Why Discipline More Often Than Not Wins Over Motivation
People often rely on motivation to achieve their personal and professional goals. You may call it motivation, which is that burst of energy and excitement you get to get you started. The key here is that motivation often goes away. Motivation is temporary and emotion-based. It’s discipline that will help you keep making progress even when the motivation is not there.
If you want to create a compounding and sustainable success in your career, personal development, or financial life then you need to look at why discipline will win out over motivation every time — and more importantly, how to create it!
Motivation versus Discipline
Motivation: The Brief Encouragement
Motivation is like a firework. It feels great while it’s going up, but it lasts for a brief moment before it pops, and falls. You may have watched an motivational video, read a great quote or made a new year’s resolution. Motivation inherently is an emotional state, and emotions can be inconsistent, which is why so many people are able to get going so well, and then stop after a short blaze of glory!
Discipline: The Long Game
Discipline means being able to do what you need to do regardless of whether you feel like it or not. It’s not glamorous, but it works. It gets you to form better habits, stick with your routines, and stay focused on the long-term goals you set for yourself when in the right frame of mind – even when you’re tired, bored, or discouraged.
So Why Does Discipline Always Win?
1. Consistency Equals Results
You can take motivation out of the equation. You might not see the benefits of motivation if you attempted to rely on it everyday. And that’s where discipline comes in. With discipline, you can show up for all the right reasons. Consistency builds results.
2. You Become Unstoppable
With discipline, you can continue to take steps forward even when the winds are blowing against you. You build your mindsets on a foundation that makes it hard to give up.
3. You Feel Like You Can Control Your Life
While you may be in a position that can cause you to react or respond to your moods, discipline can help you gain power and control over your choices. You do what matters in the long-term instead of what seems easy at this point in time.
4. It Builds Self-Respect
With every follow through it reinforces for you that, “I can trust me.” That level of confidence is invaluable.
How to Develop Discipline in Your Life
Discipline is not about being perfect, it is about making small changes, little by little, every day, to train your mind and habits. Here’s how to start:
1. Set clear goals
Be specific. Don’t just say, “I want to be better with money.” Say, “I will save $100 each month.” Clear goals give you direction.
2. Have a daily routine
A solid routine removes ambiguity. Once you know when you are going to work out, read, budget, etc. you don’t need to think about it anymore. It becomes a part of your day.
3. Reduce distractions
Your phone, social media, noisy environments, distract us from true focus. Protect your attention. Create a zone for you to create discipline.
4. Practice waiting
Start with practicing waiting. Delayed Gratification. Skip the snack, for better health later. don’t buy the shoes, so you can save more. Small wins build your willpower.
5. Track your progress
Track your habits, be it on a journal or an app. Tracking your progress keeps you aware and motivated.
6. Be accountable
Tell someone your goals. Join a group. Accountability makes discipline easier, because you are no longer just doing it for yourself, everyone else that is aware of your goals is watching too.
7. Reward Yourself.
After you finish a challenge, reward yourself — but not in a way that negates what you just accomplished. Find a way to reward your discipline, like taking a break and relaxing or buying a new helpful book.
Can you use motivation too? Yes, but with discipline.
We’re not saying motivation doesn’t have a place in all of this. Motivation is the spark you might need to get started. But don’t count on motivation to push you through. Energy from motivation combined with structure from discipline, you will be unstoppable.
When Discipline Beats Motivation
Fitness: Most people attend the gym during January. Overall, fewer people see the inside of a gym in February than in January. People who are persistent about going to the gym aren’t more motivated than you; they just have a greater capacity for discipline.
Saving Money: You might be hyped about saving money, and at first motivation can help you save a little, but when staying in a budget is important — discipline.
Studying or Learning: You may be excited about the prospect of learning a new skill or language but without discipline, that excitement lessens and you give up. The disciplined learn successfully!
Final Thoughts
Discipline is the thing that bridges dreams and success. It is quietly present with every great athlete, entrepreneur, student, and parent unwilling to stop when the going gets tough. Motivation may help start your journey — but discipline will carry you to the finish line.
So today ask yourself, “Am I motivated?” not “Am I committed?”
Because in the end… Discipline is power.
