“No more. No more. NO MORE. No more excuses. No more: “I’ll start tomorrow.” No more: “Just this once.” No more accepting the shortfalls of my own will. No more taking the easy road. No more bowing down to whatever unhealthy or unproductive thoughts float through my mind. No. No more. No more waiting for the perfect moment and no more indecision and no more lies. No more weakness. No. No more. Now is the time for strength. And through strength— and through will— and through unwavering discipline— I will become what I want to be. I will become who I want to be. And then—and only then—will I rest and say: No more.”
― Jocko Willink, Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual
It’s Veteran’s Day. It’s 5:00 am, and I’ve been up for an hour. I’ve completed my morning routine and am now getting down to business…before my daughter wakes up and takes over all of my attention (which is a good thing).
I write with a sense of pride this morning, as I’ve already viewed many of posts on social media about Veteran’s Day, about the sacrifices our service members make, and about those who even made the ultimate sacrifice. I even took a moment to rummage through my old deployment photos, as a reminder of some of the good (and bad) times I’ve had. Thankfully, I’m safe at home and with my family this year. But, there have been many of years in the past that this wasn’t the case, and as an active service member, there may be times to follow that may not be the case either. Regardless, the call to duty for every service member exists, and I’m filled with pride to be a part of that calling.
However, this blog post isn’t specifically about service, it’s about discipline, but the two can closely be tied together. The quote above comes from Jocko Willink, a veteran Navy Seal, now author and CEO of a leadership consulting company. The title of his latest book, Discipline Equals Freedom, sparked a fire in my heart, as I truly believe in the idea that discipline does equal freedom. Those that have never served may think the two words contradict each other, but those in the military know exactly what this is all about.
The discipline to get up early and accomplish your top priorities creates the freedom to react to the day’s pop-up taskings. The discipline of setting a monthly budget creates the freedom to be able to give, save, and invest. The discipline it takes to exercise every day creates the freedoms of having a healthy body. The discipline it takes to rehearse and practice your trade creates the freedom to know that you’ll do it right when it counts. The discipline it takes to analyze hundreds of properties before finding the right one creates the freedom to know you’ve invested wisely when you do eventually make that purchase. The discipline to correct your child’s temper-tantrum gives you the freedom to know that he or she will grow up to be a well-mannered adult. I can go on and on….
Do you see the point?
Disciple DOES equal Freedom.
So, while you are eating your free pancakes at IHOP in celebration of Veteran’s Day (yes, I’ll be there), think about how you can become more disciplined in your daily actions and how that can produce more freedom in your life.
Here are a few books and podcasts that have motivated me:
The Miracle Morning – Hal Elrod
The Five-Minute Journal – Tim Ferriss
Discipline Equals Freedom Podcast – Jocko Willink
Morning Routines and Strategies Podcast – Tim Ferriss
Lastly, go thank a veteran today. It’ll make both of your days.
Written by Stuart Grazier