Motivation, Discipline and Habit
Despite the fact that I was up until after midnight, this morning my alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. simultaneously with the chirp of a “get up” text reminder from my success partner. This has been the story of my life Monday – Friday for the last six weeks, without fail. The good news is that I’ve actually been getting up when that happens…for at least the last three weeks 🙂 It took a LOT of effort to get to the point that I just go on and get up, no matter what time I turned in or how warm and cozy my bed and husband are. And this morning as I was getting ready for a 6:30 “meeting” I could see the 5 hours of sleep in my face (I’ll work on that next) but I had to smile because I’m so excited that my 5:30 wake-up time has become a habit. That’s when I decided to talk to you about the difference between motivation, discipline and the sweet reward of habit.
The best way that I can explain this is to first explain why on earth I worked so hard to achieve a habit that makes most people cringe 😛 I don’t have an office to report to at 7 or a field and animals to go tend to; I simply like getting my day started early. If I wake up even at 6:30 or 7:00 I feel like my day is rushed and I find myself in a constant state of overwhelmed. My motivation was that I was so over being overwhelmed all of the time. But that motivation hadn’t really been enough to help me make the necessary changes to my day…every day.
Now, as I mentioned, this successful practice didn’t happen overnight. I spent months trying to figure out the best rhythm for my days. Once I knew that getting up early was my ticket to success (which I already knew and was avoiding because I came to like sleeping in), I made the decision that I needed to figure out how to make it happen. That’s when discipline got invited to the party. This is where I had to drag myself out of bed and go to the living room. Even if I only got up because I wanted to be able to text my success partner back that I was awake. Even if I only read one verse in my Bible or prayed one sentence before nodding off. Even if I started my workout and had to give it 50% effort because I was tired. Getting up on time had to become a “no matter what” goal. Over time, I was able to tell myself to turn the TV off and put the phone down a little earlier at night so that my mornings weren’t as much of a struggle. And eventually, I was rewarded for my efforts.
By getting up at 5:30, I am able to drink my detoxing green tea while I have my quite time with the Lord, then plan my day and maybe even start working (or working out) all before the house starts to wake. These practices start my day on the right foot and bring a sense of calm to my mind and spirit. It is this time that enables me to have a more productive, energetic and positive day, even if I haven’t gotten enough sleep. And I love that feeling. I CRAVE that feeling. That feeling of success and the great increase in my productivity are the trigger that allowed me to create the habit of getting up early. And the beauty of habit is that I don’t even have to think about it anymore. I just get up 🙂
I encourage you to stop relying so much on motivation. Motivation is simply your desire to do, to change, to have; but it doesn’t get you results. Discipline is the secret sauce.
I love to get up early too and have that quiet time. If I don’t, I feel like I have wasted part of my day sleeping. I try to go to bed by 11 so I can get up early and not feel really tired. I love the idea of having a success partner too. I think I’d have a hard time finding someone that gets up that early besides me when we don’t have too (such as getting ready for work.)
Gina I completely agree. It’s so crucial. If I fall off and my guys wake up before me, it just doesn’t quite set the same tone for my day.
I love this. I know I need to get up earlier but I just can’t find the motivation during the winter. For a while I was getting up and walking in the morning. I am hoping to resume that again with the warmer weather and the lighter days of spring. I know I could be so much more productive if I got up just one hour earlier.
Andrea, don’t be hard on yourself. Sometimes changes in the season (literal or figurative) impact us in many ways. Go on and take that dose of self forgiveness and find a routine that gets you to where you want to be.
Your blog post applies to much more than just an early morning routine, and I trust readers will be able to apply it to their own lives. I went through a season of time when I got up at 5:30 am to get to the gym. Although there were some great health benefits, the schedule doesn’t work for me in the long run. Yet, there are other areas where discipline will pay huge dividends. May God greatly use your post (and your blog).
Kim, thanks so much! The concept definitely applies to whatever habits we’re trying to establish, not just rising early. Right now I’m working on a few things in my evening routine. I actually had to put alarms in my phone to stick to it.
HI I love this! This is something I been working so much myself lately and I also been working on getting up at 530 as well but I have my alarm set at 5am so by 530 i am up and out of bed because i am hard headed and need that extra time to wake up. I also feel i get so much done in the morning., when i get up early.
Marie, I have the snooze buffer too!!! When I was a single gal I set my alarm clock across the room and that forced me to get up. I wasn’t “allowed” to get back in the bed. But since the whole point (for me) is to NOT wake the whole house, I’ve had to give myself a little more time.
I am so inspired to carve out time to be with the Lord. That “appointment” is so often the first one to get moved or forgotten. Great reminder that He needs to come first!
Awww, Tamara I’m so glad this inspired you! You’re so right that THE most important we can have every day is the one that we often take the most advantage of and move. Another way I got into that habit of keeping God first is not allowing myself to eat anything until I’ve spent time with the Lord. That definitely worked lol
This is great. I have the motivation and mindset but lack the discipline. I must work on the discipline part to not feel so overwhelmed too~ Thanks 🙂
Lisa, the discipline is the hardest part! Sometimes I have to find ways to “trick” myself into things until they’re a habit, i.e. I can’t eat until I’ve had devotional time, sleeping in my workout clothes, setting annoying alarms in my phone to do my online Spanish lesson. You’ll find what works. You’ve got this!
Loved reading your post. As you said motivation alone does not work. But I think motivation is a part of it continuing to nurture that motivation to make it habit is important. Then the morning routine becomes easy.
Yes! Jessy that is such a good point. When that motivation is strong enough, it can serve as that extra push that we need to do the work.
I don’t mind getting up early if I go to bed early enough the night before. I usually am in bed before midnight and up around 7 or so in the morning. There are times like tonight, however, when I occasionally break that routine and maybe have to go without much sleep for one night to re-adjust.
I find that I can make it one night without enough sleep but if I go two nights in a row, I’m completely trashed that second day. Getting enough sleep definitely trumps the morning routine.