Discipline Over Motivation: A Path to True Self-Improvement
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Chapter 1: The Power of Discipline
The common belief is that success hinges on developing beneficial habits and practicing consistently. However, I've only recently embraced the importance of discipline—and let me tell you, it feels transformative.
I no longer rely on motivation to accomplish tasks; I simply wake up and get to work. Whether it’s practicing my badminton shot a hundred times at 6 AM or dedicating two hours every morning to writing an article, I just do it.
In the past, I needed a motivational boost to engage in any activity. If I didn’t find that spark, I would abandon beneficial practices within days. For instance, I attempted to invest an hour daily for a month learning SketchUp for architectural design, but I gave up after less than ten days. This pattern repeated with many of my aspirations—grand plans that fizzled out, goals that remained unachieved, and dreams left unrealized.
You at Your Worst: The True Test
For years, I have been taught the value of discipline. Consistent, daily practice—like playing the piano for half an hour—is always more effective than cramming four hours once a week. This lesson became particularly poignant after I faced defeat at a provincial badminton tournament last year.
While I had always acknowledged the importance of discipline, that loss prompted a complete reevaluation of my approach, particularly in preparing mentally for competitions. One crucial realization was that you cannot expect to perform at your peak in every tournament. Winning requires you to play at your best, but that is rarely achievable under pressure.
Consider the many factors working against you in high-stress situations: unfamiliar environments, unknown opponents, an audience, and various distractions. Therefore, you should set realistic expectations—aim to perform at your worst. Avoid disappointment by not assuming you will exceed expectations.
With this principle in mind, the goal is to elevate your baseline performance and improve what you deliver on your off days. That is the essence of discipline; it is defined by your daily actions, irrespective of motivation.
Ultimately, it matters less whether you can outplay the best badminton player occasionally. What truly counts is your consistency in doing so over time. Hence, your focus should be on your average performance and how much you accomplish on less-than-great days.
Chapter 2: Building Discipline Through Small Changes
To claim that motivation is irrelevant would undermine the efforts I've made to reach this point. Motivation is essential for initiating change; it drives you to become a better version of yourself. The issue arises when motivation wanes, leading to a decline in productivity after an initial burst of effort.
In reality, most goals require sustained effort over time rather than isolated actions. To achieve our aspirations, we must begin with manageable steps.
Historically, I struggled with making drastic changes. I would attempt to rise at 5 AM for freezing morning runs while typically waking at 8 AM, clinging to my warm blankets. I’d aim to write three articles daily when I had only been producing one every other day. These ambitious shifts were unsustainable, and even minor setbacks would derail my momentum.
Over time, I learned to implement smaller adjustments—what James Clear refers to as "atomic steps" in his book, Atomic Habits. Instead of jumping to a 5 AM wake-up, I’d start at 7:30 AM, gradually moving to 7:00 AM until the new time felt natural. The same approach applied to my training; I began with two two-hour sessions weekly, eventually increasing to four, then six, and then adding second sessions on various days, progressively intensifying my workouts.
The key is to simplify change as much as possible, minimizing the reliance on willpower and motivation. This doesn’t only pertain to the energy needed for specific tasks but extends to mental capacity as well.
A strategy that has significantly aided my discipline is the establishment of a schedule. By organizing tasks and habits, I eliminated the mental strain of trying to remember everything, allowing me to concentrate my energy on execution.
Additionally, there’s a powerful strategy that acts as a shortcut to developing discipline: accountability. Reflect on your school days; many of us went to school out of obligation, often due to parental enforcement. Similarly, in the military, discipline is instilled through accountability measures.
My ability to rapidly increase my training frequency was largely due to the presence of a coach and peers. The fear of falling behind or facing criticism motivated me to stay committed. When you are consistently held accountable, performing challenging tasks eventually becomes a second nature.
The ultimate aim is to integrate actions necessary for realizing your dreams into your daily routine. In this way, discipline becomes destiny.