I’ve noticed the word “discipline” used in two separate conversations this week.

Both in terms of health and how to improve it.

To be honest, I was mentally tuning-out to these conversations as they were along the lines of the usual “gotta toughen the f&^%-up!” catch-cry that influencers generally use.

Having lived, won and failed with many things over a number of decades, I tend to have a simple definition for discipline.

Discipline is the state of being achieved when the pain in staying the same exceeds the hurt associated with change.

As people, we’re strange creatures.

We intuitively know when change is required, but we fight tooth and nail to maintain the status quo.

It’s only when we’ve hit the iceberg and the ship is going down, that we’re motivated to do something to alter course.

By then, it’s often too late.

Knowing how a situation will eventually unfold to our detriment also doesn’t seem to provide sufficient motivation to exercise discipline.

So how do we change?

Can we?

Or are we destined to always learn the lesson after failing in life?

I wish I could provide some sage advice to address this situation.

But I’m merely a pixelated avatar trying to find his way back in life.

Although, if I were to be asked, I’d merely say to try and imagine the worst pain you can imagine by continuing with your current path in life.

Imagine going to bed each night with it and waking up each morning with it.

If you can do that, then having the discipline to change might not seem so bad after that.

You might find you build a resilience to the lesser pain it might entail.

And who knows? … you might even find you enjoy it. 🙂