People illustrations by Storyset

So, you started a workout plan, a study plan, or some other plan and for several days, you have been struggling to put it into practice. You tried for 20 minutes for 2 days in 2 weeks in 3 months. When you started this plan, you were pumped up to do it, but now you feel you are not that person anymore.

In some respects, you aren’t. Time has passed, and the true situation influencing your plan is coming into play, like your sleep time, your classes or work, your friends, and you realize that making the plan was only part of the process, sticking with the plan is another ball game altogether.

On that day you made the plan, however, you just finished a 1-hour workout, or you studied for 2 hours, and you could have sworn that it was that easy. You found time early in the morning or late at night, and you hammered your way through those goals, but fast forward to today, you can’t even put on your gym clothes, you can’t even sit at the table for an hour, you are carried away with the conversations your friends have or you sleep for too long.

This is a common problem; it is the problem with mistaking discipline with motivation. You can be motivated to do the best for yourself for a moment after you have been struggling with it for months, or you saw a movie where the character was hardworking and consistent, or you spent time with a friend who is, but it doesn’t last long…that’s how you know it is motivation.

Motivation is not bad (even though it can be), but it is not self-sustaining. By design, it wants to run you out of energy and make plans that are not feasible. Motivation is what will make you draw up a 3-hour daily workout plan. How can you spend 10% of your day at the gym unless it is your job?

One big problem stems from the way we use language in a fluid manner. Sometimes people will mean to say discipline while using the word motivation. If you think for a moment that motivation will take you where discipline can, you are very mistaken.

Another problem people need to realize is that you can absolutely be motivated to do wrong and harm. That’s why I don’t stick with motivation for too long. I analyze my motivations and move on from them.

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Being Reliable

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People illustrations by Storyset

A reliable person is one who knows what is right to do and seeks to do it in the face of everything life throws at him or her. An unreliable person will make promises based on how motivated they feel at the moment. It is important that we learn the most about ourselves and our motivations.

What makes me feel pumped up? What triggers it? What reduces this pump and what sets it back?

You need to know what is realistic to do, who you are, and what you are capable of doing.

There is a very interesting quote that says, "In order to do a thing, you must first be a person who can do that thing."

What are you reliable for? What can you do? What can't you do? How many hours can you fwork?

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Self-Regulation

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People illustrations by Storyset

This is the ability to control one's thoughts, emotions, and behavior to achieve long-term goals or adapt to changing situations. It is a very important aspect of many psychological theories, such as social cognitive theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, and self-determination theory.

Both discipline and motivation stem from a human's need to self-regulate. You don't want to be under the control of the environment.

With discipline, you set goals, create a plan of action, and follow through with it. The person has to have some control over their thoughts so that they can see the results they want. There is willpower and self-control, which are hard to maintain over a long period of time.

Motivation has more to do with the drive, energy, and enthusiasm that allows a person to take action and work towards their goal. These driving forces may be internal or external, such as a reward of task completion or personal satisfaction of achieving a goal.

Besides the psychological aspect of these two entities, there is also the biological implication of them existing. Neuroscience has shown that the prefrontal cortex is the main part of the brain involved with planning, decision making, and self-control, which plays an important part in discipline.

Motivation has more to do with the brain's reward and punishment systems and has a relationship with dopamine release. The release of this neurotransmitter plays a role in reward anticipation or achievement. The dopamine spike reduces with time to the same stimulus, and this is why people are less likely to repeat the act over and over again as time goes on if the same incentive or less is provided.

Do you struggle with discipline? Do you have goals you want to accomplish and find it hard to achieve them?

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You can send me a message on WhatsApp at +2348134530293, and we can have a conversation, or you can speak with a licensed therapist.

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Conclusion

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Inkscape.org

In conclusion, sticking to a plan requires more than just motivation. It requires discipline and self-regulation. Discipline involves setting realistic goals, creating a plan of action, and following through with it.

Self-regulation is the ability to control one's thoughts, emotions, and behavior to achieve long-term goals. While motivation may provide the initial drive and energy to take action, it is not self-sustaining and can lead to unrealistic plans. It is essential to understand the difference between discipline and motivation and to recognize the importance of self-regulation in achieving long-term goals.

Both discipline and motivation have psychological and biological implications, with the prefrontal cortex playing a significant role in discipline and dopamine release affecting motivation. By analyzing our motivations and knowing ourselves better, we can become more reliable and work towards achieving our goals.

Inkscape.org

Have you ever struggled with discipline or motivation in your life? How did you deal with it? How do you differentiate between discipline and motivation?

Do you think they are interchangeable? What are some strategies that you use to stay disciplined and motivated over a long period of time?

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References

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• Unbound growth

• Hubspot