Strategic Discipline Blog

Have you ever asked yourself, What do I really want out of life—and why do I want it?

But first, you must be radically honest with yourself.

In her chapter, “Motivation: Stay Resilient to Achieve Your Goals,” Dr. Swart explores the power of purpose—our inner “why.” Having struggled with this myself, I understand it deeply.

In 2012, in a hospital room with just a 2% chance of survival, I revisited my own purpose. I thought I knew it—but I wasn’t living it. During those seven months of challenge, I invested the time to clarify why I was here and what truly inspired me to live. That reflection changed everything.

The Okinawan Secret: Ikigai

Okinawa, Japan, is home to some of the longest-living people in the world. Scientists have studied their habits for decades—and one of their discoveries stands out: ikigai.

Literally translated, it means “the reason I get up in the morning.”

It’s their sense of purpose. Their “why.”

People with a strong sense of purpose live longer, experience greater well-being, and stay more resilient through life’s challenges. A clear purpose keeps the brain focused—it aligns motivation, reinforces discipline, and helps us avoid distractions and destructive habits.

When your purpose is strong enough, the reward of moving toward it outweighs the temporary pleasure of distraction. It helps you keep the big picture in mind when smaller goals or setbacks arise.

This is exactly why, in our Change Your Mind. Create New Results. training, we guide participants to create their envisioned future — a vivid feeling of what they truly want and why.

To follow your passion is to express your purpose.

The Trap of Empty Goals

Too often, people chase money, status, or lifestyle markers that don’t align with any true passion. Eventually, a crisis hits, revealing that what they were pursuing wasn’t fulfilling—it was just familiar.

This isn’t sustainable. A life without meaning inevitably manifests as stress, burnout, or disconnection—mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Napoleon Hill put it best:

“There is one quality that one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”
~ Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

When Dr. Swart feels overwhelmed, she reminds herself of people who overcame extraordinary adversity—Nelson Mandela and Viktor Frankl, among them. Their stories reframe perspective and renew strength.

Mandela once said:

“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.”

That’s the power of purpose—it frees us from the prison of the past and pulls us forward into possibility.

Plant Your Seed of Purpose

To uncover your deepest motivators, start by asking:
What do I really want out of life—and why do I really want it?

Plant that question like a seed in your mind. Let it take root. It might take time to sprout—but when it does, it can inspire you for the rest of your life.

Ready to Create Your Future?

Now is the time to choose you.

At Positioning Systems, we help leaders and teams move beyond the familiar past to build cultures of inspiration, accountability, and growth.

If you’re ready to rewire your thinking and step into your envisioned future, explore our NCS – Change Your Mind. Create New Results. training.

Challenge yourself.
Challenge your team.
Challenge your business.

👉 Contact us today for a free exploratory meeting—and start becoming the hero of your own story.

Growth demands Strategic Discipline.

My coaching journey began with Michael Gerber’s classic, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It.

Gerber’s core message transformed the way I viewed business: entrepreneurs must shift from working in their business to working on it. The key? Building consistent systems and processes—just like a franchise model—so the business can operate successfully without depending on the owner’s constant involvement.

Here’s the insight many leaders still overlook - systems aren’t just for operations—they’re the most effective way to achieve your goals.

In next week’s blog, we’ll explore how to design the right systems to drive consistent results, accountability, and growth.

Building an enduring great organization requires disciplined people, disciplined thought, disciplined action, superior results, producing a distinctive impact on the world.

Discipline sustains momentum over a long period, laying the foundations for lasting endurance.

A winning habit begins with Three Strategic Disciplines: Priority, Metrics, and Meeting Rhythms.   Forecasting, accountability, individual, and team performance improve dramatically.

Meeting Rhythms achieve a disciplined focus on performance metrics to drive growth.

Let Positioning Systems help your business achieve these outcomes on the four most Important Decisions your business faces:

Positioning Systems helps mid-sized ($5M - $500M+) businesses Scale-UP. We align your business to focus on Your One Thing! Contact dwick@positioningsystems.com to Scale Up your business! Take our Four Decisions Needs Assessment to discover how your business measures against other Scaled Up companies. We’ll contact you.

NEXT BLOG – Goals Set Direction, Systems Make Progress