It’s Not Discipline That You’re Missing
Discipline is necessary. But with all the coaches, articles and research, does anybody not know that these days? And yet, diets fall off, commitments fade, and the status quo returns for many companies and people. There’s something deeper than discipline alone: devotion. The cause, the purpose beyond the physical acts discipline demands.
Discipline is the practice of training people (or yourself) to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment and consequence to correct disobedience. Without it, not much would get done. I like the saying: "Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards, or sideways." And it’s true, isn’t it? Without discipline, we’re caught spinning our wheels with little progress in the direction we want to go.
I especially see this in large companies where they’re loyal to the business processes (discipline). Processes, that in some cases were created a 100 years ago. These processes might have been necessary 100 years ago, but there’s no purpose left in them today — there are only people going through the motions. In people it’s very similar. Have you ever met people that just act like they have a series of tasks? I have to do A, B, C — and it’s devoid of the life behind it? Discipline alone is empty.
This scenario probably sounds familiar: trying to alter or change results just by doubling down on your level of discipline. Pretty standard response, right? To get more disciplined about what time you wake up, how often you have meetings, how you handle different situations... Don’t get me wrong, strong discipline may in fact lead to getting new results — as long as we stay disciplined. It’s an uphill battle though that survives only as long as we’re fighting it.
Devotion, on the other hand, is love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. The purpose that’s behind any actions. It’s what Simon Sinek would call the “why”. When you’re devoted to something, it calls you into action. It breathes life and purpose into what you’re doing. It compels you forward over the long term (especially when things get hard, and they always get hard).
Here’s an example. Imagine someone who is trying to lose weight. The discipline might be focused purely on eating fewer calories. Going to the gym to burn more calories. A fat free diet. If they’re really serious, surgery. The list goes on. Even though these processes may be quick or drastic, or give you an immediate result, it’s ultimately inauthentic and hollow. Now, instead of weight loss, substitute something that you’re just going through the motions on: making more money, getting a different job, finding a relationship. The same applies.
Join me in the #NoMatterWhat Community on Facebook to dig deeper into what devotion means. How to determine if you have it. What questions to ask if you don’t. Having a community to support what you’re up to is critical and that’s what this group is about.
All pure discipline approaches will fail in the long term. We simply tire of repetitious empty actions. Discipline without devotion is dead, stagnate and unsustainable. Don’t get me wrong, devotion alone doesn’t work either. It’s unfulfilled purpose. The question becomes, how will you make sure you have both?