New Year, New Me?

Using Discipline When Motivation Fades

The New Year often brings a lot of excitement!

You’ve probably spent some time in the last few months reflecting on last year, celebrating what you accomplished and closely examining the parts of your life that didn’t go according to plan. We often start the new year with a fresh perspective, new goals, and a lot of hope for what the next 12 months can give us.

Most people start in January with high motivation…but what happens when your motivation starts to dwindle?

It can be very difficult to stay consistent with your goals and habits when you are not feeling motivated. In fact, it’s often a slippery slope, showing itself to be temporary, unpredictable, and could actually undermine your long-term success.

What motivation cannot conquer, discipline can.

Discipline is often considered better than motivation because it provides a consistent framework for action, regardless of how you feel in any one specific moment.

Let’s look at some differences between motivation and discipline:

Motivation is fleeting; discipline is consistent

Motivation is emotional and can fluctuate daily, based on circumstances, energy levels, or mood. Discipline, on the other hand, is a habit or a commitment that persists even when motivation is absent. Life is full of stress, bad days, and moments of temptation. Discipline allows you to stay on track when emotions or circumstances make it tempting to go off track. Instead of stress eating after a bad day, discipline might lead you to prepare a nutritious meal or go for a walk to decompress.

Discipline builds habits.

By relying on discipline, you create routines and systems that make actions automatic. Over time, disciplined actions become habits, reducing the mental effort required to perform them. Planning and preparing meals for your week, or scheduling workouts for the same days every week ultimately results in it becoming second nature when done consistently.

Discipline aligns with long-term goals

Motivation often focuses on short-term goals (fitting into a smaller dress for an event) while discipline emphasizes the long-term success by helping you take necessary actions, even when they aren’t enjoyable. Discipline focuses on the long-term benefits of better health, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and improved mental well-being.

Discipline builds resilience

By practicing discipline, you train yourself to push through challenges and discomfort, developing mental toughness and consistency. It helps break the cycle of excuses. Discipline silences the “I’ll start tomorrow” mindset. It helps you follow through on your commitments, even when circumstances aren’t ideal. If you wake up tired but go for a workout anyway, you’ve disciplined yourself to prioritize your health.

Discipline sets a strong example

When you rely on discipline, you inspire others around you, such as family, friends, or colleagues. This ripple effect can create a healthier environment and accountability system. You begin to show others your ability to prioritize long-term goals over immediate gratification, and this will encourage others to evaluate their own choices and make changes too!

If you’re looking forward to the new year, don’t let dwindling motivation slow you down.

Discipline is simply a more reliable and sustainable approach when strivingfor success. By focusing on discipline, you build better habits that align with your long-term goals, fostering progress even on the most difficult days. Ultimately, discipline will ensure that you remain committed to your journey, making it the key to lasting success in any area of your life.

Ready to turn your New Year goals into lasting success? Motivation fades, but discipline gets results—and our Commit to Six program is here to guide you every step of the way. With expert coaching, accountability, and a proven system, you’ll build the habits that truly stick. Don’t wait—spots are limited! Register now for our Commit to Six New Year program, and if you sign up by December 27th using code 'COMMIT2025,' you’ll save $50. Let’s make this your most successful year yet!"