully potent principles in the universe, not because it benefits the offender, but because it liberates the forgiver. Let me explain why this matters to your success, your health, and your future.

The Hidden Cost of Unforgiveness

Holding onto resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Every moment you spend replaying the offense, rehearsing your grievance, or plotting revenge is a moment stolen from your potential. It’s energy that could be invested in building your dreams, nurturing your relationships, or developing your skills.

Bob Proctor taught that we become what we think about most of the time. If you’re consumed with bitterness, you’re not thinking about abundance, opportunity, or growth. You’re trapped in a mental prison of your own construction.

Here’s the liberating truth: forgiveness is about self-mastery. It’s about seizing power over your natural propensity toward pettiness and the bloodthirsty desire for revenge. When you extend forgiveness, you’re not condoning the offense. You’re not saying it was acceptable. You’re declaring that you refuse to allow that person or that event to control your emotional state, your peace of mind, or your future trajectory.

The Character Revelation

Extending forgiveness reveals the essence of your nature and personal character. It demonstrates emotional intelligence, maturity, and strength. As John Maxwell often says, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Forgiveness is the ultimate expression of caring—for yourself and for the possibility of redemption in others.

Consider this: everyone deserves another chance. It’s certainly what you would hope for if the roles were reversed. We’re all flawed. We all make mistakes. We all say things we regret. The measure of our character isn’t found in our perfection but in our capacity for grace.

The Freedom Factor

Here’s the most practical reason to practice forgiveness: liberty.

Imagine a prison. Behind those bars are inmates serving time for their crimes. But here’s what most people miss: the guards, the administrators, the staff—they’re all subject to the same lockdown. They may not be serving a sentence, but they’re still confined within those walls every single day.

When you hold onto offenses, you become both the prisoner and the guard. You’re locked in an emotional penitentiary, and you’re the only one with the key.

Free yourself today by forgiving those who have offended you. That liberty will taste sweeter knowing it’s the freedom you chose, not the freedom someone granted you.

As Les Brown powerfully states, “Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on.” This applies equally to forgiving others.

Discipline #2: Laugh and Smile More—The Underestimated Success Strategy

Ancient wisdom teaches that laughter is good medicine, that it makes the heart merry. Modern science confirms what our ancestors knew intuitively: laughter reduces stress hormones, boosts immune function, and releases endorphins.

Yet here’s what I observe: too many people live their lives like a Greek tragedy.

Life is serious. Your goals matter. Your responsibilities are real. But if your existence has become all work and no play, you’re not building a life—you’re constructing a prison with better amenities.

The Strategic Value of Levity

High-performers understand something crucial: sustainable success requires recovery. You cannot operate at peak performance indefinitely without periods of rest, rejuvenation, and yes—laughter.

Create deliberate opportunities to laugh, have fun, and be light. This isn’t frivolous; it’s strategic. When you’re constantly in stress mode, your decision-making suffers. Your creativity diminishes. Your relationships deteriorate. Your health declines.

Take calculated time for yourself to wind down, depressurize, and actually enjoy the life you’re working so hard to build. As Jim Rohn wisely noted, “Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” Don’t waste your precious time being miserable.

The Art of Self-Compassion

More importantly, learn to laugh at yourself. When you make a mistake or trip over your own feet in public, choose humor over humiliation. It’s going to be alright. The fate of the free world is not resting upon your flawless perfection.

This is about emotional resilience. When you can laugh at your own blunders, you’re demonstrating a crucial leadership quality: the ability to maintain perspective under pressure. You’re showing that mistakes don’t define you—your response to them does.

Choose laughter over harsh self-criticism when you’ve embarrassed yourself, and simply extract the lesson from the experience. As Zig Ziglar said, “Failure is an event, not a person.”

The Ripple Effect

Then, smile a little more. Give the gift of a smile to someone, and you may unknowingly brighten their day—maybe even change their life.

Smiling shifts the energy in any environment. It signals that you’re open, approachable, and friendly. People are magnetically drawn to individuals who radiate positive energy. In business, in relationships, in life—your ability to create positive emotional experiences for others is a competitive advantage.

I’m not suggesting you become a court jester. But I am encouraging you to share more smiles and laughter. You may just make the world a little better place to be—and that’s a legacy worth leaving.

