Results of various entrance examinations as well as S.S.C., H.S.C., Graduation level examinations are around the corner. Few of you have attained the desired success through these exams whereas many of you might have been disappointed with your below expectations results. It’s certainly not the time to cry but it’s time to analyse oneself retrospectively- where we had gone wrong?   One needs to analyse whether we have given our best efforts for the preparation or have we lacked in the preparation? Analyse whether your focus of preparation had been as per requirement of examination or was it waivered? Also analyse oneself whether we have failed in managing the examination stress or examination anxiety or time management? After a SWOT analysis of your approach towards examination preparation, you would be able to pinpoint the reasons for your success or failure in this particular examination. Now it’s time to think systematically about your future and emerge victorious in the cut throat competition by adopting 3- D formula of your success. i.e. Dedication towards your desired goal, synergising the efforts in right Direction and the most importantly, performing the job in the most Disciplined manner!

Dedication- In order to achieve success in any aspect of life, one should be aware about the ultimate aim to be achieved and he should put his best efforts to achieve the same. The success can be achieved only if it comes from within i.e. self-motivation fuels the journey towards achieving the ultimate aim. The full dedication towards fulfilling your aim is the first and foremost step in the journey of success. The batting maestro, Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar, is considered as ‘God of Cricket’ due to his dedication and mastery over the game of cricket. Right from his childhood, without any fail, he dedicated his entire life for the game of cricket and as a result, he could emerge as the best cricketer in the world!

Direction- Despite of hard work in life, every individual is not successful in the game of life. The role of a ‘guru’ or a mentor is significant in converging the efforts of a person towards achieving his goals. The efforts converged in a right direction optimises the available resources and ensures the success. The differentiating factor between ‘Kauravas’ and ‘Pandava’ in Kurukshetra was not the talent of warriors on either side but the presence of a mentor ‘Krishna’ on the side of ‘Pandavas’. The world could not have witnessed the talent of batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar if his coach Mr Ramakant Achrekar would not have recognised his talent and gave him the right direction and training at right age.

 Discipline–   The central theme of success in any field of action revolves around the concept of self-discipline. The dedicated efforts given in a right direction by any individual would not be result oriented unless and otherwise these are performed in a consistent and discipline manner. Discipline should not be dictated externally but should come from within and should be the integral part of life.  Self-discipline is the ability to control one’s impulses, emotions, desires and behaviour. It is being able to turn down immediate pleasure and instant gratification in favour of gaining the long-term satisfaction and fulfilment from achieving higher and more meaningful goals. It is a myth that self-discipline means limiting oneself for everything or a restrictive nature of life. It does not mean giving up everything you enjoy, or to relinquish fun and relaxation. On the contrary, self-discipline means learning how to focus your mind and energies on your goals and persevere until they are accomplished. It also means cultivating a mindset whereby you are ruled by your deliberate choices rather than by your emotions, bad habits or the sway of others. Self-discipline allows you to reach your goals in a reasonable time frame and to live a more orderly and satisfying life. We know that everybody of us can sing but it is the consistent ‘riyaz’ (Regular practice of music) of singers which differentiates mediocre performers from the world-class artists like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Sonu Nigam and so on. Usain Bolt runs with a lightning speed not merely because of his talent but because of his consistent practice every day, without fail, not for a day or a month but for last number of decades. All these winners in different fields of life have disciplined their efforts in such a manner that success is not a solitary occasion for them but a part of their life. For everybody of us, time management, dietary control, positive work culture, following traffic rules and regulations, financial management in a personal life- all these require self discipline. It is very apt to conclude the discussion on self-discipline with a famous quote by Harry S. Truman –

“In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first.’’

(The author of this article ,Lt Col (Dr) Satish Dhage, is an ex Army officer and has been qualified for IPS (Indian Police Services) through IPS LCE 2012. Presently, he is Director, MGM Institute of Competitive Exams Aurangabad. For any queries or feedback, he can be contacted on email id : drsatishdhage@gmail.com)