After years of coaching others about self-improvement, I realized that discipline was not static but that it existed on a spectrum ranging from unproductive at the bottom to mastery at the top. I also noticed that while a person might have discipline at work they might be failing in their personal life. I wanted something that would show me at a glance where someone was at on this spectrum and could serve as a reminder, a kick in the ass if you will, to stay on track. So, for those of you who are visual and need reminders, I created a Maturity Model. There are 5 levels: Unproductive, Adequate, Structured, Disciplined, and Mastery. Let’s take a closer look at the attributes that define each of the levels: 

Maturity Level=UNPRODUCTIVE 

• Ineffective: You never accomplish goals and you’re unproductive, typically due to poor time management and goal management, no sense of urgency, no motivation and in severe debt – poor financial management practices. You attempt to start new goals, but you quickly lose focus and failure is imminent. 
• Inconsistent: Everything you do is sporadic. You will start something and then quit (i.e., a new exercise routine, diet, etc.). 
• Disorganized: Whether it’s your home, car, garage, office, email, files – nothing is in its rightful place and it takes you twice as long to find something.  

Maturity Level=ADEQUATE 

• Meeting/Not exceeding expectations: You’re doing the bare minimum each day – just enough to get by. You want to be successful, but you have no desire to put forth the extra effort to achieve this. When you do try, you procrastinate and waste an exorbitant amount of time. 

• Stagnant: You aren’t growing. You exist to eat, sleep and pay the bills.  
• Requires guidance: You typically need assistance to get over some of the obstacles life puts in front of you. 

Maturity Level=STRUCTURED 

• Manage time effectively: You value your most precious resource – you make every minute count. You’re structured: very organized (home, office, garage, files, desk, Email, etc.), layout your clothes the night before, make a ‘to-do’ list nightly and follow a routine. 
• Goal-oriented: You’re focused on your daily milestones (associated with your goals) and daily obligations and you’re always strategizing on how to accomplish things in a more efficient manner. 
• Focused on priorities: You live life by adhering to your priorities every day of the year. Anything that’s not related to your priorities is secondary. 
• Driven: You’re constantly pushing yourself to accomplish more. 

• Desire to excel: You love accomplishments and you always want to achieve more. You’re longing to be successful at all costs. You’ll do whatever it takes to achieve that objective. 

Maturity Level=DISCIPLINED 

• Capable: You have what it takes (mentally and physically) to do anything you desire. 
• Resilient to complacency: You’re never satisfied. The wheels in your mind are always turning. You can never take a prolonged break. 
• Future-focused: You never think about what needs to be done today – that was already planned the night before. Your mind is always thinking ahead (i.e., tomorrow, next week, next month, etc.). 
• Self-motivated: You push yourself 24x7x365. 
• Treats every day equally: Your mind has been trained by treating every day equally – you adhere to a routine, abide by your priorities, remain structured, exercise daily, manage time effectively, establish and follow a ‘to-do’ list. 

• Operates with urgency: Complete tasks, projects, milestones, etc. in your life that help you achieve your goals at an accelerated pace. 
• Adaptive: You will have the creative ability to process your thoughts relating to your surroundings for beneficial reasons or to find a better solution to a difficult situation (i.e., small, big, extremely complex, highly political, cultural, etc.). 
• Controls emotions: Whether you’ve had a good day or a bad day you know how to control your emotions. You won’t get too excited if you had a great day or too depressed if you had a bad day. You’ll maintain an ‘even-keel’ demeanor and be able to re-direct any negative emotions into your priorities as a positive force of energy. 
• Effective communication practices: You will possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Confidence: You will have the belief in your abilities (physically and mentally) to achieve anything you desire. You will also feel like you can succeed in whatever venture or goal you initiate.  

Maturity Level=MASTERY 

• Leadership: You possess extraordinary leadership skills. You will be respected and admired. People will listen to you, follow you and they will deliver great results for you.  

• Knowledge: You possess above average IQ, EQ and what I commonly refer to as street smarts (common sense). 
• Wisdom: When you master your life you’re recognized as a person who is wise. Individuals and organizations will seek your advice because of your insight on many different subjects (i.e., events, people, politics, etc.). You can apply actions based on your knowledge, experience and success. 
• Skill: You possess unique skills. You will have the ability to assess difficult situations and produce solutions, resolve conflicts, think outside the box, manage difficult personalities, manage finances effectively, mentor others to be successful. 
• Power: You will feel invincible. You will possess physical strength and mental toughness. You will feel like a machine that never breaks down – almost robotic-like.  
• Legacy: My definition of legacy is having lived a successful life with MANY accomplishments. Accomplishments that aren’t necessarily material but things that will have an impact on many people even after death. Your spouse, family, friends and others you don’t currently know will have much more than just memories to enjoy. They will all benefit from your accomplishments, wisdom and mentoring. 

• Visionary: You will always seek perfection in your personal and professional life by strategizing to achieve great things in less time. You will constantly ask yourself “how can I achieve my goals faster.” You will be able to see where you are going, know what’s up ahead and avert obstacles along the way. You will skillfully navigate down the path to success. 
• Awareness: You will be cognizant of everything around you. I’m not talking about physical location but aware of anything that could impact (negatively or positively) your priorities and goals.  
• Manage sleep optimally: Your mind will be trained to sleep less and to get out of bed quickly. You will no longer lounge around and waste precious minutes.  

The qualities in the Structured, Disciplined and Mastery levels are very powerful. If you possess them, you can pretty much guarantee a successful life. With these traits, you will also maintain values, be genuine, and have good relationships (i.e., business colleagues, friends, family and God).