Why don't we achieve our health and fitness goals? We are smart enough. We usually know what to do-but don't do what we know. We have good intentions but "busyness", procrastination and lack of discipline take control of our lives.

As Jim Rhone says in his wonderful book, LEADING AN INSPIRED LIFE, "Discipline is the bridge between thought and accomplishment. The rewards of a disciplined life are great, but they're often delayed until some time in the future.

The rewards for a lack of discipline, on the other hand are immediate but they are minor in comparison to the immeasurable rewards of consistent self-discipline. An immediate reward for lack of discipline could be an extra hour of sleep or lounging in the easy chair watching TV. A future reward for self-discipline would be a vital, heart healthy, strong and energetic body.

Failure is not generally the result of one major incident, but rather of a long list of accumulated little failings. If you want to exercise 3 times per week and only make it twice, you are short one session. The danger is looking at an undisciplined day and concluding that no great harm has been done. But add up these days to make a year-and add up these years to make a lifetime.

Success, on the other hand is the same process in reverse. One hundred calories per day coming in or burned off-adds up to 10 pounds in a year. What you do today does make a difference. Discipline is like a set of magic keys that can unlock the doors to great health, high self-esteem, accomplishment and success.

Discipline does many things, but the most important of all is what it does for your mind-set. It makes you feel better about yourself. Even the smallest discipline can have an incredible effect on your attitude. And the good feeling you getthat feeling of self-worth that comes from starting a new discipline, is almost as good as the feeling that comes from the accomplishment the discipline brings.

A new discipline immediately alters your life direction. You don't change destinations immediatelythat is yet to come. But you can change direction immediately, and direction is very important. Discipline: the continuing process that brings all the good things. Anyone can start. It's not, "If I could I would;" rather, it's "If I would, I could. If I will I can."

So start the process today. Begin a new habit, no matter how small it is. Size isn't important; whether or not you start and whether or not you continue are all that matter.