Mastering one's self...the most important first step

This videos and readings this week were focused on again on skills and characteristics that are helpful in becoming a successful entrepreneur. The talk which I found most compelling was the talk by Elder Tanner. Although this talk was given to an audience of Priesthood holders a couple decades ago, it contains principles that can be applied by everyone who wants to be successful in business, or just in life. Elder Tanner talked about self-master, and discipline. This is an area which I feel I could improve. Often times I allow myself to get distracted by those things that are less important, and I become less focused on those things that will help me achieve my goals. In his address, he quotes several philosophers that advise self-control and mastery are the only means of being successful. I found several of these quotes notable, so I’ll share them here for future reflection: Plato said: “The first and best victory is to conquer self; to be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile.” The word “vile” used here is an excellent visual of how important it is to be in control of one’s self. And da Vinci once said: “You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself.” Then he goes on to say that “the height of a man’s success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. … And this law is the expression of eternal justice. He who cannot establish dominion over himself will have no dominion over others.” In this quote, the word “failure” is used to express that you cannot succeed without having mastered yourself first. In the Bible, Solomon teaches us that “he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Prov. 16:32.) I’ve always liked this scripture, in that it demonstrates that we are in control of our emotions, and to master them makes us mighty indeed. These quotes really struck me as I read them, and I need to reflect how I can work to obtain greater self-mastery in my life. I know I cannot truly be successful in business or in life without first working on this important trait.