Discipline versus Motivation: Which is More Important for Success?
The other day I was asked, “What’s better to have, motivation or discipline? If you could only choose one characteristic to master, which one would it be, and why?”
In other words, my fellow colleague was inquiring on what my opinion was on which of the two qualities is most important to have to be successful.
This is a pretty good question. My initial answer might not be exactly what you are looking but let me explain my line thinking first. Towards the end of my write up, I will do my best to make a definitive decision.
A lot of times people treat things in life as an “either/or” situation when in fact many times you can can have “both.” I hear people say, “I’d have a good family life if I didn’t have to choose my career over them” or “I don’t want to be rich because it would ruin me and I would be greedy.” Or “I don’t want to be successful because I will become prideful.”
The truth is you can actually have it both ways. You can have both a great job and a great family life. You can have lots of money, be financially strong, and still be generous. You can be both successful and humble.
The same goes for motivation and discipline. You can be both motivated and very disciplined at the same time. As a matter of fact, the two complement each other very well. This question is the same as asking, which wing on an airplane is most important? They are both crucial to your performance. I always look for ways to choose both and maximize the opportunity. You have to want it all. Balance is the key.
Hypothetically, if I only had to choose one it would be discipline. I say this because I believe that motivation is not the cause of action, it is the by-product of action. Motivation will happen when you dive into a project and immerse yourself in it. Then, as you build momentum, you gain motivation.
Discipline to me is more challenging and requires a strong mind of stone. It takes a lot to be disciplined and the effort required to create it is always there. I line discipline up with obedience. God honors obedience greatly. Rick Warren said, “That you will learn more about God during one act of obedience than a lifetime of Bible study.” During the first 30 years of Jesus’ life, the Bible says he was obedient. Then he had three years of public ministry and changed the world forever. There is a lot of power in a man who lives a disciplined life.
You can gain results far greater than any other practice when you have discipline.
Motivation is not everlasting, it wears off quickly. Think of hunger. When you are hungry, you eat and that sustains you for a few hours and then you have to eat again. Motivation is like eating, you have to learn how to sustain your motivation. The best way to do so is by doing two things.
Personal Growth
Contribution
When you are intentional about your growth and are in constant development of yourself, motivation will take place. When you give to others and invest in others, again motivation will take place.
If you create a strong foundation of character, you can develop a disciplined lifestyle and make it automatic. It will become systematic, meaning that you will learn to do the same thing every day. Then to maintain it, it only takes steady pressure. It’s like the concept of inertia from high-school physics class. Habits are tough to create but easy to maintain.
If you find yourself slipping away from your positive habits, go into reform mode, and get back to the life that you desire to live. When I am living my life in a disciplined fashion, I feel motivated to keep going. You can get on an upward spiral and develop a positive addiction. This enables me to keep my flow where I want it.