scott stonehouse

Discipline and Desire. Both are important. They are related. I wouldn’t describe them as opposite ends of a spectrum, but they do provide different types of motivation. This is true whether it is your exercise routine or study habits.

When you begin an exercise routine, rarely does it feel good. There usually isn’t a rush of feel-good endorphins when you finish. Usually, you are just sore. These first few days or weeks typically aren’t enjoyable. This is when you need discipline. Discipline to do what you planned to do even when it doesn’t feel good and you don’t want to do it.

But after several days or a couple of weeks, things change. You begin to enjoy it. You feel good after the work out or run. You look forward to the next one. You are now exercising because you want to, because you desire to do so.

The process is similar for other types of habits. Once you push past the initial struggle, it becomes easier and more enjoyable and you want to do it.

When you have desire, you don’t need discipline.

When you don’t have desire, you need discipline to do it anyway.

Over the course of years and decades, you will go through seasons. Sometimes desire will be strong and the effort will be easy. Other times, however, there will be no desire. No motivation. The effort will seem overwhelming. This is when you need discipline to keep doing the thing until the desire returns. Eventually, it will. It’s a season.

Discipline breeds desire, so keep getting out of bed, keep exercising, keep studying, keep doing whatever it is you know you should be doing, until you want to do it again. And when you want to do it, enjoy it!