Self-Discipline

I am trying to juggle several priorities in my life and all of them are equally important. I am improving my guitar skills as I really enjoy it and have longed to play it for a long time. Now that I have got an opportunity to do so and it gives me some thing to take my mind of other worries, I have to give it my best. Second, I have to improve my skills from a career perspective. This is a tough one. It involves a lot of effort and commitment and i am just plain scared of the effort it involves. For this, first and foremost, I have to hit my books and also look at other educational opportunities to improve my vocational skills. Third, I need to change jobs as I feel I my career progression will be restricted in my present organization. Fourth, before I make the switch, I need to ensure that my present initiative is successful and I leave by handing over the reins of a winning horse. I will soon have the additional responsibility of a brand new father - so yes I will be busy. But, from my perspective, all these duties to myself and to the people around me are equally important and I have to find time for each one of them. It is a matter of self discipline - about giving your full commitment to each activity when doing it and not wasting time watching TV or sleeping or procrastinating. That I feel is the biggest challenge I now face. To will myself to achieve the goals I set for myself. At work, i have found it useful to make a checklist of tasks to be achieved each day and striking off as each one is completed. The satisfaction and piece of mind one gets from a hard day's work is incomparable. It also helps you build self-confidence that no other form of motivation can give you. I hope I would be able to bring a similar form of discipline in my personal life soon. At the beginning, I have not even mentioned the many other aspirational things I want to include in my daily routine - becoming a good cook (although I believe I do know a few tricks that I learnt watching my mother), getting good at badminton (i have not been able to find a regular slot over weekends that i can play), doing something useful for the community in terms of giving back (gosh when will I ever come to this one?!). God please give me the strength to achieve my personal goals in this New Year...