When you say it that way, it’s pretty easy to tell the difference isn’t it? However, when you start out on a new fitness journey you use “Motivation” as your go to statement. I’m so motivated to work out this year, or I’m really motivated to fit into this dress for the wedding.
The fact of the matter is motivation is short lived. Discipline is what actually sees you through. How many of you are “motivated” to brush your teeth, wash your vehicles, or clean the house? We do these things because we know we have to, so after years of just doing what we have to we become disciplined.
Motivation is a great start, it generates excitement at the possibility of what can be achieved! It may get you out of bed for a week or two, but it made fade when we aren’t seeing immediate results or something becomes a little hard. You may get the “I don’t want to, today”’s. This is where motivation’s big brother, Discipline, steps in and says we do it anyway. You will get up because it will move you closer to your goal, it will make you feel better, it will make you feel empowered and yes it will get you in that dress you want to be in for the wedding in six months.
Discipline is created through routine. We just simply do it, there’s no choice it must be done. If we approach exercise as routine and just do it on those days motivation fails us we keep moving forward.
Do you know how many times I sit in front of the gym after a long day of work and think man I just wanna go home? However, the discipline I’ve built gets me to the gym, out of the car and working out before I really think about it, just like brushing my teeth. I always feel better when I’m leaving the gym, mood is better and with a sense of accomplishment in my step. I’ve never regretted working out, but I have regretted letting them slip by for lazy excuses.
Let’s work on finding something that motivates you and start building discipline to get us there!
