Today I want you to be uncomfortable in the knowledge that motivation is a false pacifier. The feeling of being motivated may stay within us for a while, but eventually something happens -it fades- and along with it we see our goals dimming as well.
So what happened? Nothing. Why? Because motivation is the worst excuse of an emotion that we have been conditioned into thinking is the holy grail of our most successful selves. Motivation is the master of selling itself, and there are people out there that make an existence out of selling it, because there will always be buyers.
Motivation has one purpose only; to be used to your advantage that you may force yourself into doing something unpleasant so that you may reap the rewards. No one that has ever achieved greatness – changing their physique, thriving in their marriage, making their first million – ever did so from a position of comfort and long term motivation.
Motivation is an igniter, but will remain without use if no fuel is added.
This leads us to discipline. The textbook definition of DISCIPLINE is this: “The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience”. Does anything within that definition sound appealing to you? Obey. Punishment. Disobedience. Why does it all sound so forceful and unpleasant? Because it is.
Getting up at 4:15am on an icy winter morning to get ahead of your crazy schedule for the day is no one’s idea of a roaring good time. But within that act of repetition, even when you are not motivated to do so, lies the creation of discipline.
Motivation always has an external source, it softens us, makes us think that it is up to someone or something else to gently nudge us forwards.
Discipline is the harsh realization that you have to throw that cold water into your own face. Realize all this is essential, is living within your own potential. Stop feeding the sugar coated unicorn that is motivation. Its time to saddle up the raging bull of discipline, and tame it for yourself.
Inge Muller is a mom and salon manager, enthusiastic about health, fitness, and writing.