A lack of self-discipline is one of the easiest ways for a leader to lose credibility and become involved in a sex scandal.

We’re all too familiar with multiple scenarios that have happened over the years. For instance, situations where athletes, business owners, high ranking military officers, and political leaders showed a serious lack of self-discipline that led to a less than desirable outcome.

All these individuals have one thing in common—they had not gained mastery over their sex lives.

As Napoleon Hill brilliantly put it in his book, Outwitting the Devil:

“[T]he person who is not master of himself can never be master of others. Lack of self-mastery is, of itself, the most destructive form of indefiniteness.”

Consider the above quote and ask yourself this following question.

If I cannot control my behavior, how can I be trusted to be a leader?

A list of the political leaders who have fallen from grace is long, but the important point is to ask yourself what you have learned from those who lacked self-control. Another question you need to ask yourself is why some of these individuals keep engaging in scandalous behaviors knowing they may lose not only their careers but also their families?

A Review of Three Self-Discipline Techniques

The three self-discipline techniques I mentioned in the first blog of this series can easily be applied here.

1. Have a priority list.

2. Have an accountability partner.

3. Don’t be afraid to fail.

However, when considering decisions involving sexual desires,  I recommend adding a few more. If you carefully read these steps, you can see self-discipline throughout each of them.

Three More Self-Discipline Techniques

1. Think of the consequences.

How important is your family to you? Is it worth losing everything over a few minutes of pleasure? Most of the individuals who get caught in sex scandals end up losing careers, financial independence, family, integrity, and much more.

2. Never put yourself in a compromising position.

You know your weakness when it comes to the opposite sex, so don’t go to a conference where you share a suite with your attractive secretary. If you do that, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

3. Draw a red line or set a boundary that you refuse to cross.

You need to have a red line to define the things you will try your very best not to do because it will help you avoid the inevitable disaster that comes with scandal.

Most companies try to enforce discipline by having rules, but people violate these rules anyway. Sometimes they get caught; other times, they don’t.

By adding and applying the techniques above, you can easily control your sexual appetite.