Discipline Equals Freedom - Literally
Feb 24, 2018 10:36:25 GMT -8
mynewunit, acerobb, and 1 more like this
Post by jordydee on Feb 24, 2018 10:36:25 GMT -8
Three years ago my life was a mess.
After an 18 month stint in the Australian armed forces ended with a medical discharge (due to my drinking and driving), the next 10 years or so were characterized by repeated self sabotage through use of illicit drugs, alcohol, partying and women. I would get my life together for a time and achieve great results, before shooting myself in the foot and returning to my addictions.
This culminated in the failure of my small business with clients being owed money, and a 27 month prison sentence for drug related and dishonesty offences.
I had hit rock bottom, and for a while believed I had nothing to offer myself or anyone else.
Slowly, steadily, over the next two years of incarceration I began to force myself to set goals, to improve, to learn and grow. One small step after another I made better choices each day, getting into the gym, working in prison jobs and starting to repay my former clients, and completing half of a Bachelor of Business university degree.
The one constant through all of this was my 2IC and best friend. He stuck by my side through my darkest hours even though I had nothing to offer and there was no prospect of reward, helped to achieve my objectives on the outside and acted as my legal proxy to complete tasks I could not. He did this with only a broad commander's intent and always without exception met and exceeded my wildest hopes for what could be done from my position.
On the day I got out of prison, he was waiting in the car park with a big box of tuna salad labelled "freedom salad", a laptop, and a fully charged and activated phone. He took two days off work to be with me in that initial 48 hours and we got after it with a vengeance, applying for jobs, joining a gym, and setting the stage for my successful reintegration back into society.
Not long after I got out, my buddy introduced me to the Jocko Podcast. At first I was skeptical, but the more I listened the more I realized Jocko was putting into words what I had learned through my own battles.
For me, Discipline Equals Freedom is more than a business mantra, or a motivational slogan - it is literally true in every way. I am the sum of the small choices I make every day, and if I instill discipline and structure into my life I am motivated, effective and successful. If I let discipline fail then I will end up returning to jail; perhaps not the first day, or even the second or third - but as surely as the sun rises I would become outflanked by my own demons and be looking once more at the inside of a prison cell.
Thank you Jocko and all your guests, my buddy and I listen to your podcast here in Australia as soon as it comes out every week, and if I am ever able to get a visa to the US in the future we will definitely be attending your Muster!
After an 18 month stint in the Australian armed forces ended with a medical discharge (due to my drinking and driving), the next 10 years or so were characterized by repeated self sabotage through use of illicit drugs, alcohol, partying and women. I would get my life together for a time and achieve great results, before shooting myself in the foot and returning to my addictions.
This culminated in the failure of my small business with clients being owed money, and a 27 month prison sentence for drug related and dishonesty offences.
I had hit rock bottom, and for a while believed I had nothing to offer myself or anyone else.
Slowly, steadily, over the next two years of incarceration I began to force myself to set goals, to improve, to learn and grow. One small step after another I made better choices each day, getting into the gym, working in prison jobs and starting to repay my former clients, and completing half of a Bachelor of Business university degree.
The one constant through all of this was my 2IC and best friend. He stuck by my side through my darkest hours even though I had nothing to offer and there was no prospect of reward, helped to achieve my objectives on the outside and acted as my legal proxy to complete tasks I could not. He did this with only a broad commander's intent and always without exception met and exceeded my wildest hopes for what could be done from my position.
On the day I got out of prison, he was waiting in the car park with a big box of tuna salad labelled "freedom salad", a laptop, and a fully charged and activated phone. He took two days off work to be with me in that initial 48 hours and we got after it with a vengeance, applying for jobs, joining a gym, and setting the stage for my successful reintegration back into society.
Not long after I got out, my buddy introduced me to the Jocko Podcast. At first I was skeptical, but the more I listened the more I realized Jocko was putting into words what I had learned through my own battles.
For me, Discipline Equals Freedom is more than a business mantra, or a motivational slogan - it is literally true in every way. I am the sum of the small choices I make every day, and if I instill discipline and structure into my life I am motivated, effective and successful. If I let discipline fail then I will end up returning to jail; perhaps not the first day, or even the second or third - but as surely as the sun rises I would become outflanked by my own demons and be looking once more at the inside of a prison cell.
Thank you Jocko and all your guests, my buddy and I listen to your podcast here in Australia as soon as it comes out every week, and if I am ever able to get a visa to the US in the future we will definitely be attending your Muster!
