One of the fundamental pursuits of every human being is freedom. You and I desire to be free in every aspect of our life―in our finances, our relationships and the way we use our time.

Nothing feels better and happier than freedom―to be unshackled like a bird. Some even argue that the human soul was created to be free. And truth be told, we spend most of our life pursuing the notoriously-elusive freedom.

No right-thinking person craves to be financially dependent, have no control over their time or stay stuck in a relationship where they feel choked.

Naturally, you seek the opposite of these situations as you go through life. Yet, we find ourselves in those situations for the most part.

Why you find yourself in tight situations

It’s easy to give excuses for having no freedom in the all-important aspects of your life. Sometimes, you even go as far as attributing your constricted life to a sheer lack of choice.

You argue that you couldn’t just but be indebted, remain stuck in a choking association or stay in that life-draining job. But a careful examination shows that this is rarely the case.

Only a few instances occur in your life where you have no choice. You always have a choice. You just choose to lie to yourself that you don’t, for several reasons―unpalatable consequences being the most prominent one.

More so, those situations where you think you have no choice are often a consequence of some past poor choices. This is a hard pill for any one of us to swallow. Yet, it’s the truth.

Your life is a reflection and sum total of your choices. Share on X

As for how you and I land in those financial, social and life shackles we detest, one particular weakness identifies as the leading cause. Interestingly, the same frailty causes us to remain in those shackled situations and never break free.

I’m sure you’re wondering what this culprit frailty could be. Put simply, it’s the sheer lack of discipline. The inability to exert ourselves and rise above our natural tendencies.

Indiscipline manifests in different forms―self-indulgence, lust, laziness, procrastination, and the list goes on. But a deep analysis of each one of these states reveals a lack of will and restraint.

The ultimate path to freedom

If Indiscipline is the path to unwanted burdens and shackles, discipline is the way to freedom―and success. It’s a paradox, isn’t it?

The way to be truly free is to not just do as you please but to choose what to do (or not) per time with some measure of thoughtful intentionality.

True liberty lies in restraint and self-control; it lies in full control of your thoughts, actions and habits. Thinking or acting in a way not just because you can but because you choose to (for good reason), is what it truly means to be free.

Without discipline, there’s no freedom. Share on X

You are not truly free until you can resist the gratification of your whims and desires. Every desire and whim you cannot resist or control masters you. You are a slave to them. They own you.

To avoid those earlier-mentioned shackles requires the virtue of discipline. And discipline takes time to build with bricks of willpower and consistency. It doesn’t happen overnight.

Avoiding the dungeons of financial dependence, a limiting relationship or a life in which you have no control does not happen in one day. The same applies if you want out of these situations.

Yet, it’s very possible to pull off either feat. People do it every day. You too can. You can be free in your finances, relationship and daily life. All you have to do is make tough little changes that will yield huge results.

Discipline involves setting new goals, cultivating new habits and staying true to the course, even in the face of distractions and temptations. Share on X

It entails questioning your beliefs and assumptions to ensure they are not shackling you. It involves saying no to a lot of things as you master yourself and your desires.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance―guarding your mind against careless, negative thoughts that may grow into bad, destructive habits. It entails consciously guarding your body and soul against easy, damaging desires.

 

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