Motivation vs Discipline
I want you to understand that where you are now and where you want to be are no farther apart than a series of daily actions and habits that you can start today
You know who said that? I was surprised when I read it. It was me.
I wrote that line to a friend back in 2016. I copied it down, pasted it into a Medium draft, and opened it back up tonight. It still rings true.
Motivation is the idea that you need to be mentally prepared or otherwise passionate about what you’re setting out to do to be successful.
Discipline focuses on establishing habits and behaviors that will accomplish goals and lead to those good feelings as a reward.
Motivation runs out. At the beginning of this university semester, I went to bed on time, woke up at 5:30 AM for my workout, went to every class, and I didn’t feel the need to take naps.
In my own words, I had never been more motivated to achieve my goals.
Now, I skip more class periods than I go to. Some days, I wish I didn’t have track practice so early (or at all). It’s a struggle to keep myself motivated on the same projects that I was so excited for at the beginning of the year.
Does this sound familiar? This cycle of a powerful “get shit done” mode followed by an inevitable period of massive burnout? Here’s the thing:
Motivation always runs out.
You’ll always forget the excitement of the first day of your new job, your college classes, or your first date. There’s even a word for it in romantic contexts: honeymooning, because the exotic vacations and intense feelings of love and attraction can’t last forever. And neither can your motivation.
Discipline is a different beast.
Discipline is your backup fuel.
When your motivation runs out, your motivated self was forward thinking enough to build daily actions and habits that will lead you to success.
Before I ran track for Illinois Tech, I was just a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I loved working out and improving, but no one was telling me that I had to workout everyday. My motivation was in short supply.
For me to build discipline, this meant getting into a routine that let me workout for 90 minutes every day on the track or on the trail. I would consistently drop whatever task I was working on to go run.
That time became “sacred” to me. I kept going even when I didn’t feel like working out.
How did I do it? I had a vision of myself as an elite track runner. I had my goal times in my head. I planned my workouts on a calendar that I hung in my room.
I set myself up to believe that I was the kind of person to train every day, and it happened. Even when my motivation ran out, it happened.
Discipline became the fuel I needed to finish the spring track season with a faster 400m time than my high school record, despite not having a coach or a team.
What should I do today?
You have a vision for yourself.
You’re motivated to become that person.
You need to believe that person is you.
How would you act if you were ________? (30 pounds lighter, 10x more productive, spending more time with your family)
Imagine those habits. You’re excited to achieve your goal! You’re excited to become a better version of yourself!
Now act. You can start today:
Where you are now and where you want to be are no farther apart than a series of daily actions and habits that you can start today
