The greatest armies are those whose soldiers can be an army alone and together. One disciplined and trained soldier can defeat an army of poorly trained and undisciplined soldiers. I believe we can take a lesson from soldiers in training if we are going to become managers of our own lives. Every soldier has feelings but their training dictates that they master their feelings in order to be sharply focused in battle. Unfortunately, it is our feelings that defeat us before the enemy has a chance to defeat us. A shrewd fighter knows how to cause their opponent to become emotional, and an emotional fighter, no matter how well trained, cannot be focused in battle. Similarly, when our emotions get the better of us, we lose our discipline and our ability to focus on the task before us.
Being disciplined for success requires management of our feelings. Feelings are important and good to have, but when they are in control of us, we cannot be in control of ourselves. A quick temper or a fearful timid demeanor can prevent us from being effective in the battle for success. Neither anger nor excitement, can throw a good soldier off track. If you train and prepare each day with only victory in mind, you cannot be defeated. If nothing can deter you from your goals, you cannot be defeated. If no one can push your buttons and cause you to become driven by your feelings, you can become an army of one. If you prepare your mind, discipline your body, and become ‘the boss of you,’ you will defeat the enemy of defeat and, even if death takes you, you have won. Again, I say, “if you master yourself, you cannot be mastered by anyone, or anything, and if God is your master, you cannot be defeated.” If we become an army of one, in an army of many, we will all experience the victory.