Run in such a way as to get the prize.
—1 Corinthians 9:24
When Houston Texans’ owner Bob McNair rewarded J.J. Watt with a $100 million contract, J.J. opened the door and turned on the lights at 2:00 a.m. the following morning at the Texans’ training facility and hit the weight machines. Elite athletes become elite athletes by rigid self-discipline.
Years ago, when Tom Landry, coach of the Dallas Cowboys, was asked what made Roger Staubach such a standout quarterback, he said, “After everyone has left practice, Roger stays and runs five miles—backward.” Stringent self-discipline.
Self-discipline is indispensable to success:
No athlete succeeds for long without it.
No weight-loss program in sustained without it.
No mind remains sharp without it.
No temptation is overcome without it.
No Christian life is maintained without it.
No person succeeds without it.
Whatever your endeavor, you’ll not reach peak performance without self-discipline.
Self-discipline is the bridge
between wishing and winning.