From an early age I was conditioned to believe that discipline was a bad thing. I was disciplined when I got bad grades, when I stayed out past curfew, or that one time I got caught stealing Pokémon cards from a store when I was 12 and they brought me home in handcuffs to make a statement. Clearly, I was an awful kid and I deserved all of the punishment I received as a result of being a shithead, but let’s get back on topic. Google “Discipline” and you see words like punishment and “disobedience, but that is not discipline in my opinion. I believe that we should start teaching children that discipline is the starting point to any goal you want to achieve. Discipline is self-love, and as Jocko Willink says, “Discipline equals Freedom”.

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When you think about most accomplishments, I want you to picture the cliché iceberg picture that you see on all of the motivational Instagram accounts. Above the water is what most people see, the success. Below the water is what nobody sees, but instead of it saying hard work, late nights, rejection, sacrifices, etc. it can all be summed up with one word….discipline. Discipline is the foundation of achieving any goal and becoming a better person. But don’t just take it from me, here’s what some of my favorite influencers are saying discipline can do for you:

Self-Love

Will Smith says discipline should be looked at as self-love. Every time you decide to reach for a donut while on a diet you should tell yourself, “That donut looks great, but it’s not in alignment with my long-term fulfillment. I love me too much to eat that.” 

Self-Confidence:

Ed Mylett says the best way to build self-confidence is to keep the promises you make to yourself on a daily basis. If you tell yourself you’re going to make 50 sales calls per day your confidence grows in yourself every day that you keep that promise.

Freedom:

Jocko Willink is one of the most disciplined people on the face of the earth. You should not look at discipline as a restraint, but instead, as an opportunity to create anything you want in the future by holding off on the short-term gratification. 

Want to know the best part about discipline that I learned from Andy Frisella? It’s a skill, not a gift. It’s not some innate ability that some possess, and others don’t. And if you put effort into growing this mental muscle, you can use it as the starting point to achieve any personal, professional or financial goal that you want in life. 

Side Note: Nobody is ever 100% disciplined. I decided to write this blog after I housed a half dozen Krispy Kreme donuts while on my diet and then followed that up with $21 worth of Taco Bell that night. You’re going to fall off of certain disciplines, everyone does. Just know that the growth typically comes right after those times of failure.

life. 

Matt Kresko

Listen to our podcast on discipline here

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