Discipline vs Motivation
Why Discipline is More Important than Motivation
If you are reading this, you more than likely have some fitness goals you are trying to achieve. Whether you are trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just be all around healthier as you age, your goals require work. Most people think they need motivation to reach those goals.
The Truth about Motivation
Here’s the thing about motivation; it is a feeling. And like any other emotion, it is fleeting. We experience it for a time and then it passes. It’s a great feeling for sure. I love when I feel motivated. I feel like I can take on the world. I fly through my to-do list in record time. Motivation is uplifting and energizing.
However, just like any other feeling or emotion, you don’t have any direct control over it. You can’t make motivation stay, no matter how hard you try. You can’t make it appear with a snap of your fingers.
Yes, it is true that it is easier to get things done when you are feeling motivated. But it is not a necessary component to get things done.
Here’s Where Discipline Comes In
We can think of discipline as the opposite of motivation. Discipline is an ongoing practice of acting in accordance to a rule or set of standards. You are the one assigning the rules and standards. Discipline is the thing that happens when you expend some effort, both physical and mental, to do a thing, that in that moment, you don’t feel like doing.
We all have discipline for certain things. Most people usually don’t feel like getting out of bed every morning when the alarm goes off but they usually do. You may not want to brush your teeth before bed when you are extra tired, but you do. That little bit of effort you use on those days when you’d rather sleep in or skip brushing your teeth, that’s discipline.
Discipline doesn’t need to be extreme, or self-punishing. It is just the choices that you make every day.
Getting Started with Discipline
It is okay to start small when you are first getting started with discipline. Discipline is the practice of choosing what you want most over what you want now. Here are some of my best tips on how to cultivate discipline with your fitness goals:
Schedule your workouts into your daily routine. Make sure your workouts are written in your calendar and become an obligation to yourself. Just like there are consequences for missing an important work meeting, remind yourself that there are consequences to missing your workout: you won’t feel as good, you risk developing health issues, you gain weight.
Take it slow. Just like you can’t build muscle overnight, you won’t become self-disciplined right away. Keep your fitness goals manageable. Create small successes and build on them. Acheiving small goals builds the confidence and discipline to take on larger ones.
Remove barriers. The fewer steps you need to get in a workout , the easier it is to do it. That’s why exercising first thing in the morning is easier for most people. If you have an opportunity to workout at home or close to home, it would be easier to stick to a routine.
Follow a training plan. A plan gives you direction and motivation for your workouts. When you follow a plan, you won’t have to wander aimlessly around a gym or do random workouts you find online. Hiring a coach to write a plan is a great investment to help you get the most out of your workouts.
Track the changes. A fitness journal to track body measurements, workouts, nutrition and other markers of improvement can be a great tool, especially when you are lacking motivation. When you see your progress, you will realize your hard work is paying off.
Final Thoughts
We all struggle at times with self-discipline. There are ebbs and flows to every journey. You won’t set the world on fire with every workout. That’s okay! The most important thing is consistency. Having the discipline to stay consistent, even when things are not perfect, is the key to reaching your goals.
