Why “Discipline equals freedom” will change your life

 

Image: Amazon 

Luis Felipe Montoya

Former navy seal Jocko Willink wrote this book back in 2017 to try and explain to anyone reading it why discipline is very easy to obtain and will always help you out. The book touches topics such as self-indulgence, lack of willpower, and how to become disciplined. My favorite quote from the book is “ Don’t count on motivation, count on discipline”. That quote itself is the entire book. Jocko talks about why you shouldn’t procrastinate at all “take action. And don’t let another day slip by”, the chapter “sugar-coated lies” explains it pretty well, it takes donuts for example. Sweetness and pure self-indulgence, zero control over oneself, and all forgiveness for one’s mistakes. But Jocko says no. 

He says that every “donut” chance you get, avoid it, the only thing those actions will make is to put you down later, make you feel weak and gullible. He calls the metaphorical donuts poison. Because that’s what they are for you; all those times you gave up something important to have a “cheat” moment you just self sabotage and poison yourself more and more. The donuts are not real; they’re just a metaphor for bad habits your dismiss as normal. 

Jocko talks about weakness as well. “I am weak, but I don’t accept that is what I’m doomed to be” This applies to everyone. We all have weak spots and things that prevent us from going further, but it’s whether you accept it’s your fate to stay like that or not that changes it. “Don’t negotiate with weakness” Don’t you dare tell yourself it’s alright you couldn’t push forward on your goal because that’s just as good as giving up. You need to keep pushing yourself until you make it “there’s no such thing as a weekend, this is an everyday gig”. 

But why should this book change you? Why should it hold the power to do it? The thing is… it doesn’t have the power to change your life. Who is the one who has control over you? Who is the one who chooses to not just read the book but to get things done? You. “You must own everything in your world, there’s no one else to blame” You are the one who is “attacking” the day by putting the book’s contents in your actions. But you are also the only one to blame for the factors you can control. If you gained weight by eating badly then it’s your fault and no one else’s. 

But what about the things that aren’t in your control? Find a way around. “Good leaders don’t make excuses, instead, they try to find a way to get it done” Because telling yourself I can’t do X activity because work takes my afternoon is not a reason, its an excuse. Because in that scenario you could do the activity in the morning, or in night. However, a reason is not an excuse; it’s just something that you truly can’t change and can’t get around. Why can’t you do your activity in the afternoon? Because you have work to do and because your activity must be done in the afternoon for whatever reason. Learn the difference and you’ll be getting things done before you know. 

In conclusion, this book will not change your life unless you are willing to put it into action. However, what it teaches you is valuable because it helps you realize you often self-sabotage yourself without being conscious of it; you didn’t even think it was self-sabotage at all did you? Well, now you know.