Motivation or Discipline?

Everyone desires to be successful, be it in one endeavour or the other. I hardly think you will find a person who doesn't desire success in whatever they do. The student in school seeks success in his or her academics, the businessman/businesswoman desires success in that business, the leader, the musician, the sportsman/sportswoman, the corporate worker, the entrepreneur, the artisan, and everyone desires that success in their crafts or work.

Life itself is a journey towards success. Hence, to whatever an individual sets their hands and intentions into, it is with the hope of succeeding in it. Nobody, I believe will go into a venture that's a failure already. This is why we find that there are things as analysis and risk management, research to ascertain if there will be a good return on a venture or journey to undertake.

In a bid to attain success, key instruments will need to be in place as necessary tools to help an individual or a body. Two of such as addressed or considered from this prompt are the roles of motivation and that of discipline. And it emphasises which plays the major role, or is needed to attain the success one desires.

Motivation is certainly instrumental. You come across the success stories of many people and you hear them mention how one motivation or the other kept them going. Motivation is that resource that strengthens the will and desire of a person to keep on pursuing that success, even in the face of weakness, or what could look like a failure already. It's a handy resource to have in one's bid for success.

Discipline; such a heavy word, is one powerful and necessary quality and tool to possess. Amid the raging storms of life, and the exhaustion from the quest for a desire to succeed, discipline stands as the instrument, the needed tool to help one prevail. It's said that “it's not about how you start a thing, but about how you finish it.” Discipline is that thing that helps you finish it, because for sure, it will look tiring and unbearable at some point.

I consider more the work of discipline in attaining success. “Consistency is key”, but what makes it so is the role of discipline employed in the equation. And you'll agree that what will make for success and excellence, especially in a skill or craft, or even work is the consistency put into it. It makes for growth and high standards, and these are things that bring success.

As an example, venturing into my graphics design skill was a journey of passion and motivation. I was motivated to do something meaningful with my limited resources and to earn for myself as well. The motivation pushed me, and had me rolling, but then, discipline through consistent efforts gave me growth and opportunities. Wasn't that the success desired? Of course, it was.

You follow closely with the story and analysis, you'll understand that the role of motivation wasn't ignored nor downgraded in my discourse. So, this I'll say, motivation is the fuel one needs to start and keep moving on a venture towards a successful output, and discipline comes in as the engine and power to remain on the course for that success desired. Safe to say, motivation paints the success, discipline brings it to life.

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Images are mine.

Thank you for reading through!