I’ve been a construction worker, traveling salesman, produce-stand operator, and a whole bunch of other things that I’d rather not think about, but I know of nothing quite as painful as the self-discipline required to be a professional writer. As the late and legendary sportswriter Red Smith once put it, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.”

Self-discipline is about restraining, or regulating, one’s actions — repressing the instinct to act impulsively in favor of taking rational actions that are long-term oriented. Make no mistake about it, whenever a person opts for instant gratification over self-discipline, he is making a choice. And the truth is that you do always have a choice. No one can force you to do the wrong thing, but YOU can force YOURSELF to do the right thing.

In this regard, I am reminded of Al Pacino’s words in his Oscar-winning performance in “Scent of a Woman.” In a regretful tone, Pacino (playing the role of retired Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a hell-raising ex-military officer) says, “I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard.”

To the person who is serious about getting ahead in life, nothing is “too damn hard.” He knows that just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s impossible. And, best of all, he has the comfort of knowing that, through free will, he has the power to tackle those really hard projects that can make the difference between a life of mediocrity and a life of fulfillment.