Listen here.
This probably sounds like common sense, but I don't think most people take this into account on a daily basis. Last week we discussed the importance of habits and staying consistent with them -- and this is the natural next step.
Why Motivation Isn't Enough
When starting a new habits, you probably have some motivation behind you to get started. But once that excitement wears off, you may find yourself struggling to follow through every single day.
That is where discipline comes in.
Motivation can be fleeting, and while I am very big on motivational quotes and having a motivational mindset -- none of that matters if you don't have the discipline to follow through. Discipline will keep you focused on the tasks and habits you need to keep, because you know how important those things are to your success.
What Discipline Actually Does To The Brain
Regardless of how disciplined you may be towards your goals, you're still going to encounter days where you just don't feel like getting things done. But here's the thing -- depending on how long a habit has been part of your daily routine, your mind and body will already be anticipating its completion.
Once a habit it formed, it creates a new neurological pathway in your brain. So even on those tough days, your mind will still have the discipline to get the task done.
That goes to show just how important it is to build habits that actually serve you. Don't just start a habit based on things you see others doing on social media. Develop real needle-moving habits -- actions that will move you forward toward your goals.
The Path From Habits To Freedom
Good daily habits lead to success. With the discipline formed from building those habits, they will carry you toward your goals. Once you achieve your goals and reach your version of success, you'll begin to move toward freedom.
Everyone's idea of freedom will look different, but it will usually fall into one of these categories:
- Time
- Location
- Financial
It might be a combination of all three, or maybe just one. But it's important to define and know your own idea of freedom from the start -- because if you don't know what freedom looks like for you, or what success and your goals actually are, you won't know what you're working toward.
Build With The End In Mind
While it's great to have basic habits in place around personal hygiene, health, and wellness, when it comes to adding in those needle-moving habits, it's essential that you have your goals, your idea of success, and your idea of freedom clearly defined first.
Once those are set, you can begin building the habits that will become so vital to your routine that -- whether you're feeling motivated or not -- discipline becomes consistent, you will start achieving your goals and ultimately reach your version of freedom.
Let me know in the comments -- what are your goals, and what does freedom look like for you?
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