My Book Review: No More Excuses – My Emotional Journey Through the Power of Self-Discipline

The first sight of The Power of Self-Discipline: No Excuses! by Brian Tracy in my hands aroused in me some weird feeling that was a mixture of peculiar interest and resistance. I was already a Nigerian woman who had tasted the sweetness of dreams and the bitterness of unfulfilled plans and the book was telling me, that it would not allow my silent companions (excuses) to occupy anymore place in my life. Practically, Brian Tracy does not attempt to assure you gently on the first page. No. He talks straight to your heart as an old steward who is wise but stern who cannot bear to see you squander your life away. He reminds you that self-discipline is a really good habit not only, but it is a key to the door of perpetual happiness, success, and inner peace. This is where my heart almost started to beat faster, he says no one would take responsibility but you, of your own life. That line weighed on my chest as a stone. I had to put down my book for a minute to get my breath.  The book is composed of the 21 clear and practical pointers to develop self-discipline in each aspect of life, the aspects being personal, financial, and spiritual. However, what struck me most was the way in which he draws real life illustrations by giving the examples of the people who despite being swayed by nothing, especially by other people, resolute to work at something, then, gain greatness in life through stopping to explain. As I read through the chapters I got the sense of him taking my hand and walking through a looking glass and making me confront the reflection in it not that of the person I present to the world but rather, the person I attempt to conceal when I betray a promise made to myself. There is one particular chapter that impacted me in a disturbing manner and this was all about the establishment of clear goals. It was not the standard pep talk one heard 100 times in his life. No, the words by Brian Tracy were not empty. What he depicted in this picture is how people are drifting along in life without a goal- like a ship at sea without any person at the helm. In reading I placed myself on that boat, and yet why not put myself on that ship, driven by the whirls of life, waiting on someone, some great person in this company to help me. No, the captain, his words slapped me on the face: You are the captain. Hold the wheel.” I could not help but stop and think of how I would live my life had I really taken charge.   The suspense was in the fact that he started to speak about habits. He explained that in our everyday decisions lies our tomorrow when compared to the dream big shots. I recalled the tightening of my hands on the book, as he taught that every little step towards self-discipline such as the early rise to climb out of bed, the decision to go to the gym rather than to spend some money, is the accumulation of unseen strength. Could these little modifications actually save my life? That is what I wanted to know. Next there was the sentimental turn. He talked about the suffering of regret brokenness, at the end of life, most of us do not look behind to see the risks we took but the opportunities we gave away. There was a sick spot in my chest. Being a woman, I considered whether I have ever told myself that something had to start the next day or that I had to wait when things changed. But here was Brian Tracy telling me the truth I had not wanted to hear: There is no tomorrow unless you make it. Of the lessons, one of the most phenomenal ones was in financial discipline. When the temptations to spend and pressures in your family are everywhere and can just as soon empty your account, his advice on living below your means and saving consistently, felt almost revolutionary in a society like ours. It made me think about the number of dreams that Nigerian women like me could fulfill in case we were this deliberate with money.    Yet it struck me, in context, and, after all, it may have been to me the most heart-touching, when he wrote of the discipline of character. No, this was not just an issue of keeping your word to others and being a good person, this was an issue of keeping your word to yourself. My mind was drawn to all the times I had told myself that I would pray more, eat healthy, start up that business yet I would never even see it through. Brian Tracy did not criticise me, he made me believe. He reminded me that self-discipline is just like a muscle and the more one uses it, the more tendency to develop or grow stronger. Each chapter leaves, behind and in a manner similar and identical to a challenge; a small and secret provocation, to venture forth beyond the limits of what is comfortable. It is the suspense of wondering, what excuse will he destroy next? And even more so, he mentions all the things we tend to find an excuse in, the lack of time, of money, of education, of support. He debunks them all and reveals the truth that they are all lies we tell ourselves to not have to feel uncomfortable going through a change. so that when I came to the last chapters, I had ceased to read out of simple curiosity. I was reading as a woman who is going to fight to gain back her life. He talked about self-discipline as a means between a goal and achievement and how everyone, in spite of background, education or age could prosper provided he/she refuses to give up. I could almost hear him say it to me himself On shutting the book I sat in silence. The word had gone right down into my heart. I was thinking about my mothers, my sisters and all the women I know that are holding dreams inside of them, waiting at the right time. I was glad that I could run up to them with this book and say, We cannot wait any longer! It is never too late to be a disciplinarian, the time is when we would make up our minds that we will be.” It was not a pleasant reading experience with No Excuses!. It was neither sweet nor pleasant reading that is supposed to make me feel good about where I am. It was a surgery spiritually and mentally, expelling laziness, shy of putting off and fear. Yet, how the following payoff of healing is worth it. Brian Tracy did not tell me how to find 21 ways on developing self-discipline; he offered me 21 reasons why I should not waste my life. He allowed me to dream big and also the challenge to work hard everyday to my dreams without having to be pushed. And thus, when I am writing this review, I am burning in my heart. I am aware I will not make the journey smoothly. I am not naive enough not to know that there will be times I will feel like giving up. But now I understand also that when I raise any alibi, I also fasten another band about my fate, the band I mean to snap. But, like me, the book will rattle you, motivate you. and move you to action towards the life you want, making you stand up and fight against the struggle in your mind and dreams in your heart as a strong Nigerian woman. It is not suspense in the pages but rather suspense in what your life will become should you take the courage to act on what you read. So now I leave you with this challenge as Brian Tracy left a question in my heart, when will we do it? Who, otherwise than you?