It is one ingredient that is seriously missing in our daily lives. We see this ‘miss’ just about everywhere. And we turn the other way, as if it did not exist. Or, we have given up on it, as just impossible to change. Discipline. And, this could cost us heavy. Not just material progress, but also emotional, social and moral. Along with material growth, we also need a civilised society, bred on our traditional cultural and moral values.
Have you ever seen those people who seem to have it all under control? They’re fit, they’re successful, they’re always punctual, they don’t make excuses. Well, there is nothing much to guess—they certainly don’t have any superpowers. What they do have is discipline! That makes the difference.
Discipline is not about big gestures. It’s about the small, everyday choices that we all make and they all add up— like, for instance, choosing an apple over a cookie, studying a bit more every evening, putting a few coins in a savings jar each day, not in the thought there will be a rainy day, but purely out of habit. It’s these choices that build a strong personality, making it brick by brick, giving the totality a composure that only comes from sustained acts of discipline.
There are numerous such facets that add up, one by one. It is not just sweeping action, but a hundred of them, which we adopt as our way of life, keep working upon them, till they become an intrinsic part of us. Like the Japanese take a bow, regardless of whether you know them or not, as you approach them with any query or even look upto them and start walking towards them. It is a force of habit, that is at one disarming, so gentle and over-whelming. Let us look at similar such gestures that embrace our society, give us a sense of sustained discipline.
Essential that we fall in line, literally and proverbially.
Start caring for others, their needs, the old, the infirm, in fact everybody we have an eye contact with.
Show common courtesies, like greeting others when entering a lift, having a smile instead of the common growl.
Small steps will build a great civilisation, that we are; restore dignity, start with yourself, don’t ask, why me?
Every public place must help remind guests of such basic tenets. Shopping malls, private clubs, government offices, corporate get togethers, hotels and restaurants, just about everyone.
With civility, humility, common graces, we will bring dignity to our daily lives, leading to a sense of discipline.
In our immediate environment, everybody is talking of a Viksit Bharat @ 2047, especially as it is clarion call from none other than the prime minister himself. And he is making his government fire on all cylinders, as much as one man can do. There are hurdles, for sure, least of all is the bureaucratic roadblocks that will be there, inevitably. Specialist roadmaps have been prepared and debated, at senior most levels, all to the direction pointing to definite roadmaps.
The idea has also been mocked upon by some, perhaps only predictably. But, surely, having a goal is better than not having one. How do you score a goal when there are no goal posts? Clear markers on how these goals, over and above, become achievable are a must, as indeed these get formulated, as work in progress. Over and above, these erudite and most learned dissertations, there is one essential that as a nation we need to imbibe, which falls upon all of us, as citizens, however rich or poor; what might well be that one common ingredient of success! That secret sauce, as it were.
While the government is the ideal leader in achieving this objective, it cannot do this alone. Not just the private sector, but also every individual big or small, has a role to play. In a democratic set-up like ours, discipline is possibly the single biggest asset that we do NOT have. Assuming this is a road to traverse, we do not see this discipline on our roads, in the bigger cities, just as less as in the smaller cities, not to talk of our highways. It is just not there; the contrary is probably true, we pride in not showing discipline, in breaking queues, in creating parallel lanes at every crossing! Perhaps we should best begin with our roads – the city administrations could start with providing clear road signs, directions, signages, adequate lighting, traffic signals working and visible, CCTV cameras that users can spot and become vary of. And penalties imposed strictly on those who done follow rules, imposed in full public glare for the rest to see, if fear is the weapon that works better?
The first and cardinal point could well be inculcating discipline, then only, perhaps, the rest will follow. What follows is a sense of direction, a focus to your efforts, possibility of sharing missions and goals as a community, self-confidence, and most importantly self-respect. It brings integrity to our actions, makes ‘common cause’. Great civilisations did not become great just like that, the bedrock was a shared sense of what constitutes discipline.
