Dear Creative Professional,
When I was 16, I was a little chubby.
So getting my first official job as an ice cream scooper at Baskin Robbins presented a significant challenge. I already knew about slippery slopes and ice cream was one for me!
But I needed the money to pay for my car, I wanted to work and the store was really close to my house in Sherman Oaks, California.
So I made a promise to myself:
I will not eat one bite of ice cream -- not one --
for as long as I work at Baskin Robbins!
And it worked! Every time I wanted a bite, especially at closing time, I just said, "No," to myself.
That was the beginning of a self discipline that has carried me into adulthood (and probably accounts for the 7 books I've written too)! I can tell you from experience that unless you are disciplined at cultivating self discipline, success as a self employed person is not only fleeting, it also feels tenuous and not within your control.
If you want control your career, you must be in command of yourself. No justifications for procrastinating what you say you really want to do or impulsive trips to the fridge. That, to me, is the essence of self discipline.
So here are 3 simple tips that work for me every day.
- Get up early.
- Work on your own business first thing.
- When you're ready to move on to client work, do one more thing for yourself.
To help instill this morning habit of self discipline, I plan to lead a 5-day challenge this Fall for anyone who needs it. Watch for details in September.
BTW, this was triggered by a strange trending hashtag recently on Twitter: #firstsevenjobs -- so here's my list -- post yours and tag me @ilisebenun: - babysitter
- receptionist
- ice cream scooper
- frozen yogurt purveyor
- waitress
- personal assistant
- assistant chef
Check out my latest HOWLive podcast interview with Dora Drimalas of Hybrid Design about how she and her husband/partner turn their hobbies into thriving businesses. (Don't worry, it's not another one of those "magic formulas.") Don't miss these key resources:
In case you missed the latest posts from this "content machine":
And if any of this sparks questions, that may mean it’s time to take me up on my “free mentoring session” offer – it has no expiration date and I promise it’s not a sales pitch! Let’s use it to find your focus or talk about what your content might be.
