A Lot of Extra Faith in God Too
The thread that holds every long-term goal together
There's a quiet but forceful influence that separates those who dream from those who do. It's not talent, intelligence, or even passion. It's discipline.
Discipline is the thread that holds every long-term goal together. It's the thing that shows up when motivation doesn't, and it's often the one thing that determines whether you will actually make it in life or not. Self-discipline will take you places motivation can't and working on sharpening mine is the season I’m in right now.
Currently, I'm navigating through my own struggle with discipline. As I prepare for law school, I constantly wrestle with distractions. Bottles of prosecco that turn into full-blown drunk nights, planning for personal ventures, fatigue, and the urge to delay or take shortcuts to make life more convenient. But deep down, I know that discipline and trust in God are the only powerful and collaborative forces that will gracefully carry me from where I am now to that law school classroom and eventually across the graduation stage. Waking up every day and choosing to stay focused, to stay sober, and to stay the course even when it's hard, or especially when it's hard, God and discipline are what I'll have to fall back on to stay the course.
Discipline is about making choices with your future self and lifestyle in mind.
When I found out I was pregnant, I was faced with a choice. I could continue chasing temporary highs with my 3.5 deliveries every two business days, or I could lay it to rest and begin preparing myself to become the woman and mother I knew I needed to be. That was the beginning of a more disciplined life and choosing what's right over what's easy. Somehow, knowing I was pregnant with my son made the decision a no-brainer because I knew a part of him coming out healthy depended on me and my actions. I have to practice taking the strength I mustered in that moment and applying it in every area of my life. He came out healthy, and now that he's physically here, my job is far from over. My job now is to ensure that all my actions reflect my understanding that the childhood my son will experience, the resources he will have, and the opportunities that will be presented to him are also dependent on me, his dad, and the levels of discipline we can achieve.
One of my favorite lyrics is from Rod Wave's "An Angel With an Attitude":
"Life's about choices, you live with what you choose."
And it couldn't be more true. Every single one of us is living as the result of our past decisions.
But discipline doesn't act alone. It's really just the starting point, not the finish line.
You need a vision, a plan for some form of direction, and a whole lot of faith in sticking to doing what feels right to your soul. You need to trust that God will meet you halfway when you take the first steps and show him that you're willing to do the footwork. You have to trust that he will bring to fruition the things that are aligned with his will for your life, even if it doesn't turn out the way you’d expected. Trusting in God’s plans will allow your life to turn out as it should. Standing on discipline will always land you exactly where you're meant to be at the perfect time.
Discipline also assists you in building a solid network with like-minded individuals who are either aligned with where you are or aligned with where you want to be. A community of people who open doors, connect you to them, offer insight, or remind you of who you are when you forget because, as humans, there will always be times when we fall short in self-motivation and seeing the best in ourselves.
But none of that happens if you don't show up for yourself first.
We want opportunities but often forget that they usually show up after preparation and physical effort. Opportunity doesn't knock unless you've put yourself in a position to hear it.
While discipline is a character trait, it's also a skill that you have to be committed to sharpening. You're going to have to get comfortable being uncomfortable. You're going to have to choose long-term growth over instant gratification. You're going to have to say no to things you want now for temporary satisfaction to say yes to the life you deeply desire. You're going to have to pick your hard and pick it wisely because, in all reality, everything is hard.
And it isn’t just about restricting yourself from doing what you're tempted to do—or not to do, it’s developing the deep understanding that your discipline will ultimately be the soil where powerful things grow. From consistency and focus to resilience, patience, and self-control. Discipline lays the foundation for the habits that shape your future. It produces confidence, clarity, and long-term success. These are the fruits you bear from showing up, even when it’s hard.
Being disciplined won't always feel good, and it's far from easy. But it will always be worth it.
Some of my daily reminders:
You're not lazy. You're just distracted and need to reevaluate your priorities.
You're not unqualified. You need to stay the course; great things are ahead.
You're not alone in your struggles. But no one can overcome it for you.
This isn't a me-to-you post. This is also from me to me. It's a reminder. Because every time I chose discipline and trusted that everything else would fall into place, it did.
