Most of us have experienced that burst of excitement whenever we are starting a new project, setting a fitness goal, or following a new routine. This burst of excitement called Motivation feels like a superpower at that time, propelling us forward, filling us with energy, and making us believe that we can achieve our goals without any hurdles.

But after a while the motivation fades away because life gets busy, new challenges arise, and now that burst of excitement is nowhere to be found. This is where you need discipline in your life because motivation can light the fire and propel you but discipline is what keeps the fire burning. So let us discuss a few reasons why discipline is more important than motivation and how it can transform your life.

Discipline Builds Consistency

The thing about motivation is that it is exciting and powerful but also short-lived. Motivation doesn’t last long and soon fades away. Discipline, on the other hand, is not short-lived, instead, it compels you to keep moving forward day in and out. To achieve anything in life, especially a long-term goal, you need to be consistent because, without consistency, you cannot achieve any goal.

Whether it is losing weight, starting a new venture, following the Prayer Schedule of Queens (if you are living in Queens or nearby areas) or writing a book, consistency is the key to achieving any goal in life and consistency can be achieved by staying disciplined. Motivation can get you started but discipline ensures that you show up every day, even on the days when you don’t feel like it, especially on those days so that you can achieve your goals.

Discipline Helps to Build Long-Term Habits

If you are looking to build long-term habits, then you need discipline and not motivation. Habits are the building block of success and good habits can contribute to your success in life. To build habits like waking up around 6 a.m. or so for prayers and workout, you need to stay disciplined because when you rely on motivation, you will only take action when you feel inspired, however, discipline will ensure that you keep on doing that action until it becomes automatic and part of your routine.

Research has shown that on average, it takes around 66 days to form a new habit and you cannot have motivation for 66 days. So discipline will ensure that you stick to what you have to do, even when it feels tedious.

Discipline Beats Procrastination

Procrastination is quite a common issue that many people face day in and day out. Procrastination is bad for your progress and many consider it the enemy of progress. When you are faced with a particular task or job that you don’t like or enjoy, your motivation will fade away and procrastination will overcome. Discipline, on the other hand, ensures that you take action regardless of how you feel or whether you enjoy the task or not.

Think about all the times when you had to get a boring task done like cleaning the house, doing the laundry, or filing the tax. Of course, motivation didn’t help you but it was discipline that forced you to tackle those tasks and avoid procrastination.

Discipline Prepares You for Challenges

Life is not easy, it is full of challenges. Day in and day out, you will be faced with various challenges and motivation alone won’t help you to get through them. Instead, you will need consistency, resilience, and mental toughness that can be built through discipline. Discipline will prepare your mind to tackle and push through difficult times without feeling overwhelmed. This is a feat that motivation can not achieve or instill in you.

Discipline Leads to Mastery

If you want to master a particular skill, then sustained and constant effort over time is all that you need. Motivation, as mentioned, is short-lived and will help you only start learning a new skill, it won’t help you stay consistent day in and day out. Discipline, on the other hand, will keep pushing you every day to practice it until you become proficient in it. 

Motivation might get you to practice that skill for a few days but after it fades away, you will start feeling monotonous. Discipline will ensure that you stay consistent and keep practicing until you achieve mastery.