Forget Motivation. Self-Discipline is the real deal
Self-discipline — the steadfast and reliable older sibling to the flighty and unpredictable motivation.
If motivation is the hare in the famed fable, then self-discipline is most certainly the tortoise. Unflashy, perhaps, but oh so reliable, steadily plodding along to victory.
Let’s be real… motivation is akin to a spark. It’s bright, fiery, and can ignite action with an impressive flare. Use it while it’s there. But don’t rely on it. As many great artists say, motivation is not something that’s just there all the time. You don’t wait for it. You just do.
And as anyone who’s tried to start a campfire will tell you, a spark without kindling is as good as a chocolate fireguard. This is where self-discipline, our trusty kindling, comes into play.
The psychology behind self-discipline is rather fascinating.
Unlike motivation, which can be as fickle as a cat deciding whether to grace you with its presence, self-discipline is about control and persistence. It’s the mental version of building muscles; the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes.
Psychologists and neuroscientists have suggested that our self-discipline can be traced back to a specific part of our brain called the prefrontal cortex. The part of the brain called the prefrontal cortex plays a vital role in various cognitive processes. These processes include our ability to plan for the future, make decisions based on available information, and control our behaviour in social situations. The discovery shows that our ability to exercise self-control is directly linked to the functioning of this part of the brain. Self-control involves resisting immediate temptations and focusing on long-term goals.
Essentially, it acts as a command centre that helps us manage our impulses and make choices that align with our broader objectives and social norms.
Self-Discipline
Imagine self-discipline as the stern but fair headmaster of a posh boarding school. It’s the force that gets you out of bed on a cold morning, makes you eat your greens even though a mountain of chocolate eclairs is infinitely more appealing. And stops you from buying that outrageously expensive, completely impractical thing you spotted online at 3 a.m.
Self-discipline is not just about having control over one’s actions. It is especially about understanding the underlying cognitive processes.
Books like “The Marshmallow Test” by Walter Mischel provide fascinating insights into how self-control works.
Mischel’s experiments with children and marshmallows reveal much about delayed gratification and the power of self-discipline.
Self-discipline is also a key player in habit formation. While motivation might get you started on a new habit, it’s self-discipline that keeps you going when the initial excitement wanes. It’s like learning to play the piano. At first, it’s all thrilling melodies and dreams of grand concerts. But it’s the daily, disciplined practice that eventually turns a novice into a maestro.
Interestingly, self-discipline can even be linked to feminism and male psychology. It plays a significant role in gender dynamics and how different societal expectations shape our self-control mechanisms. The book “Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength” by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney delves into this, examining how self-discipline shapes our lives and the world around us.
In summary, while motivation might be the spark that lights the fire of action, self-discipline is the fuel that keeps the fire burning. It’s about making choices that align with your long-term goals, even when those choices aren’t particularly enticing in the moment. Self-discipline might not always be as glamorous or exhilarating as motivation, but it’s undoubtedly more reliable. After all, while motivation might get you started on writing that thesis, it’s self-discipline that sees you typing away at it at 2 a.m., fuelled by nothing but sheer willpower and perhaps an unhealthy amount of caffeine. And that, my friends, is the unsung hero of success.
