This is why Discipline will forever be king.
“If you got to become who you wanted to be simply by saying it, everybody would be who they wanted to be.
But the words they tell you as a kid are mere pipe dream gum bump, unless consistent action is applied.
You only get to be who your actions earn you the privilege of being.”
-Ray Zingler on X
You ever notice that most grown folks who tell kids, “you can be whatever you want to be!” aren’t even who they want to be?
They are people who took the path of least resistance.
People who “got” and undifferentiated job.
To be frank, they are people who settled for often 3rd, 4th, or 5th, best.
They didn’t reach their potential.
However, they have no problem telling kids that they can.
And while the words sound all good and cute, how is it that a kid can find an undying belief in him or herself to become who they want to be if the people who tell them this aren’t even people who they want to be?
It’s like trying to teach your children to become great readers if you’re not a great reader yourself. It doesn’t work.
The fact of the matter is that you don’t get to become who you want to become.
“You can be anything you want to be” is bullshit.
The real phrase is, “You can become exactly who your disciplined, consistent actions or lacktherof earn you the privilege of becoming.”
It doesn’t sound as cute as the career day phrase in second grade, but it’s the truth.
And we should be imputing this truth to our kids from a very early age, by leading them with proof. Concrete, tangible example.
I bust my ass every day.
Every single day.
I have not had an off day from working since May 15, 2009.
I started Zingler Strength on May 15, 2009.
Do you think I share this because I’m flexing my “I work more than you” muscles?
Of course not.
It’s not for my health.
It’s because this work has been required to become who I want to be.
And far more importantly than me, I want to tell my kids, truthfully, they too can become exactly who their consistent, disciplined actions earn them the privilege of becoming.
I not only want them to see their dad living it, but I want to have firm ground to stand on when I teach, guide, and mentor them throughout their journeys.
I want to have lived it.
Because without living it, talk is purest form of misused energy.
