Why Choose Discipline Over Motivation?

Discipline Is The Answer

Discipline will help get us through the times when we feel like we can’t do it. If we tell ourselves to do the thing because we have to do it not because we want to do it, our lives will change for the better. 

Now you might think it’s easier said than done, but it can start with just telling yourself to do the thing for 5 minutes. Before you know it, you might have spent longer on that thing. Reminding yourself of this concept every time you don’t feel like doing something will help you build consistency and break bad habits.

A problem with motivation is it’s mentally draining- you’re effectively forcing yourself to have that enthusiasm and eagerness before doing something. Yes, motivational videos and quotes might do the trick but only for a while before you find yourself slacking again. And that leads me onto another problem, it’s only temporary- short bursts of energy that fluctuate depending on your mood. On the other hand, discipline lets you focus on the task at hand without thinking about how you feel. You do the thing and at the end of it, you get to feel that satisfaction and happiness. 

Motivation is also associated with reminding yourself of where you see yourself in the future and using that as a stepping stone to achieving your goals. There’s nothing wrong with that but motivation is built around using those ‘motivations’ to make you feel like doing something. But discipline supplements goal tracking because you’re taking action to get closer to your goals. That is the key concept that sets discipline apart from motivation.