Motivation vs Self-Discipline – Which Is The Key To Habit Formation?

If you want to get something done, you might think about one of two ways to do it: motivation or self-discipline.

The first way—motivation—involves you becoming emotionally and mentally prepared to take on the activity.

The second way—self-discipline—is a more cut-and-dry route. You don’t think, you just do it.

Of course, many people see the value in motivation because it resets their perspective so that the task at hand can seem more enjoyable. After all, if you like doing something, you’re more likely to want to do it right away.

But what about if you want to form a new habit? Will motivation be the most effective way, then?

While motivation plays an essential role in creating a habit, it has its own limitations. Where motivation leaves you completing an enjoyable task once, self-discipline allows you to do the most mundane and gruelling activities over and over again. Because of this, self-discipline undoubtedly wins in its ability to form a habit. Let’s look further as to how it works this way.

The role of motivation

Make no mistake—motivation is absolutely necessary for habit formation. It is the reason behind you taking that initial action. If you had no motivation, you might never start some of your projects, try out a different career path, or create a healthier way of living for yourself.

Motivation is crucial because it’s the driving force behind most of what you do. When you can shift your perspective into seeing an activity in a positive light, or you focus on the reward of doing something, you are that much more likely to start.

This focus is wonderful because it ignites your actions. However, there are two main flaws in using motivation as the primary foundation for developing habits:

First, motivation causes you to rely on emotion. What if you must work on a task, but you simply cannot emotionally influence yourself to take action? Your reasoning may not be sufficient enough for you to actually begin a process. The harsh reality is that there are many activities in life we don’t want to do, but we have to do them in order to maintain our quality of living. Simply being unhappy—and therefore, unmotivated—will not excuse you from attending to important duties.

Second, motivation is not long lasting. Think of motivation as a sprint instead of a marathon. While it’s great for starting your journey in the right direction, it doesn’t guarantee that you will finish your task entirely. More importantly, motivation lacks the focus you need to take action day after day, especially when it’s an activity you dislike. Once you lose the emotional appeal or your motivation changes, it can be easy for you to give up mid-process. Thus, motivation would not be the most beneficial way to form a habit.

The key success in self-discipline

Fortunately, self-discipline picks up where motivation leaves off. As a stark contrast to motivation, self-discipline separates emotion from action. It is the difference between doing something because you want to and doing something because you believe in doing it no matter what.

Self-discipline involves the determination to complete a task without excuses, interruptions, or delays. Instead of giving into feelings, you automatically control your emotions in order to be productive and successful.

It can be easy to have a willingness (or motivation) to begin an activity, but true self-discipline requires the practice of strength, willpower, and grit. Your beliefs and values become more important than feelings, so you must be able to overcome the mental and emotional challenges in order to continue habit-forming actions.

Self-discipline looks like going to the gym before work every morning because you believe in physical activity for better health. It looks like seeking out assignment help for your academic or work-related projects because you value presenting yourself as a professional.

In truth, self-discipline is uncomfortable. But it is also like a muscle that can become stronger and more resilient over time. It’s the key to your habit-forming success, simply because the effort you put forth delivers consistency that refuses to crumble, even on your unhappiest days.

Some helpful self-discipline guidelines

• Create a schedule for yourself that includes your desired new habit
• Use time-tracking apps on your computer to improve time management
• Log your progress for encouragement to continue your habit

Final thoughts

Motivation is by no means useless in the process for developing a new habit. Still, self-discipline remains to be the key component in achieving success. While motivation can be the driving force for taking action, it relies on emotion to get started, and that can often lead to lack of productivity.

On the contrary, self-discipline is an attitude of willpower and a practice of determination that refuses to quit, no matter how difficult the situation may be.

The latter may be critical for habit formation, but if you happen to use both tactics, you will ensure success for any task you may encounter.

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