What Does Discipline Mean to Me?

Running in the 2021 Los Angeles Marathon

​What does discipline mean to me? I am reflecting on this question at the behest of Dr. Kate, the slow productivity advocate and coach. I am dedicating time and attention to this question because it is a valuable means to organize my thoughts regarding a range of topics that can be productively addressed by doing so. 
 
First, it is worthwhile to propose a definition of discipline. I define discipline as “a set of standards for which to do a particular thing.” Some associate discipline with onerous and restrictive rules intended to enforce conformity. This conception of discipline maintains a negative connotation among more free-spirited people. However, I contend that discipline in service of just or noble ends is no vice. One can significantly enhance their abilities to achieve some desired end through discipline and adherence to a specific practice. In fact, without discipline, the concept of consistency implied in the invocation, one will be hard-pressed to realize their desired ends.

Not all things can come about merely by intending them to do so. Of course, intention is often necessary to achieve a desired end. However, usually, for one to achieve a desired end, one must both intend for an outcome and seek its realization through effortful action. This general characterization applies to a wide range of circumstances. Wishful thinking can only take you so far. At some point, to realize a vision, one must act in service of the vision. 
 
What I have laid out so far describes that action, not intention, is what is generally consequential. But my veneration for discipline goes beyond its role in achievement. That is because I believe specific disciplines to be revelatory. Disciplines or practices, such as yoga, meditation, running, political science, or faithfulness, can reveal aspects about yourself quite distinct from the supposed aims of a particular discipline. Certain practices are spiritual in nature and confer benefits that are not easily quantified or described. These disciplines can contain accumulated wisdom that facilitates the process of self-knowledge. Through consistent practice, one can refine the practice and use it to evaluate oneself from the regularized perspective gained through consistency. In short, discipline can provide a metric for self-assessment. Through that, one can learn their limits and thus themself.
 
I have discussed this topic somewhat abstractly and theoretically. Practically, discipline has helped me tremendously. I have suffered mightily during times of my life when I have struggled to maintain discipline, consistency, and positive habits. I would avoid discipline usually with the justification that discipline constrained my freedom in some way or another.  In embracing such a lifestyle, I would tend toward paths of least resistance. It was the way of the dilettante and charlatan, seeking acclaim and success without a genuine desire to do anything worthy of such recognition. Discipline helps me channel my ambitions into a framework that can be applied to productive use. Furthermore, some of the disciplines I have embraced help me to process suffering and boredom more effectively. To the extent that you can endure suffering, you can love life in all its manifestations. ​