When it comes to entrepreneurship, success often hinges on two primary factors: motivation and discipline.

While both play integral roles in propelling your business forward, they do so in different ways, making it essential to recognize the nuances of how each works and is put into practice. This understanding may help you better navigate the complex landscape of business ownership and achieve your goals more efficiently.

What is motivation?

Motivation is the spark that propels entrepreneurs forward in their initial ideas and inspiration. It’s the reason they have to act in the first place—the why behind what they’re doing. This drive can stem from numerous sources, be it your passion for your trade, your ambition to create a rewarding business, or your desire to make a difference in the world. Whatever your objective, you feel an enthusiasm to pursue it with the expectation of a positive outcome, which helps keep your eye on the prize in the process.

Because of this, motivation is often characterized by feelings of excitement, optimism, and eagerness to take action. However, these feelings can fluctuate greatly depending on your circumstances. You may have additional bursts of enthusiasm when you hit a major sales goal or receive positive feedback from your peers and clients, but you may also be discouraged by the inevitable challenges you will face in your journey. Factors such as low sales numbers or missed deals may dampen your zeal and reduce your motivation—and, consequently, your effort—over time. That’s why relying solely on this factor to drive productivity and progress may lead to inconsistency in your actions, ultimately hindering your long-term success.

What is discipline?

In contrast, discipline is the unwavering commitment to consistent action, regardless of external circumstances or emotional reactions. In other words, it’s your ability to adhere to a set of principles, routines, and habits that facilitate progress toward your goals, even when your motivation may have faded.

Naturally, discipline requires a great deal of self-control, perseverance, and resilience to help you get through the boring or difficult tasks along with any setbacks, whether big or small. This involves prioritizing long-term objectives over short-term gratification and being willing to endure discomfort or adversity in your pursuit of success. You have to be intentional with your actions and dedicated to doing what needs to be done each day. Entrepreneurs who cultivate this level of discipline can establish more productive regimens that help them not only manage their time more effectively but also overcome obstacles with greater determination.

While discipline may not always evoke the same level of excitement as motivation, it serves as a reliable foundation for sustainable growth and achievement. By not putting your actions at the whim of the highs and lows that come with motivation, you can cultivate better behaviors to help you remain focused and maintain steadier progress toward your long-term goals no matter the difficulties.

Balancing the two

Though they may seem at opposite ends, motivation and discipline go hand in hand: the former provides the initial impetus for you to pursue your business goals and dreams, while the latter gives you the resilience to continue the journey in the face of any adversity. That’s why it’s essential to find the right balance between the two. Start by fully examining what’s motivating you to pursue your path. If you don’t have a clearly defined vision, you can’t understand what you’re working toward and, thus, can’t take actionable steps to achieve it.

Once you’re confident in your purpose, establish short- and long-term goals that are SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. By having these objectives, you can better align your actions with your vision, which may provide more clarity and direction for your efforts and keep you pushing forward even when you may not feel like it.

The next step is to develop daily routines that support your goals. These habits will assist you in maintaining your productivity and focus as you complete each task, no matter how rote or difficult. A key part of this is cultivating accountability. While that primarily involves holding yourself accountable for your actions and progress, you may also want to seek feedback from your peers or mentors, who may be able to provide a more objective viewpoint to help you better understand what steps to take in your vision and mission.

Finally, though it’s impossible to achieve success without hard work, it’s essential to prioritize your well-being so you don’t end up reaching burnout. By taking a break on weekends and establishing a healthy work-life balance, you’ll feel more energized, enabling you to stoke your passion and fortify your resilience to continue working toward success.

While it may be your motivation that ignites your initial flame of inspiration, it’s your discipline that will keep it burning. Integrate both into your journey, and you can better unlock your full entrepreneurial potential and overcome any obstacles you may face along the way.

TAKE ACTION:
Examine the “why” behind your actions, and determine what steps you can take to help you better achieve your short- and long-term goals.