Knowing Makes Zero Difference

You know what to do, so why don't you?

Every action you take is a vote for the person you wish to become.

— James Clear

Most of the things we read in books, newsletters, and advices we get from people who we speak to aren't new, if you agree with me. Many of the things that you'd hear about personal training and development, about growth, about self mastery are things that you would have heard before, but they never got translated into actions for you, hence they never got the chance to change your life.

This is why many people are so haughty about knowledge, they are so loud about the things they know, they carry themselves like they know it all, and some of them even stop listening to people generally because they feel like there's nothing new that they want to hear anymore, but yet, they still remain poor, they remain riddled with defeats, they remain stagnant in their jobs, and the quality of their lives never improve. Why?

Many people are so loud about the things they know that they forget to let it change their lives.

Haven't we met people who we have known for many years, seemingly intelligent people who we would have polled to become successful in the future only to see them after a few years and be shocked that nothing has improved in their lives? Why?

It is almost incredulous to see that what is prevalent in many people's lives is a complete contrast from the quality of knowledge they have amassed. When you hear them speak, in your head you're like, “broo, how come you are still at this point in your life? What's going on?”

More often than not, it is the lack of discipline to put to use what they know. Many people lack the discipline to do the very little things they know is right. They lack the discipline to get up from their beds and go to their farm to sow the seeds that they know they should sow to reap the fruits they want. They would rather lay in their beds and imagine all the green fields of cotton and hay, all the wealth they want to amass and where they want to go than to actually stand up and start sowing the seeds.

They know these things. They have read the books, they have heard from speakers, they have listened to the podcasts. They know! Knowledge is not the problem. They have enough knowledge, they understand how to do it, but they lack the wisdom for discipline. And this is what separates the average man from the great man. The average man knows what to do but lacks the discipline and temperance to do it, while the man who becomes great knows what to do and does it.

What separates the average man from the great one is the average man stops at knowing, while the great man goes on to doing that which he knows.

People aren't successful because they don't know how to be successful. They could follow blueprints that'd lead to success. You will be deceiving yourself if you think that in this day and age, there is a secret to success. There isn't! The keys to success are now available, out in the open for everyone to make use of. In fact, there are more people than there aren't who know how to achieve success, but they will still remain average because they are not disciplined enough to do what they know to do.

It is lack of discipline that stops you from doing that which you know you should do to get you what you know you want.

It is lack of discipline that causes you to snooze alarms, skip your to-do lists for frivolities, work out when you should, read when you should, take the courses you signed up for, apply to places you know you should be applying to. It is lack of discipline, and what's more? This lack of discipline is learned.

I was telling a friend some days ago; you learn indiscipline from the littlest things you're supposed to do but don't do because you think they don't have consequences you should worry about.

The more indiscipline you display in seemingly little things like waking up on time, not saying some words, getting to appointments early, making your bed, doing the dishes on time, etc., the more you'd learn this indiscipline and translate it unto the big things that have instant and more grievous consequences.

The truth is, it is even the cumulative of these seemingly little things that matter most at the end of the day. Remember James Clear. Little habits define everything.

If indiscipline can be learned, it means discipline can be learned too. And it is simple. Start doing things you know you should do. Fight the urge to sleep back in when the alarm sounds. Make it hard to go back to sleep. Make up your mind to practice discipline in the very little things, and you'll see your life transform gradually into who you want to be.

Here's an hack: Do it the very minute it comes to your mind. Discipline yourself to do little things at the right time. When your brain and body wants to sleep and you know you should be getting up, get up in 5 Seconds! Mel Robbins will say; Don't give yourself a chance to think!

Do it the minute it comes to your mind. Do it once it is time. Don't give yourself a moment to think.

The brain is a tool. The body is a tool. The heart is a tool. You are in charge. Act like it and own your life.

To your growth,

Abiola Okunsanya,

Handzinspired