Discipline and Self-Discipline
We were talking in an earlier post about the choreographer Twyla Tharp and her book, The Creative Habit. Let’s dig a little deeper into the principles that underlie Ms. Tharp’s mindset and that book.
What we’re really talking about is the difference between discipline and self-discipline.
If you’re a private in the army or a linebacker for the Chicago Bears, each day you practice. You run drills. You train in the gym. You do rehab for injuries.
That’s discipline, but it’s not self-discipline.
It’s not self-discipline because the structure of your day is imposed on you from without, by coaches, by superior officers, by teammates. A schedule is posted on the wall and you follow it. In the army, you literally have a sergeant yelling at you to get out of bed, run up that hill, get down and bang out fifty pushups.
Externally-imposed discipline is great, but it’s not what you and I need as artists and entrepreneurs. In our world, there are no sergeants. There is no boss, no coach, no mentor. We have to be our own coaches, our own editors, our own motivators.
Think back to Twlya Tharp, catching that cab for the gym at five in the morning. That’s self-discipline. That’s self-motivation. That’s self-reinforcement.
DO THE WORK
Steve shows you the predictable Resistance points that every writer hits in a work-in-progress and then shows you how to deal with each one of these sticking points. This book shows you how to keep going with your work.
THE AUTHENTIC SWING
A short book about the writing of a first novel: for Steve, The Legend of Bagger Vance. Having failed with three earlier attempts at novels, here's how Steve finally succeeded.
NOBODY WANTS TO READ YOUR SH*T
Steve shares his "lessons learned" from the trenches of the five different writing careers—advertising, screenwriting, fiction, nonfiction, and self-help. This is tradecraft. An MFA in Writing in 197 pages.
TURNING PRO
Amateurs have amateur habits. Pros have pro habits. When we turn pro, we give up the comfortable life but we find our power. Steve answers the question, "How do we overcome Resistance?"
Brilliant post Steven! There’s something also to be said about consistent self-discipline regardless of outcomes,which is an idea from your book, The War of Art
<3
One of my lifetime favorite quotes is from Bum Phillips: “The only discipline that lasts is self-discipline.”
Thanks for this. Reminds me of a saying in self-help and personal growth circles that the foundational requirement is, you have to show up for your own rescue. I can stay in my warm bed with my lukewarm reasons and rationalizations and vows to do better tomorrow, but the real game begins when I find the determination to show up for myself.
Thank you very much dear Steve!
You said on IG a few days ago that there’s no antagonism in the writing field. Because 99,9999% don’t actually ever finish the book, so actually there is no competition. What a thought.
Maybe, just maybe, this goes for all fields.
I liked the discipline/self-discipline notion. In Greece the word for job (the work we do out there to pay the bills) is δουλειά. But if you send the stress mark one position to the left and write it again, δουλεία, it actually means slavery. It’s very interesting. But you can’t call self discipline αυτο-δουλειά, that would be self-job. Self-discipline is called αυτο-πειθαρχία.
We must mobilize self discipline, but in the wisest manner each one of us has reached so far. It is a resource, and like all such, we must find how to invest it or else we throw it away unknowingly -like money, like life.
Maybe it’s not that much the journey of the hero, but more accurately the journey of self-discipline. In which natural flow must also be present – I slowly feel the thin ballance between disciplining and flowing. Are we touching parts of an elephant not seeing the whole beast? Discipline, flow, are they the two spots or only 2 of 1000 we must master?
I send my love to all the people, and you and Diana.
Tolis… thanks for this language interpretation. Self-discipline and compulsion being close cousins.
Digging a little deeper, then, into the etymology of the word “slavery,” it traces back first to Middle English and further back, to the Greek.
Sklábos (Σκλάβος), meaning “Slavic” or “Slav” person, hearkening to the 8th and 9th centuries when large numbers of Slavic people were captured and enslaved by the Byzantine empire. We’re all in this web of language and history.
Thank you dear Joe! Yes σκλάβος is the enslaved in ordinary language, and I didn’t know the slavic etymology. But the roots, they make such words fly like leaves in autumn. The wind blows us all and one dqy we will fly with the leaves…
Dear Tolis,
I must exercise αυτο-πειθαρχία even when no one is listening. I do the work!! I needed this reminder today, friends.
–Kate
My dear Kate you are already the flow. Unleash you and αυτο-πειθαρχία will be hunting you.
Dear Steve, I tried to enclose a clip of Pema Chodron explaining “Comfort Zone / Challenge ( Learning Zone)/ Excessive risk; but there’s still stuff I don’t know about Email.,But I’ll give it another try..it can be found on YouTube.
Be my own sergeant? Can do.
Thank you sharing. I have been chewing on this recently as I strive through resistance.
Very interesting idea, the difference between self-discipline and discipline. I belong to a writing group of about four people. For the past three years, we have met once a week (with a few mutually-agreed and scheduled breaks) and share our writing on our works-in-progress. In a way, just being part of this group and showing up for the weekly meeting is a variety of self-discipline — like Twyla Tharp catching her morning cab ride to the gym.
Thank you Steve !
I often struggle with discipline. The word discipline makes me feel discomfort, pain and struggle. And yet on the other side of discipline awaits the joy of success. No pain no gain. As an entrepreneur, tradesmen, restaurant owner and an upcoming author, learning the difference between discipline and self discipline. Knowing self discipline comes from within, is a great reminder what it takes to succeed and follow through with your desires. I appreciate your authenticity in all your works! May I reconnect with my self-discipline moving forward, starting now. Thanks again.
I’m in limbo. At a crossroads. Lost most of my work this year, and have regained some clients, but not enough to get by. The reason I freelance is to prioritize writing fiction, health, and exercise. But I’d rather be doing physical work outdoors. It’ll work out one way or another.
Hang tough, John. Things are always changing. Often for the better.
Steven,
After I read this one, I went directly to the studio to splash in. Thank you.
There’s something sacred about keeping promises to ourselves, isn’t there?
Back to work. All it took was a reread of the War of Art, good vibes from Sam, and to quit bullshitting myself and just do the work. Thanks for the the book, Steve, and this online community.
This is exactly what I needed to read today. Thanks Steve!
Steve, your words hit exactly where it hurts the most. I’ve been struggling with the same amateur habits and that damn Resistance for ages. Your book is like a wake-up call I never knew I needed. The way you connect discipline to flow, to self-mastery—it’s not just about writing; it’s about life. And Tolis’ etymology twist? Mind-blowing! We’re all caught in this web, aren’t we? Sometimes, just showing up feels like a victory. But your reminder to treat self-discipline like an investment? That’s gold. Hang in there, John. Things *will* change. And for everyone else, like Kate and Maria, keep doing the work—even when no one’s watching. Thanks for this, Steve. Truly.Mercury Coder