Over-the-road fathers have duties to themselves and their families. Adults may use self-discipline to ensure the bills are paid on time, whereas kids may use it to maintain their grades. Either way, a lack of self-discipline can have serious consequences.  

Why is discipline so important for over-the-road dads? What are some of the consequences for a lack of discipline? How can discipline help us build better habits? 

Father of three James Burrow has been with Prime for over 20 years. He prides himself on being disciplined. From being hyper-vigilant about having loads delivered on time to making himself available to those in need, he’s learned a lot about self-discipline. Don’t miss his insights in this week’s blog! 

Discipline involves structure and personal accountability 

For James, self-discipline is correlated with personal accountability. He’s an advocate for learning from his mistakes — taking a step back to reflect and even asking advice on what could have been done differently are steps in the right direction.  

In order to be an over-the-road driver, you have to have discipline, James says, because everything on the job is structured. From delivering loads safely, intact and on time to keeping up with the maintenance of your truck, everything requires drivers to be diligent.  

While keeping up with tasks and schedules is crucial, James says that nobody’s perfect, and some things might happen that are out of your control, such as inclement weather and road closures. James’ two solutions to this are communicating and having a backup plan.  

“There were a couple of times in the beginning of my career I almost missed an appointment,” he admitted. “Think about (the deadline) all day long. It’s a continuous thought process of where you need to be in order to keep it fresh on the mind.” 

Lessons in discipline are sometimes learned the hard way 

What are the consequences for lacking discipline? For over-the-road drivers, it could mean a loss of trust.  

“The people who work with you count on you,” James said. “Someone may be hesitant to reach out to an individual if they’re not responsible enough, or can count on something that’s crucial and important.”  

There are a lot of moving parts within the trucking world. A lack of discipline on your part means losing money and respect from the people around you. 

James has three adult sons. If they need help from their father, they know they can count on him. However, James said this doesn’t mean he’s willing to coddle them. Some lessons are learned the hard way.  

One of James’ sons had issues with the transmission in his truck, an issue that would involve a $500 charge at the mechanic. While his son had been encouraged to save money and increase his work hours to earn more, that didn’t happen. James told his son to park the truck and find another means of transportation until he could earn the money to get the transmission fixed.  

“Not to sound harsh, but if I had bailed him out, he would have learned nothing,” James said.  

Self-discipline is tied to personal responsibility. Sometimes, in order to become more disciplined, we have to learn the hard way through the consequences of our actions. 

Hard work pays off 

James says he’s inherited many of his values from his own father— and in turn, he’s passing those values onto his sons. His father taught him that if you treat people with respect, you’ll get that respect back. Acts of kindness, such as helping someone out of a ditch or with a flat tire, are important for building character. James taught his sons to treat people kindly, and that hard work pays off.  

“I’ve been with this job for over 20 years, and it’s been challenging over the years,” James admitted. “I missed out a lot at home, but I’m seeing the benefits of all the work I’ve put in.” 

Self-discipline is correlated with hard work. Sometimes there’s a stronger emphasis on the word “hard!” Learning from our mistakes and taking accountability for our actions are crucial components of self-discipline.  

James used a speeding ticket as an example. You may have to learn the hard way from a chunk of your paycheck going to the ticket, but because of it, you’re more likely to be cautious and less likely to speed in the future. 

 “Try to keep yourself self-disciplined by doing the correct thing you’re supposed to be doing,” he said. 

Final Words  

Finding a balance between paying the bills and having fun doesn’t have to be a constant battle. Self-discipline correlates with several values, such as hard work and responsibility, to assist over-the-road dads in becoming better people.  

While some lessons must be learned the hard way, you won’t learn or improve if you don’t challenge yourself and learn from your mistakes. This is true for you as a driver, you as a dad, and for your children who are learning from their dad. 

“Nobody is perfect,” James said. “Learn from it and move on.”