For instance, can we not have discipline and yet achieve a Swachh Bharat, at the same time? Is throwing a banana peel at random in the air, be possible. if there was a sense of discipline? Having a mile long queue – is that more easily navigated than five of smaller lengths, where the crossing gets choked? Can falling in line become a new mantra, not just physically but also as metaphorically? And, falling in line, should not be viewed as a measure of being poor, the less privileged, or the downtrodden – these assumptions that you are seen as a macho-man when you shout aloud, break queues, drive zig-zag across highways, honk as you wish, as if these are assurances that you have arrived. Break the law, and when caught, ask the question: do you know who I am? Such privilege should be done away with, law must apply equally to all!
How do we acquire this sense of greater discipline, one might ask? And that too, as we require it overnight. The first thing is not to give up hope, as then all gets lost. WE first start with the assumption that indeed we can make progress. Spending more on public education, through consistent and well thought out media campaigns – underlining why discipline is good, what is in it for YOU, the common man? How will it help you to reach home quicker every evening?
There is no substitute to education. Across identified hundreds of possible choke points, where lack of discipline shows up most. For instance, have we seen markers to suggest queues at bus stops, hoardings to suggest name and shame those who default? In restaurants, where people believe to talk aloud is a sign of maturity and confidence, almost creating a din by themselves, shout out their orders, without showing small courtesies to staff, preferring to look down upon them as mere servants. Or, perhaps better still, start by showing those small gestures of concern and affection to your own domestic help, starting, like charity, at home.
A big area must always be to come forward with a helping hand to the children, just as much as to the senior citizens, to the needy and challenged individuals that we meet every day, not in the spirit of ‘bechara’, but in the knowledge and awareness that this challenged person could have been yourself, or anyone close in your own family. It is not only our duty but also our privilege to assist those in need. A caring mind and heart ensures discipline.
There is no end to imagining a life with discipline. Imagine discipline at work, in the factories, in schools and colleges, in whatever pursuit we have taken up. On the sports field, in the hours of training, before standing on the pedestal to win medals. Success has a necessary companion, which is discipline. Look at sports people, the artists, the creative sparks who delights us at concerts and events – hours of toil, continuous dedication to ensuring discipline. In the food we eat, in our family lives, in time spent with friends and foes alike. In how we speak, weighing every word in discipline.
Take a moment to think about it: the little choices you make every day with discipline can lead to some pretty big wins. It might be tough to start, but once you get going, the momentum will carry you forward.
Remember, adding discipline to our lives isn’t about making everything strict and no fun. It’s about giving power to make things happen, reach for your dreams, and feel proud of your achievements.
There is merit in humility. To be unseen and yet matter. To be not noticed in a crowd. This in itself is discipline. Yes, this opposite is truer. Everyone in a crowd respects you, holds you in greater awe and gratitude for not showing off your rank and status. Just as much, this show of discipline holds true for those in power and positions, whereby they declare they lead their lives with great discipline.
There are many inspiring examples of how such discipline can be internalized and demonstrated. For instance, Japanese spectators have often cleaned stadiums after matches, showcasing their deep sense of self-imposed responsibility to leave things better for the next users. It is a cultural thing. They take pride in such gestures. Imagine in neighbouring Nepal, on the streets of Kathmandu, the students were seen cleaning the debris that was left after the violent protests had left an indelible mark.
Even within India, states in the Northeast stand out for minimal honking and respect for lane discipline, suggesting that best practices exist even within the country. Only if we can share these best practices and embrace them as a people!
We would do ourselves a great favour and realise the dream of becoming a developed country sooner and more holistically. Charity must begin at home. Maybe, as the first step, teachers, parents, should take the lead and then schools could build on that foundation. For this we will need to restore that pride that once existed in the ‘guru’, the teacher. It is today not truly so, as they remain underpaid and therefore under-valued – given that our society respects those with money and power, the rest are frowned upon. But then that is another subject of concern.
Are we ready to make discipline our new secret super weapon? With discipline, and discipline only, can we ensure we achieve our dream of a Viksit Bharat? It is one ingredient that will make us reach our ambition, it is the bridge between our aspirations and our intended achievement.
