Motivation vs Discipline

What are the merits of being motivated and disciplined? Which is more important for your health goals?

Motivation or Discipline: which is more important for a healthy life?

Having the right mindset is more than 50% of the effort of getting in shape, losing weight, or taking up a healthy habit. But why is it so hard? Why is it so difficult to lose weight or do something healthy when we know it will make our bodies feel good?

The problem is, our motivation is often lacking. After a long day at work, who doesn't want to sit in front of the television with a can of beer and a bag of chips and veg out for a few hours? The problem is, motivation alone isn't enough. It takes discipline too. But what is the difference? How can you use both motivation and discipline to help you achieve your goals for a healthy life?

What is the difference between motivation and discipline?

Motivation

Motivation is your reason for wanting to do something. You can be motivated to lose weight by seeing a new outfit that you want to wear, or you can be motivated to look healthier for an upcoming beach vacation. Motivation can be external or internal. Sometimes, you can be motivated to get healthy just because you are sick of being overweight and tired. Motivation is important to begin adding new habits into your life, but it's not enough.

Motivation wane. Motivation only works when you are feeling good. It's easy to be motivated to exercise when the weather is nice, and when you are feeling happy and stress-free. It's a lot harder to be motivated when it's raining, or after a long hard day at work. 

Discipline

Discipline is forcing yourself to follow a certain code of behavior, no matter what. Discipline is forcing yourself to exercise, wake up early, take a cold shower, or eat healthy foods, even when you don't feel like it. Discipline is when you have to employ "mind over matter", and force yourself to stick to your healthy habits, because you know that they will  make you a healthier and happier person.

Is motivation or discipline more important?

Ultimately, discipline is by far the more important. While it takes motivation to begin down the path of weight loss or getting fit, in the end, it takes discipline to stay on that path. Motivation fades quickly. Discipline means forcing yourself to eat healthy or healthy, even when you really don't want to.