Read

What’s More Important for Fitness: Motivation or Discipline?

Published:
December 15, 2023
June 27, 2022
Read to learn about motivation vs discipline in your fitness journey.|Read to learn about motivation vs discipline in your fitness journey.

What is the difference between discipline and motivation — especially when it comes to fitness? 

Discipline is officially defined as “training that molds.” It’s not just doing something, or even having the will to do something — it is building yourself up to make practices and good habits a part of your normal routine. When it comes to exercising, discipline is what makes something out of the ordinary become second nature.

Motivation, on the other hand, points to the reason behind action. Why do you wake up early before work to go for a run? Why do you keep going back to the pullup bar when it’s been weeks and you still can’t quite reach your chin to the bar? You’re chasing a goal — that’s motivation. 

So, in short: Discipline is showing up to do something repeatedly, and motivation is the reason why.

In achieving fitness goals (or any goal, for that matter), which is more important: discipline or motivation? This answer will vary for each person. Think about your previous health or exercise benchmarks. When you didn’t achieve something, what stopped you? When you did achieve something, what kept you going?

Many times, people think of motivation and discipline as a linear story: I want X (motivation); therefore, it’s time for Y (discipline). I want to be able to run a marathon (motivation); therefore, it’s time to run after work (discipline). 

It’s easier to examine the relationship between motivation and discipline when it’s a one-time thing, or when motivation exclusively shapes discipline. Without motivation, it’s hard to see what makes a person follow through. After all, it’s difficult to stick to a behavior when there is no “why” behind the choices you make. 

Yet, without discipline, what makes a person actually act on something? I’ll be the first to admit that there needs to be willpower involved when it comes to fitness discipline. With my work schedule, exercise needs to happen early in the morning or right when I get home when I just want to relax. In colder temperatures, a workout requires that I step out in 30 degree weather. For me, at 6:00 in the morning, motivation doesn’t feel like enough. What separates motivation from discipline is driving oneself to, as Nike says, “just do it”.

Improving my ability to do the things I don’t want to in the moment shapes the person I want to become: one who is able to strive for something hard and achieve it. 

Fitness, in particular, doesn’t come easy. I stress the importance of small gains and taking things day by day because it’s easy to get overwhelmed looking at the big picture. Most things with a high reward aren’t simply handed to us. Motivation works to provide the extra drive when it’s difficult; discipline is what, in the moment, gets our butt out the door. 

This applies to all decisions we make — whether physical, spiritual, mental, or any other aspect of our lives. When I was in college, I was a part of a student organization that raised money for pediatric rehabilitation programs through a 24-hour dance marathon. As someone who loves dancing and helping people, I didn’t have to fight for motivation to sign up for something like this. The project became a little less motivating, however, after 15 hours of standing. Consistently, the leaders reminded us, “If you want to quit, remember why you stand.” They were reminding us of our motivation. 

For something like a dance marathon, lacking consistent motivation means you quit after the slightest discomfort. Lacking discipline, however, means you don’t stand up in the first place. I needed a persistent circle of discipline and motivation to get me through. 

Ultimately, you can’t have motivation without discipline, and it’s hard to sustain discipline without motivation. In many ways, one feeds the other on a continual basis.

I invite you to consider your fitness goals. What motivates you to achieve those goals, and what will help you get there when it’s hard? It’s important to keep both motivation and discipline in mind and to remember that both play an integral part in the fitness journey. For some, motivation will play a bigger role; for others, it will be saying “yes” in the daily actions of each day. 

Whichever you lean on more, allow the development of your fitness habits to be “training that molds.”

Creators:
Claire Krakowiak
Published:
December 15, 2023
June 27, 2022
On a related note...
Self-Care Basics: Why It Matters and Where to Start

Self-Care Basics: Why It Matters and Where to Start

Julia Hogan-Werner

4 Things I Didn’t Expect from Pregnancy

4 Things I Didn’t Expect from Pregnancy

Mariah Cressy

3 Tips to De-Clutter Your Life

3 Tips to De-Clutter Your Life

Chris Hazell

Having the Strength to Name and Overcome My Alcoholism

Having the Strength to Name and Overcome My Alcoholism

Erica Tighe Campbell

6 Questions to Help You Discover Your Personal Style

6 Questions to Help You Discover Your Personal Style

Lillian Fallon

4 Tips for Sharing a WFH Space with a Spouse

4 Tips for Sharing a WFH Space with a Spouse

Sarah Coffey

3 Secrets to Being Happy in Singlehood

3 Secrets to Being Happy in Singlehood

Isaac Huss

How to Make Vegan-Friendly Meals for the Holidays

How to Make Vegan-Friendly Meals for the Holidays

Mariah Cressy

5 Valuable Lessons from ‘The Great British Baking Show’

5 Valuable Lessons from ‘The Great British Baking Show’

Brandy Norton

Youth Running Club Gives Girls Confidence | Little Ways: Mentor

Youth Running Club Gives Girls Confidence | Little Ways: Mentor

Grotto

The Journaling Exercise that Boosted My Creativity

The Journaling Exercise that Boosted My Creativity

Hunter Cates

College Can Be Overwhelming — These Insights Can Help

College Can Be Overwhelming — These Insights Can Help

Grotto Shares

How to Change the Way You Confront Challenges

How to Change the Way You Confront Challenges

Paul Mitchell

How I Realized the Value of Vulnerability

How I Realized the Value of Vulnerability

Mariah Cressy

Lessons Learned at the Old Man Gym

Lessons Learned at the Old Man Gym

Javi Zubizarreta

How Much to Drink on Dates (and Still Have Fun)

How Much to Drink on Dates (and Still Have Fun)

Isaac Huss

Discovering True Love After the Wedding

Discovering True Love After the Wedding

Sofía Muñoz Abou-Jaoudé

How I Learned to Love Art Museums

How I Learned to Love Art Museums

Jessica Mannen Kimmet

7 Ways to Grow More Confident

7 Ways to Grow More Confident

Sophie Caldecott

6 Steps to Addressing Your Workplace Burnout

6 Steps to Addressing Your Workplace Burnout

Tony Oleck

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.