The Power of Discipline and Motivation
The Power of Discipline and Motivation
Discipline and motivation are two very important aspects of achieving success in life, but they are equally as important when it come to achieving results when it comes to your fitness. While these terms are often mixed up, they are distinctly different and play different roles in helping you get the results you're after.
Today, I will try to walk you through the unique differences between discipline and motivation and how they work in unison and independently of each other.
Riveting, I know...
Discipline is what they drill into your brain, 24/7, on Parris Island.
Semper Fi... It's what will keep you alive when the inevitable poop hits the fan. It requires extreme commitment and is the foundation of the Marine Corps ethos. Discipline is the ability to stay committed to keeping your eyes on the prize and maintaining a laser focused routine, even when you don't feel like it, or your tired or WAHHHH!! It's about setting a plan and sticking to it, regardless of what's going on out there.
Discipline doesn't care about your feelings.
Discipline is what drives you to hit the gym, or hit the trail, even when you're tired or too busy, or choosing to eat something boring and healthy instead of indulging in some delicious junk food that will make you feel really good at the moment, but is likely going to kill you. Just sayin... Discipline is the foundation of success because it creates a consistent pattern of behavior that leads to progress and positive results over time.
On the other hand, if discipline is a long burning fuse, then motivation is the match and the driving force that inspires immediate action. Motivation is the hot sauce in your success taco. It's the feeling of excitement and anticipation that comes from seeing progress and positive results or achieving a personal record, or eating a taco. Motivation can be inspired by many outside forces, such as competition, recognition, or just wanting to look good for your better half, so they'll finally take notice. Motivation can also be inspired by internal factors, such as personal satisfaction or a personal challenge or just excited for that taco afterwards.
I should probably just go get myself a taco... I'll be right back....
O.K, so, anyway, while both discipline and motivation are very important for success in life, let alone, strength and fitness, they play very different roles. Motivation can be powerful, but it is also very temporary. It's like a sugar rush. It's common to experience high levels of motivation when starting a new fitness routine, but it often fades over time. The sugar buzz wears off.
Discipline, on the other hand, is more reliable and consistent. It's what keeps you going when the initial excitement wears off. It's that "I'm dragging my ass out of bed come hell or high water". It's when you tell your brain what to do, not the other way around.
Discipline is also more sustainable over the long haul. While motivation can be influenced by "environmental and opportunistic influences", discipline is an internal quality that needs to be developed and strengthened. Use it or lose it. Discipline is what helps you develop habits and routines that become second nature. When you are disciplined, you don't have to rely on motivation to keep you going because your behavior is ingrained in your daily routine. You get up day after day because you know you should. It's in your core baby....That's discipline.
Motivation can help you set goals and get started, but it's discipline that keeps you going. Without discipline, it's easy to give in to distractions or excuses and fall off track. Discipline is what helps you take action and make progress even when you don't feel like it. Discipline is the raw fuel and motivation is the match.
That's where the beauty of the positive feedback loop comes in. When you have discipline, you create regular routines that lead to progress and results. This progress, in turn, inspires motivation and a desire to keep going. The more progress you make, the more motivated you become, which fuels your discipline to stay on track. "It's like a circle". It's important to understand that discipline and motivation can and do work together, or can and do work independent of each other, to achieve success.
So anyway, now that I have mansplained the pants out of it, I'll wrap this up by saying that discipline and motivation are both important if you expect to achieve any success in life as well as in any strength and/or fitness program, but they play very different roles. Discipline is the foundation of your success. It's what creates the consistent habits and routines that lead to progress and results over time. Discipline works a lot like a muscle, you have to continually work on it to keep it strong. Motivation, on the other hand, is what sparks action, and brings the excitement to the game. Basically, discipline is pretty boring without motivation.
and remember, "Discipline doesn't care about your feelings".... and "motivation is the life of the party".