After reading Steve’s great series of posts on building self discipline, I got to thinking more about the Covey+GTD+NEA combinations that I’ve been exploring.

I’ve come to realize the self discipline is the key to being successful in any of these systems—it’s the basis for all of the core life skills. Without it, you don’t stand a chance at being successful. If, as Covey says, we should put first things first, then building self discipline is where we start. Not with personal productivity—though, you might very well use a personal productivity system to help you exercise your self discipline; the initial goal, though, is not to improve your productivity, rather it is to improve your self discipline—productivity gains will be a nice side effect. At least in the beginning.

The more I thought about self discipline as a basis for all other life skills, the more I realized that I needed to doodle. This is what I came up with:

Now, it’s only a draft and it’s certainly not pretty, but it covers what I currently consider the core life skills.

Self discipline is the base. We all have some modicum of self discipline, but how much or how little we possess determines how successful we are at the other life skills.

At the second tier, we have a little ecosystem:

• Energy Management includes that misnomer time management. We really only manage our energy and how productive we are with what little time and energy we have over the course of our life. This also includes diet—after all, how we generate our energy is as important as how we spend our energy.

• Interpersonal Skills determine how well we relate to different people in different situations. They include verbal, written, and listening communication skills. It also includes general etiquette as well as the ability to carry on small talk or a meaningful conversation as well as the ability to determine which type of conversation is most appropriate.

• Analysis is the ability to assimilate new information, so it includes learning and logic skills.

• Creativity is the application of our analysis.

All told, the four skills at this level feed on each other. An example: If you eat a healthy breakfast, you increase your energy and ability to focus throughout the morning. This increased focus allows you to better analyze the code your writing; through this analysis, you determine that you can re-use some code and it will save you a bit of time. This allows you to meet your deadline, earning you trust from your boss. You increase you energy, you become more creative, which in turn allows you to build better relationships with those around you.

At the top of the pyramid, you have ambition and this is what begets greatness. This is where you set goals and reach for them. The greater the ambition the farther you reach.

Of course, ambition is nothing without energy management, creativity, analysis, and interpersonal skills and those, in turn, are nothing without self discipline.

Interesting thoughts jostling around in the nutshell I call a brain. Will have to think more about this in the coming weeks, and will definitely keep you posted. (Sorry, but pun intended.)