The 94th Edition

I’ve realised why discipline is so valuable

It’s not so we can do more, get further, or become more…

It is a necessary protection against falling apart.

Something to Think About

Discipline is not just about progress, it’s about protection.

Something to Ask Yourself

What small disciplined actions, that you know keep you mentally well, have you been letting slip lately?

Personal Lesson

I’ve felt my discipline slip recently.

Travelling, being out of routine, a bit more time alone than usual… and instead of tightening things up to keep up with a large workload, I’ve become overwhelmed and lacked the one thing I’ve needed the most. Discipline.

I’ve been on my phone more than I should be. Scrolling on social media when I know it’s not helping for productive. I’ve been delaying runs, skipping gym sessions and letting the small things go because I feel stressed and I’m desperate for the comforting feelings of avoidance.

And I can feel the cost of it.

Discipline is never more important than when I’m stressed. And it’s not to push performance, or to hit big goals, it’s to stabilise myself when everything around me feels messy.

Being disciplined about the small things is such a fundamental part of feeling in control during the storm.

But I’ve done the opposite. I’ve deprioritised the things that keep me grounded, and unsurprisingly, my mental health has taken a hit.

It’s a frustrating realisation, because I know better. But knowing and doing are two very different things.

Running – Life’s Metaphor

Running doesn’t just reward discipline with fitness, it rewards it with clarity, routine, and a sense of control when everything else feels uncertain.

Final Thoughts

We’ve been sold a version of discipline that’s all about output. Usually, the people preaching about discipline are not the one’s talking about mental health. 

It’s all about waking up earlier, doing more, being better, pushing harder.

That’s not the full picture, and actually I now see it as a very limited and unhelpful view of discipline.

Discipline, at its core, is maintenance.

It’s the set of behaviours that keep you and your mind steady.

It’s all the small stuff that gives you agency.

It’s putting your phone down, showing up to the gym when no one’s watching, doing the run when you planned to do it instead of fooling yourself into thinking you’ll be able to squeeze it in later.

Sometimes life is chaotic and you might feel like you have too much on. That’s when discipline is something to lean into.

Being disciplined will give you the positive mental strength to handle everything.

And it’s not about being perfect. I hope you can tell, I am not and I know you are not perfect. We are human.

It’s also not about out telling you that you should feel bad for lacking discipline.

Its about recognising what keeps you well, and having the honesty to admit when you’ve drifted from it.

And then just coming back to it with excitement for how it will make you feel. 

And there are so many opportunities throughout the day to practice discipline. So many opportunities to feel good about yourself, to feel in control, to give yourself agency and respect. 

Discipline should excite you. Lacking discipline makes you feel bad, being disciplined makes you feel good. 

Find an opportunity now to practice discipline, and take a decision that brings you back to yourself.

RUN THE RUNNABLE 😉

PS – thank you for everyone who submitted answers to last week’s questions. Although I wasn’t able to reply to everyone, please know that I read each one and they were invaluable for a little bit of market research for me.

In a few weeks, all will be revealed and V1 of the app will be available