Motivation + Discipline = Success!

by Toni Delos Santos
90% Mental
90percentmental.com

“Discipline equals freedom” –  Jocko Willink 

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Motivation is about finding the enthusiasm to do what you need to do to reach your goals. High level performers have what is known as intrinsic motivation. This is the desire to do something that has a higher purpose to the athlete, entrepreneur, or student to be the best they can be. Although making money and getting rewarded for their efforts are welcomed, it is not what drives them to succeed. It is the passion and true enjoyment of what they do that makes them successful. They have purpose and importance to what they are striving to achieve. In Martin Luther King, Jr’s sermon,  “The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life,” the following excerpt is an excellent example of being your best:

“When I was in Montgomery, Alabama, I went to a shoe shop quite often, known as the Gordon Shoe Shop. And there was a fellow in there that used to shine my shoes, and it was just an experience to witness this fellow shining my shoes. He would get that rag, you know, and he could bring music out of it. And I said to myself, ‘This fellow has a Ph.D. in shoe shining.’

When I think of a person that is intrinsically motivated, David Goggins, a retired Navy Seal comes to mind. He is an absolute beast! He has competed and placed in the top five in more than sixty ultra-marathons, triathlons, and ultra-triathlons. He is also a New York Times bestselling author. In his book, Can’t hurt me, he talks about the unrelenting power of your mind and how he was able to put systems in place to overcome obstacles and repeatedly achieve whatever he set his mind to accomplish. Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Tom Brady, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Elon Musk all possess the inner desire to succeed.

As David Goggins points out, motivation alone is not enough. Motivation is a feeling that comes and goes, and you cannot rely on that feeling always being present. It takes self-discipline to stick to the strategy that you put in place. Achieving success does not always involve doing activities that you enjoy at times when you would rather be doing something else. It takes a strong mindset to consistently do what is needed even when you lack the motivation to get up after a night out or go to the gym to train after you just lost the NBA finals. The gratification you will feel when you were able to stay on track for the bigger picture and overcome the lack of motivation in the moment, will make you stronger and more determined to achieve success.

Set yourself up to succeed by making a weekly schedule and put systems in place that will keep you accountable and ensure your long-term success.


me

About The Publisher

Jeff Corbett
As entrepreneur, author and magazine publisher with over 25 years’ experience in the global marketplace, I enjoy writing as an advocate for international business and personal freedoms. Thanks to my experiences building businesses I also have a tremendous interest in reading or writing about motivation and self-discipline.