Little Gems
- Motivation is the emotional drive that urges you to start taking action
- Discipline is the ferocious burning desire to achieve something of value
- Your “why” should be unshakable and everlasting
- Embrace the power of mastering your discipline and watch as it transforms your actions into lasting success
Let's Kick Things Off
When it comes to achieving success in fitness, career, financial or personal goals, we often rely on the power of motivation. But is motivation really the driving force behind lasting success?
While motivation is a powerful spark that will get you started, it will be discipline that plays a key role in helping you reach your goals.
Motivation: The Initial Spark
Motivation is the emotional drive that urges you to start taking action towards something you want to achieve. It is like a rush of excitement that can come from various sources like someone else’s success, a deep desire within, the seasons of the year or even a negative experience.
For this reason, motivation is usually fleeting. It can be influenced by your mood, your environment, the weather and other external factors. One day you might feel on top of the world, ready to take on anything, and the very next day your motivation becomes limp, and you struggle to find any reason to keep at your goal. Relying solely on motivation can make it difficult to sustain long-term progress because it isn't always consistent.
Discipline: The Reliable Engine
On the other hand, discipline is about commitment and consistency. It is the ability to keep going even when motivation fades. Discipline is the ferocious burning desire to achieve something of value, and sticking to the plan even when you don’t feel like it. It is waking up early to exercise even when you would rather stay in bed, or going after work even though it’s easier to skip the gym. Discipline is making healthier food choices, even when tempted by poor options. It is taking control of your actions and converting the habits that don’t serve you into habits that do! Discipline is what turns your goals into success.
Unlike motivation, discipline isn’t dependent on your emotions or external factors. It is a skill that you develop over time, through repeated choices. Discipline is a clear understanding of your goals and what is required to achieve them, understanding that obstacles will arise and knowing you need to overcome them, because doing what you have always done won’t get you a different result.
Balancing Motivation and Discipline
While discipline is the true master of success, motivation still plays a valuable role. Motivation can reignite your passion and remind you why you started in the first place. The key is using your bursts of motivation to boost your discipline.
Here's how you can balance the two;
- Set Clear Goals: define your long-term goals and break them down into smaller manageable ones. Allow motivation to excite you to take giant steps forward, then lean on discipline to follow through.
- Create a Routine: Cement daily routines in your schedule that support your goals. Use your calendar and reminders to make actions automatic, so you don’t always have to rely on motivation to get things done.
- Stay Accountable: Share your goals with like-minded people or invest in a professional who can help keep you accountable. Having others around you who understand and respect your goal can have a huge impact!
- Define Your Why: Make sure your “why” is so deep, that any challenge you experience is nothing compared to how badly you want to reach your goals. When I have clients start with me and their “why” is too shallow, like getting fit to get back at an ex, or looking good for a holiday, I encourage them to dig deeper to find a truly life changing “why” as well. Using those two examples, if they find a new partner and suddenly don’t care what their ex thinks anymore, or when their holiday is over and they're back to reality, it is extremely difficult to find a reason to do the work. Your “why” should be unshakable and everlasting.
The Wrap Up
While motivation may get you started, it is discipline that keeps you moving forward, even when the going gets tough. By developing discipline, you build the resilience, consistency and habits needed to achieve your goals.
Remember, success is not just about waiting for the perfect moment and a spark of motivation. It is about showing up, day after day, and putting in the work. So, embrace the power of mastering your discipline and watch as it transforms your actions into lasting success.
Yours in good health,
Nick