Discipline #3: Live Well, Be Well—The Foundation of Everything Else

This is perhaps the most simple discipline, yet countless people suffer from neglecting it. We convince ourselves we’re too busy to take care of ourselves. We prioritize everything and everyone else, leaving nothing for the vehicle that carries us through life—our body.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: many people want to live a long life but do little to nothing to practice the daily habits that will ensure what they say they want.

This is the gap between intention and action. Between wishful thinking and disciplined execution. Between talking about success and actually achieving it.

The Simplicity of Wellness

Living well doesn’t require a complete life overhaul. It can be as simple as:

Exercising for 30 minutes just three days a week. Not seven. Not every day. Three days. That’s 90 minutes out of 10,080 minutes in a week. That’s less than 1% of your time.
Choosing water over soda more frequently. Not always. Just more often. Small choices, repeated consistently, create massive results.
Going to bed a little earlier to get necessary sleep. Your body repairs itself during sleep. Your brain consolidates memories and processes information. Sleep isn’t laziness—it’s a performance enhancer.
Eating an apple every day. One apple. That’s it. Simple nutrition that compounds over time.
Managing portion sizes more wisely. You don’t need to count every calorie. Just eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffed.
Satisfying your sweet tooth with fruits instead of candy or pastries. Natural sugars that come with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Eating prepared meals at home instead of fast food. You control the ingredients. You save money. You nourish your body.
Reading ten pages of an instructive book every day. That’s 3,650 pages per year. That’s approximately 12-15 books annually. Imagine the knowledge you’d accumulate.

The Compound Effect in Action

See, living well is all about simple disciplines, done every day. And if we live well, we will be well.

Tony Robbins teaches that “It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives. It’s what we do consistently.” This is the essence of living well. It’s not about perfection. It’s about consistency.

Brian Tracy calls this “eating that frog”—doing the most important thing first, every day, without fail. When you prioritize your health, everything else becomes easier. You have more energy. Better focus. Improved mood. Enhanced resilience.

A Note on Addiction

Now, I must address something important: letting go of addictive vices is often a more complex issue. I won’t insult your intelligence by suggesting it’s a simple fix. Addiction involves neurological, psychological, and often physiological components that require professional support.

However, here’s what I know to be true: if you decide that your vices aren’t affording you the opportunity to live or be your best, you can change their grip on you the very moment you decide it’s time for change.

That decision—that definitive moment when you say “enough”—is where transformation begins. It may not be easy. It may require help. But it starts with a decision.

As Jim Rohn powerfully stated, “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”

The Integration: Bringing It All Together

These three disciplines—forgiveness, laughter, and wellness—aren’t isolated practices. They’re interconnected pillars of a life well-lived.

When you practice forgiveness, you free up emotional energy that can be redirected toward your goals, your relationships, and your growth.

When you laugh and smile more, you reduce stress, improve your health, and create positive experiences for yourself and others.

When you live well, you create the physical and mental foundation necessary to pursue your dreams with vigor and vitality.

The common thread? Simple disciplines, practiced consistently, create extraordinary results.

This is what wasn’t taught in school. They taught you algebra and history (both valuable), but they didn’t teach you how to manage your emotions, protect your peace, or invest in your health. They didn’t teach you that success is built in the mundane moments, in the daily choices that seem insignificant but compound into life-altering results.

Your Action Plan: Starting Today

Here’s what I want you to do:

Identify one person you need to forgive. Write their name down. Then write: “I forgive name and release them from my emotional prison. I choose freedom.” You don’t need to contact them. This is for you.
Schedule three 30-minute blocks this week for laughter or joy. Watch a comedy special. Play with your kids. Call a friend who makes you laugh. Protect these appointments like you would a business meeting.
Choose one wellness habit to implement this week. Just one. Not ten. One. Master it. Then add another.

Remember what Darren Hardy teaches in “The Compound Effect”: small, smart choices + consistency + time = radical difference.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life today. You just need to make one better choice. Then another. Then another.

The life you want is built one discipline at a time.

As Zig Ziglar famously said, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

So start today. Practice forgiveness. Laugh more. Live well.

Your future self will thank you.

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