Of Self-Mastery: Reactive + Structural + Expansive
I’ve been thinking a lot about the three forms of discipline that make up Self-Mastery.
Here they are:
Structural Discipline.
Reactive Discipline.
Expansive Discipline.
We talk about them in Objective V of Basic Training and I’ll be writing about them in the Heroic book we’ll be launching in early 2024.
Now…
As I sat down to create this +1, I thought this would be the first time I’ve written about the three disciplines. Then, as I was going through the archives, I found that, in fact, we ALREADY chatted about the three disciplines.
We chatted about them in +1 #669 to be precise—over two and a half years ago.
Perfect.
Let’s dust that wisdom off and shine the spotlight of our attention on them again.
Why?
Because they’re SUPER important.
First…
A little more context.
As we’ve discussed many times, Phil Stutz is all about helping us cultivate what he calls “emotional stamina.”
How?
That’s become the foundation of what I now call “Antifragile Confidence.”
KNOW THIS: Getting this ONE idea may, in fact, be THE most life-changing thing we can do together.
What if…
When we feel like this little poop emoji (
!!) (
!), rather than spiral out and (let’s be honest folks! 
), do all the stupid things we tend to do when we’re tired and overwhelmed and all that, we could get ourselves to be even MORE INTENSELY focused on doing what we know is best for us?!
What would happen?
Simple.
Easier said than done but…
If you can actually get yourself to do that even 10 or 20 or 30% of the time and then spiral up from there…
Then…
You’d change your life.
Fundamentally and permanently.
Now…
That’s the essence of the first of three disciplines: Structural Discipline.
It’s also why we spent so much time and money working with one of the best product development companies in the world to create the core experience of our Heroic app: the Big 3 Target Practice protocol.
Who are you at your absolute best? What virtues do you embody? What do you actually DO on a daily basis?
When we have structural discipline, we DOMINATE that protocol. We recommit to being our best selves in the morning. Then we hit virtuous targets all day. Every day. Soul Force score at 101. LET’S GO.
I repeat: GOOD LUCK having a series of really bad days when you do that. Your highs will be higher AND your lows will be higher and you will have earned the trust in yourself to KNOW that you can handle WHATEVER life throws at you.
That’s how you forge antifragile confidence by executing your protocol via Structural Discipline.
The second discipline is “Reactive Discipline.”
As I said in the old +1, Reactive Discipline is just what it sounds like.
Something triggers you. Can you step in between the stimulus and your normal sub-optimal response with the DISCIPLINE to CHOOSE a better response? Fantastic. That’s Reactive Discipline.
Then we have Expansive Discipline.
This is both the most important and the hardest of the three.
EVERY SINGLE MOMENT we have a choice.
Will we step forward into growth or back into safety?
If we want to live our most heroically awesome lives and have a shot at experiencing all that we’re capable of being, when we feel even a little niggle of fear, we must (more and more!) consistently choose to EXPAND. EXPAND. EXPAND. We need to make that expansion a discipline.
How? “Bring in on!!” is a FANTASTIC tool to practice.
That’s Today’s +1.
How are YOU doing with each?
What’s awesome? What needs work? What ONE thing can you do a little differently Today?
Here’s to your disciplines.
All three of them!
Day 1. All in.
LET’S GO!