Knowledge + Ability + Discipline = Success
The right formula.
It is better to cultivate discipline than to rely on motivation. Force yourself to get up out of bed and practice. Force yourself to work.
Motivation is momentary and it’s easy to rely on because it requires no concentrated effort to get. Motivation comes to you.
Discipline is reliable. Motivation is fleeting. The question isn’t how to keep yourself motivated, it’s how to train yourself to work without it.
I find this anonymous quote interesting because I’ve always thought the question was how to stay motivated. This idea turns things around and leads to the following:
The above equation is the key to a life of happiness. Success does not happen if any of those three variables are not present. You may be the smartest person, but if you do not have any discipline to better yourself, nothing happens.
I would venture to say most of us are motivated to do the things we do because we wish to provide for our families, earn money, earn respect, and do the right thing. Motivation can come from learning from our mistakes. Still, it takes discipline to train oneself to do the work even when unmotivated.
Those people who lack motivation, I feel, have never been hardened by difficulties or mistakes. When you are always given opportunities, there is no hard work involved. There’s no need to be disciplined or motivated if things are handed to you.
A lack of maturity is a by-product of being unmotivated and undisciplined. There’s a reason soft, immature kids go to Bootcamp and come back mature, respectful, and strong.
As a parent, it is my job to teach my children how to become a useful part of society. It’s my duty to prepare them for the real world.
