A volunteer at the Nazareth Village (nazarethvillage.com) demonstrates how olives were cracked during the hard work of the harvest. The Nazareth Village itself is an example of success following years of disciplined work. Organized and operated by Arab Christians in Nazareth, it now hosts thousands of tourists each year who want to see what life was like when Joseph, Mary and Jesus lived in the village. (William Haun photo)

The Proverbs are full of great nuggets of truth, golden words that can inspire, correct and encourage.

I found one today that had slipped past me for years, and it was right there in the opening lines of one of the Bible’s most familiar books.

Ready for it?

These proverbs, Solomon writes, are for a number of things, including “the discipline of success.” (Proverbs 1:3, New JPS)

That’s it. That’s the nugget.

Anyone you’ve ever seen who’s “successful” didn’t arrive at her position overnight. He didn’t accidentally stumble into it. There was a plan, there was a strategy, and most of all, there was a long-term commitment to hard work.

This is what we call “discipline.”

Are you aiming for success? You’ll find it in the boot-camp training of the early years, in the marathon of hard work that follows, and in the “Get-it-done” attitude of today.

Success isn’t for the lucky. Success is reserved for the disciplined.

So get to it. Stay with it. You can do this!