--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: President N. Eldon Tanner has said…" description: "\"“President N. Eldon Tanner has said, “Self-discipline is doing what you know you should do when you don’t want to do it.”\" — Stephen R. Covey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/stephen-r-covey-1501_discipline_president-n-eldon-tanner-has-said-self-d_2884203.jpg" --- # President N. Eldon Tanner has said, “Self-discipline is… ![“President N. Eldon Tanner has said, “Self-discipline is doing what you know you should do when you don’t want to do it.” quote by Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/stephen-r-covey-1501_discipline_president-n-eldon-tanner-has-said-self-d_2884203.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/stephen-r-covey-1501_discipline_president-n-eldon-tanner-has-said-self-d_2884203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79f/stephen-r-covey-1501_discipline_president-n-eldon-tanner-has-said-self-d_2884203.jpg) > ““President N. Eldon Tanner has said, “Self-discipline is doing what you know you should do when you don’t want to do it.”” [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑discipline means acting on known duties even when unwilling. **In simple terms:** Do what you know is right, despite reluctance. Key Takeaway Practice disciplined action. Themes self‑discipline habit willpower Mood motivational practical Type self‑help leadership When to use this quote - daily task management - habit tracking - accountability partners Key Concepts behavioral change goal achievement Questions to Reflect On - What strategies sustain discipline? - How can accountability reinforce tough choices? A Different Perspective Willpower can wane over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Discipline Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline-doing-1141971/) [Eldon Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eldon-tanner-4014965/) [President Eldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-eldon-4014964/) [Self discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-discipline/) [Tanner Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanner-said-4014963/) ## Related quotes > [“Good catch," Tanner said. "Next time do it before it comes out of your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/good-catch-tanner-said-next-time-do-it-before-it-comes-out-of-your/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Self-discipline is doing what you know you should do when you don't want to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-eldon-tanner/self-discipline-is-doing-what-you-know-you-should-do-when-you-don-t/) [Nathan Eldon Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-eldon-tanner/) > [Training, a lot of the time, is just uncomfortable. But discipline is all about doing the thing that's uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/training-a-lot-of-the-time-is-just-uncomfortable-but-discipline-is/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [Discipline is doing within, while you do without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/discipline-is-doing-within-while-you-do-without/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [Discipline is doing what you don't wanna do so you can do what you really want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fisher/discipline-is-doing-what-you-don-t-wanna-do-so-you-can-do-what-you/) [Jeff Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fisher/) > [“Exercising self-discipline is a big leadership quality. Self-discipline is about doing things that need to be done without being told. It’s about taking full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-raybans/exercising-self-discipline-is-a-big-leadership-quality-self/) [Hannah Raybans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-raybans/) > [“There are days when you don't feel like running. Those are the days you have to do it. Discipline is doing what you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/runner-s-world-magazine/there-are-days-when-you-don-t-feel-like-running-those-are-the-days/) [Runner's World Magazine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/runner-s-world-magazine/) > [Work is doing it. Discipline is doing it every day. Diligence is doing it well every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/work-is-doing-it-discipline-is-doing-it-every-day-diligence-is-doing/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Discipline is doing what you really don't want to do so you can do what you really want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fisher/discipline-is-doing-what-you-really-don-t-want-to-do-so-you-can-do/) [Jeff Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fisher/) > [Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but nonetheless doing it like you love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/discipline-is-doing-what-you-hate-to-do-but-nonetheless-doing-it-like/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [“Discipline is doing what you don't want to do so you can do what you want to do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-fisher/discipline-is-doing-what-you-don-t-want-to-do-so-you-can-do-what-you/) [Jeff Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-fisher/) > [Discipline is doing what you are supposed to do in the best possible manner at the time you are supposed to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/discipline-is-doing-what-you-are-supposed-to-do-in-the-best-possible/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [If you are an effective manager of your self, your discipline comes from within; it is a function of your independent will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/if-you-are-an-effective-manager-of-your-self-your-discipline-comes/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) ## More by Stephen R. Covey > [“For those filled with regret, perhaps the most needful exercise of proactivity is to realize that past mistakes are also out there in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-those-filled-with-regret-perhaps-the-most-needful-exercise-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“What lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us and ahead of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/what-lies-behind-us-is-nothing-compared-to-what-lies-within-us-and/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/love-is-something-you-do-the-sacrifices-you-make-the-giving-of-self/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Principles are guidelines for human conduct that are proven to have enduring, permanent value. They’re fundamental.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/principles-are-guidelines-for-human-conduct-that-are-proven-to-have/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“So I recommend reading literature, such as the inspiring biography of Anwar Sadat, In Search of Identity, and seeing movies like Chariots of Fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/so-i-recommend-reading-literature-such-as-the-inspiring-biography-of/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“My experience has been that there are times to teach and times not to teach. When relationships are strained and the air charged with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/my-experience-has-been-that-there-are-times-to-teach-and-times-not-to/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Just as faith without works is dead, so also works without faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/just-as-faith-without-works-is-dead-so-also-works-without-faith/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“FRIEND/ENEMY CENTEREDNESS. Young people are particularly, though certainly not exclusively, susceptible to becoming friend-centered. Acceptance and belonging to a peer group can become almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/friend-enemy-centeredness-young-people-are-particularly-though/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“As a principle-centered person, you see things differently. And because you see things differently, you think differently, you act differently. Because you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/as-a-principle-centered-person-you-see-things-differently-and-because/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“We are free to choose our actions, based on our knowledge of correct principles, but we are not free to choose the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/we-are-free-to-choose-our-actions-based-on-our-knowledge-of-correct/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/for-every-thousand-hacking-at-the-leaves-of-evil-there-is-one/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Breaking deeply imbedded habitual tendencies such as procrastination, impatience, criticalness, or selfishness that violate basic principles of human effectiveness involves more than a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/breaking-deeply-imbedded-habitual-tendencies-such-as-procrastination/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“man you might like to take her out. If you were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/man-you-might-like-to-take-her-out-if-you-were/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“Start with the end in mind. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/start-with-the-end-in-mind/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) > [“the very problem created the opportunity to build a deep relationship that empowered us to work together as a strong complementary team.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-r-covey/the-very-problem-created-the-opportunity-to-build-a-deep-relationship/) [Stephen R. Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) [Explore all 230 Stephen R. Covey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-covey/) ## More Discipline quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) [W.J. Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-turner/) > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/exercise-teaches-you-the-pleasure-of-discipline/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Stay in your seat come times of trouble. Its only people who jump off the roller coaster who get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/stay-in-your-seat-come-times-of-trouble-its-only-people-who-jump-off/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) [Browse all 5,597 Discipline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“President N. Eldon Tanner has said, “Self-discipline is doing what you know you should do when you don’t want to do it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen R. 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