Exercising self-control is one of the most difficult virtues. True and perfect self – control is not easy to achieve. Even the greatest of the great failed to achieve it in the past. However, we have to learn to control ourselves in our speech and actions, we will ruin ourselves. It brings ruin upon others too. Therefore, in the interests of all, we have to practice self- control.
God has blessed us with several gifts like power and wealth, beauty and knowledge, and so on. Everyone blessed with one or the other of them. Everyone in this world wants to become powerful. He heaven wants dominate others with his power. But it shows his selfishness. He forgets that he is endowed with power, wealth or strength, not just for his own use. He should help others wherever possible with His blessing. But he should not harm others. In the same way, wealth is given to a person not to make him alone happy, but to make others also happy.
In fact, along with these gifts, god has blessed man with a mind and will. With his rational thinking, he has to think and decide how to make the right use of those gifts of god. His will helps him to act according to his decision. His rational mind tells him what is bad and what is good. It guides him in making right and proper decisions. Once the decision is taken, it should willingly put into action for the good of all. On the other hand, it is inhuman to ill treat others by abusing his gifts. Here, the question of self control comes in.
You have to exercise self-control over your activities. If you fail to control yourself, you will bring disaster not only upon yourself, but upon others also. Self –control is something like a check or brakes. You apply breaks to moving vehicles to stop it. You want to stop it, when you reach your destination. You want to stop it, when somebody crosses its path. You want to stop it, if it has further to go. Suppose, what happens if there are no brakes, or if you fail to apply them/ you ruin yourself, your vehicle and perhaps others also. That is why; you have to control your activities. You should allow them to go unchecked.
You have to exercise control over your tongue or speech. Power of speech is special to man. You should use it sparingly. You should not lose tongue. You should not use it freely, though you have freedom of speech. Loose talk always hurts others and harms your interests. Talking ill of others is bad. Talking evil of others is worse still. It makes you unpopular. By such uncontrolled talk, you will lose respect and trust of others. Therefore exercise proper control over you speech. Speak only when it is necessary. Never speak anything if there is no occasion for it. Learn to be reserved in speak. Speech is silver, but silence is gold.
Control your desires. Try to overcome temptations. With strength of will, you can achieve mastery over your body. Learn to control your emotions like anger, dislike or disgust. Let not your face reflect those unpleasant feelings. Learn to bear pain without murmur or complaint. Subject your body to some hard and unpleasant things in life. If you achieve self-mastery, you don’t feel the cold in winter or the heat in severe summer. That becomes the perfect state of self-mastery.