First Comes Discipline…

“I wish I had your level of motivation” I hear it all of the time since I started running. It makes me uneasy, uncomfortable, frustrated, and a little angry. Not at the person saying it, at who ever made up the belief that all you need is to be motivated to do something. That is the biggest lie ever told. I am not motivated, I have never been motivated and I always thought that was my problem. My entire life I thought I was over weight, and not sports oriented because I lacked motivation. The furthest thing from the truth was that I wasn’t motivated. I WAS motivated, I wanted to be active, but I never lacked the motivation, I lacked the discipline.

Merriam webster defines Discipline as a: control gained by enforcing obedience or order, b: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior c: self control

When you set a goal, create an action plan, commit to doing something every day, and hold your self accountable, and then you do that something every day you are gaining control by enforcing your obedience to complete your goal, you are creating orderly conduct of a behavior, establishing self control. You are being disciplined. That is the key to success. Let’s face it, the people we see online every day in reels, that are out their crushing 3, 5, 10,15 miles….they aren’t motivated, they don’t wake up and instantly feel the joy to lace up, and down some caffeine and go run. Some days they may, but I bet more than half of those days they argue inside their heads to take an day off. However they have committed to being disciplined, and they make themselves go out there and achieve greatness.

Then Motivation.

Motivation comes after you develop discipline. Discipline creates Motive. After you have been disciplined, and you lose weight, or start getting faster, gain the ability to run further distances, build muscle, then when you are struggling to get yourself going, you see the progress, remind your self that discipline got you there, and you have seen results, the results will then motivate you. It is not the other way around, you don’t just magically become motivated to do something, you must be disciplined enough to create results, and that discipline creates your motivation.

My ah-ha moment…

When I realized this I was about six months into my running journey. I had lost about 30 pounds, I Pr’d my five 5k time, and had PR mile time in the same run. I also accidentally completed 6 miles that day. To be fair I only ran the three miles, the last three were that lollygagging style, of stopping to watch the creek flow, and a chipmunk run across the trail. As I was basking in the glory of my double PR, I had paused my music, and just enjoyed my surroundings and my head went to work with random thoughts and as I walked I noticed how much easier it had been lately for me to get going.

Previously every morning was a chore, I woke up, drug myself to the bathroom, then to the closet, put clothes on, back to the bathroom to do something with my hair, then to put shoes on. The last few weeks it wasn’t that way, I knew I had lost some weight, moving was easier, I felt better, I looked better, my health was better, my feet didn’t hurt as bad when I was done, my discipline in the previous six months, had created my motive to keep going.

Do not fear, about a week after this my motivation took a temporary vacation, and my discipline had to be reinstated. I created a rule I do not have to run or walk every day, though I like to, but I can not go more then two to three days with out running or walking and it better be a damn good reason as to why I am not moving. I also try to when I am really not wanting to go, I tell myself to go for one mile, because nine out of ten times, If I start with one mile, I am going to complete a minimum of three. It takes that discipline to get me out the door though.

So if you feel like ” I wish I had the motivation to do *insert literally anything* ” Remember it is not about needing motivation…. Discipline creates motive. You must first become disciplined by setting a goal, establishing a routine, and holding your self accountable, then you will create your motivation to continue.

Happy Running!