How Do You Develop Self-Control?
by Rick Warren

High achievers usually have one obvious thing in common: personal discipline. Successful people are willing to do things that average people are unwilling to do. As the pastor of a church with over 15,000 attenders under my care, I've had the opportunity to know and counsel many of Orange County's most successful business leaders. I've observed that successful people express self-discipline in six key ways:

1. Successful people master their moods. They live by their commitments, not their emotions. People who do the right thing even when they don't feel like it accomplish most of what gets done in the world! "A person without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken down walls." Proverbs 25:28 (LB)

2. Successful people watch their words. They put their minds in gear before opening their mouths. "He who guards his lips guards his life." Prov. 13:3

3. Successful people restrain their reactions. How much can you take before you lose your cool?" If you are sensible you will control your temper. When someone wrongs you, it is a great virtue to ignore it." Prov. 19:11 (GN)

4. Successful people stick to their schedule. If you don't determine how you will spend your time you can be sure that others will decide for you! "Live life with a due sense of responsibility … make the best use of your time." Eph. 5:15-16 (Ph)

5. Successful people manage their money. They learn to live on less than what they make and they invest the difference. The value of a budget is that it tells your money where you want it to go rather than wondering where it went! "The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets." Prov. 21:20 (LB)

6. Successful people maintain their health. That way they can accomplish more and enjoy their achievements. "Each of you should control his own body, keeping it pure and treating it with respect." 1 Thess. 4:4

Now, where do you need to develop self-control? The disciplines you establish today will determine your success tomorrow. But it takes more than just willpower for lasting self-control. It takes a power greater than yourself. Think about this promise from the Bible this week: "God does not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control." 2 Tim. 1:7 The more I accept God's control over my life, the more self-control He gives me!