Discipline Is Destiny
by Ryan Holiday
The second of Holiday's cardinal-virtue books, on temperance: the discipline of the body, the temper and the soul, told through figures from Lou Gehrig to Queen Elizabeth II. It is a collection of short essays rather than a system, and the examples carry it. More mature than his earlier work.
Read it if…
you like historical examples and want a daily-readable book on self-command.
Skip it if…
you want a method; there are no steps, only models.
Three things you will actually use
- Master the body first; the rest follows.
- Keep your temper; it is a form of strength.
- Do the work when nobody is watching.
Do this first
Pick one small physical discipline, a bedtime, a cold shower, a walk, and keep it for thirty days.
Our verdict
Steady, well-told and quietly demanding.
Compare with other Habits books
The War of Art
Steven Pressfield · Habits
A short, hard, beloved book; the standard text on getting started.
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The Greatest Salesman in the World
Og Mandino · Habits
Earnest and repetitive by design; the practice works for those who keep it.
CLICK TO SEEBrowse all Habits book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
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