The Two Keys

“Hard work beats talent when talent hardly works.”

An underlying journey for every creative is in finding the perfect balance between discipline and motivation. Each person is unique with their own unique needs, so there is no one universal balance that works for everyone. However, finding a healthy balance between discipline and motivation is a delicate dance that fuels creative work and brings ideas to life.

Discipline is the backbone of any successful creative endeavor. It provides structure and consistency to the creative process, ensuring that ideas are nurtured and brought to fruition.

A regular routine cultivates a creative rhythm, creating a sacred space in time to foster momentum. Whether it's setting aside a specific time each day or dedicating certain days of the week to creative pursuits, discipline creates an environment that nurtures the execution of ideas.

Something I continue to remind myself is the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Nor will the works I want to complete be completed in a single day.

It’s just not possible.

And, unfortunately, believing that a Big Project can be completed - start to finish - in a single day often leads to dejection and burnout, which then in turn leads to the Achilles heel of all creative people: procrastination.

When we procrastinate, we’re really just avoiding the activities we want or need to do. Maybe we’re burnt out. Maybe we’re anxious. Maybe we just don’t want to do whatever the activity is. No matter the case, procrastination only serves to put off the activity - it doesn’t disappear or complete itself (as much as we want to believe that it will).

A vestigial trap of procrastination is, “I’m waiting for motivation.”

No. Don’t wait around. That never works.

If we wait for motivation to show up, we’ll be waiting a long time. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that motivation is the key to escaping procrastination. But it’s not.

Discipline is the true key.

Discipline helps conquer the notorious foe that is procrastination. A strong routine nudges us to push through moments of resistance and self-doubt, fostering a work ethic that propels us forward even when the initial excitement wanes.

But it’s almost paradoxical, the relationship between discipline and motivation. The latter is not a bad thing; it can be good or bad depending on when it shows itself.

Discipline and motivation are not adversaries; rather, they complement each other. When discipline lays the foundation, motivation becomes the fuel that pushes us towards our goals. As we progress, the satisfaction derived from discipline itself becomes a motivating force.

I’ve mentioned this in previous entries: the positive feedback loop. Discipline provides a starting point. As we move forward, the small accomplishments begin to accumulate, which fuels our motivation to continue. Eventually, the vision of our goals take shape in a tangible way.

It’s up to us to use discipline and motivation as the keys to unlocking our potential.