The Discipline Equation

In this newsletter, I share a framework that can help evaluate our goals and aspirations to determine the likelihood that we will remain committed to the pursuit by asking ourselves the following questions:

1. What is our perceived value of achieving the goal—does it matter?
2. Is pursuing the goal psychologically rewarding and engaging—is there joy in the process?
3. Is pursuing the goal psychologically costly and disengaging—is there friction in the process?

As we’re heading into 2025, many are beginning to plan for both personal and professional intentions or goals.

Earlier this year, I discovered a framework that has helped me quickly evaluate for both individual and business goals whether it’s something I/we will remain committed to, with discipline being the determining measure:

Discipline = value of the goal + reward of the pursuit - cost of the pursuit

Without discipline, time management and productivity methods or strategies are worthless because they do not address the root problems, which are the psychological variables we must consider.

Discipline is the underlying characteristic for deciding where to focus, removing friction, determining what truly matters, and staying the course in shaping habits and progressing toward long-term aspirations.?

The dynamics look different for everyone based on personal traits, mindset, emotional intelligence, and external factors.

While the need to tailor for individuality holds, three common threads within this equation often apply to all of us:

What is our perceived value of achieving the goal—does it matter?

For the first factor, our perceived value must be evaluated to understand our “why” and purpose. This part of the equation ensures a strong foundation.

We often pursue things driven by insecurity, seeking validation from the external, such as monetary goals, social status, promotions, titles, etc.?

Consider this being “dragged” instead of “driven.” While it might work to reach the destination, we realize that once achieved, these goals aren’t truly important.

Reflection is essential here, as we often cannot see the forest for the trees when we are focused on something we honestly believe will “make us happy.”

In reality, we must examine whether establishing and accomplishing the goal intrinsically and authentically matters to us.?

Creating clarity around our “why” will help us establish systems and?cues (or triggers)?that remind us of the intrinsic value of continuing to take action.?

Is pursuing the goal psychologically rewarding and engaging—is there joy in the process?

With the second factor, we must evaluate whether repeated engagement with the pursuit of the goal is rewarding.?

We’ll only maintain discipline and return to the actions and behaviors necessary to progress toward the goal by deploying tactics that create natural incentives, be it physiological (dopamine boosts), psychological (affirmations), or both.

Combining our “why” with natural rewards and habitual action forms the behaviors encouraging the continued pursuit.

We must structure the goal in a way that provides energy and enjoyment simply from the process of doing; it must be satisfying and include natural rewards for reinforcement to keep us coming back.

Without it, we are biologically wired to lose discipline and seek something to fulfill those inherent needs.

Is pursuing the goal psychologically costly and disengaging—is there friction in the process?

Lastly, the final factor considers the cost of pursuing the goal.?

Any book on forming habits includes concepts or tactics for removing friction points, the antagonist of discipline.

In other words, make it evident with cues and make it easy to do by removing hurdles.

Out-of-sight, out-of-mind, time constraints, a lack of community and accountability, too much fear, increased difficulty without support, or limited visibility into progress measures are all factors that can increase the perceived cost of pursuing the goal and inhibit our ability to sustain discipline.

If value and enjoyment are present, we must do everything to minimize mental or physical barriers to pursuing the goal—anything that makes the process less enjoyable or motivating.

There will always be some form of psychological cost. Our time is limited, and we must trade with other decisions on how we spend our energy.?

The point is to reduce friction, not to eliminate it.

This also further underscores the importance of having a strong “why” and ensuring natural incentives within the process that motivate us to pursue our goals and outweigh the costs.

How to apply

There’s no right or wrong way to use this framework; it all depends on what resonates with how you want to use it.

For instance, objectivity and numbers help you think through decisions. In that case, use a (0-10) scale with each variable in the equation to compare against other pursuits and prioritize the top goals.

Otherwise, this can serve as a quick reflection to guide strategic thinking (again, individual or organizational) as a surface-level filter to weed out those pursuits unlikely to stick.

If the cost of the pursuit begins to balance out or even overtake the value and reward, our chances of remaining disciplined are low.

“To me, discipline is the?ongoing commitment to pursuing a goal, independent of fluctuating motivation levels, by?consistently exercising self-control, delayed gratification, and perseverance.” -Steven Bartlett

Discipline is not complicated. It’s the ability to remain committed to our pursuits, regardless of setbacks and external circumstances over which we have no control.

While we may not have control, we always have influence.

It’s about aligning our goals with our purpose, values, and strengths, increasing the likelihood of accomplishing our intended outcome.

Above all, ensure that what you set your sights on for 2025 is something you’ll enjoy pursuing.

Listen/watch here:

I learned this framework from Steven Bartlett’s?Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life.

In this snippet of the Modern Wisdom Podcast, Steven talks through this concept and examples of his experience, highlighting where he’s felt dragged instead of driven and how this framework helped him:

https://youtu.be/G57QInhSnJk?si=DuqIdcZriHb9Ps6d

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I also offer leadership coaching. My focus is helping people lead with who they are, aligning decisions, actions, and behaviors with values and principles. If you are interested, you can schedule a free consultation here.

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