We hear it all the time - "I need something to motivate me" or "I'm motivated to make a change in my life". People tend to throw around the word "motivation" like it's some magical thing that will help them achieve greatness or realize all their goals. The exact definition of motivation is as follows: the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. That's it. It's the desire to do something and nothing more. Saying you're motivated to do something is no different than saying you want to do it. It's a starting point, but by no means the "be-all and end-all" of success.
Think of motivation as the kick-start, the key in the ignition. Sure you need it to turn the car on, but sitting idle in park isn't going to get you very far. This is where discipline comes in. The word discipline carries quite a few definitions, but for the sake of this post we will be using the following: to train oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way. Now THIS is where success is built. It's easy to wake up at 4:00am and go for a run on day one, but doing it again on day two, day three, day five, day ten... you get the point. Discipline will be there for you when no motivation can be found. That's the beauty of it - by definition, discipline is a habit, something you do without thinking. Once you have it, it will always be there for you.
So how does one become disciplined? There is no secret formula, no elusive method. To cultivate discipline you must force yourself to do things. You must force yourself to get up earlier than you want to. Force yourself to practice. Force yourself to study. Force yourself to work harder. We achieve success through discipline; not motivation. Don't get me wrong, I like motivational quotes, pictures and stories just as much as the next person, but their impact is fleeting and to rely on them foolish. Disciple is reliable. Discipline is constant. Discipline will lead you to success. The question then, shouldn't be how to stay motivated; but rather how to become disciplined enough to work without it.
"With self-discipline most anything is possible" - Theodore Roosevelt