We all crave motivation…

Everyone likes to get motivated, one way or the other.

We listen to inspirational speeches, read books written by successful people and like listening to motivating songs that get us all pumped up.

This is because motivation brightens our mood and helps us look past the negativity that surrounds us. Motivation helps us believe that everything will be alright one day.

Despite all this goodness, I believe that motivation is overrated.

So, do I have a problem with motivation?

Not really.

In fact, I am a sucker for daily motivation myself. I like listening to motivational speakers such as Tony Robbins and Jack Ma, have subscribed to many YouTube channels that keep generating amazing motivational content and also have a bunch of motivational books on my bookshelf.

However, at the end of the day, what I realize is that motivation is a feeling- it’s a state of mind and like any state of mind, it is temporary, it is fleeting.

It may make us feel good for some time or get us started but it cannot do much beyond that.

If you think I am wrong, try to remember the last time you got motivated to, let’s say, lose weight or learn a new skill. How long did that last? Exactly.

Why so pessimistic!

I may be sounding like a Debbie Downer right now, but trust me I am getting somewhere with this.

I think there is something much more potent than motivation. Something we all know but don’t act because it doesn’t have the same emotional appeal as motivation.

I am talking about “Discipline”

Discipline is the art of doing what needs to be done, even when you don’t want to do it.

Every successful person that I know is motivated to do what they do because they love what they do. However, motivation is not the cause, but it’s the result.

What got them through their tough times, their struggles, the disappointments and impossible odds was not motivation- it was their discipline.

The discipline to get up on time, to show up on time and to keep doing that over and over and over.

Why does discipline trump motivation?

It is because discipline makes you take charge of your life. You don’t need to feel good to do something; you just know that you have to do it.

As with anything in life, consistency of effort is critical for success. Being disciplined means we keep showing up to do what we need to do and that tremendously increases the odds of success.

Whereas motivation doesn’t last long enough to do anything meaningful in life.

So,

Make discipline the bedrock of your daily routine. Make rituals and stick to them- come hell or high water.

Once that is done, get as much motivation as possible as well- who says you can’t have both. Don’t just depend solely on being motivated to achieve the bigger goals in life.

Remember: Discipline is rarely enjoyable but it is always profitable.

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