Discipline: Living Fully Free

A tree is a living structure. We know what it is because it is structured in a certain way. Structure often begets structure, and this is the case when it comes to trees. The structure of trees is broken down and used in thousands (yes, thousands) of products that are produced and consumed as goods in our modern world, including things such as: popsicle sticks, railroads, roller coasters, spoons, kegs, dams, athletic equipment, clothespins, ladders, spools, blankets, building insulation, diapers and sanitary pads, leather tanning agents, and beyond. Not to mention all the byproducts that come from different elements within the tree, things like cellulose and wood pulp. This structure is turned into additional structure which we all benefit from in major ways. As I write this, I am sitting on a chair that is framed entirely by wood, while sitting in an apartment that undoubtedly has a large amount of wood helping hold and secure the construction into a suitable, comfortable, and dependable environment to call home.

Structure begets structure.

And structure enables freedom.

We'll come back to that idea in a minute...

So far in this series on discipline, we've primarily been focused on what discipline is, why we are often averse to it, what it looks like, and the proper way to approach it. Now I'd like to turn our attention to what it produces: the fruit of discipline.

Similar to trees, discipline is a structure that produces much fruit. This fruit can be categorically summed up in one word: freedom. We all know and acknowledge that with discipline comes growth, but rarely do we recognize that with it also comes freedom.

Freedom is the fruit that discipline produces.

What Is Freedom?

Freedom isn't often what people think it is. Total and unbridled freedom is the fantasy most of us entertain in our minds, yet it doesn't deliver on its promises. With limitless money, freedom from all responsibilities, and never-ending time, I believe most of (if not all of) us would lapse into some form of depression, self-delusion, narcissism, or even worse: boredom. The joys in life come from the challenges along the way, from the relationships with other human beings, and from the responsibilities we are given or earn through our efforts and actions.

Freedom is not the absence of responsibility, freedom is the presence of unbridled fulfillment from an undivided focus on fulfilling our commitments and responsibilities to the best of our abilities. Freedom is the ability to “work hard at work worth doing,” as Theodore Roosevelt famously coined.

Freedom is not some imagined life of sitting on the beach with a cocktail in hand, day after day after day. That is inevitable boredom. We have been wired for purpose, made for a mission, created with a calling. Humans have a natural disposition that benefits from responsibility, that responds to being called on for more than we think we are capable of.

Freedom is the creation of an environment—the curation of a setting—where we are enabled and empowered to unleash our greatest work for the world's greatest good. That is what I believe freedom feels like at its core, and that is precisely what discipline produces.

How Does Discipline Produce Freedom?

Back to the idea we began with: structure begets structure. Humans are wired for structure—we thrive off structure. We see this even from the earliest days of being human. Infants show the strongest development and growth as little humans when they are in a loving, nurturing, and protected environment, ultimately in an environment that is structured.

While the world around us does not lend itself to structure (more often than not it resembles a picture of mild-to-moderate chaos), humans thrive when they create a semblance of structure from that chaos. Think of the more recent phenomena of working from home. In 2020, the majority of people faced a new challenge: how to stay productive and efficient while working from the place they live. This provided new difficulties for most of us with not having the natural cadence of traveling to a new environment that was designated as “work.” Until that rhythm is no longer present, we don't realize how helpful the structure of: a) being at work, and b) being at home, is for us. The new normal (at least for now) forces us to realize the importance of structure (discipline) and work to instill it in new ways while still being in the same setting (for example: designating a room or spot in your house as your “office” where you naturally shift into work-mode).

In having the structure to differentiate between work-life and home-life, we produce more freedom in both settings! It creates a greater ability for us to focus on the responsibilities before us and own up to the challenges faced in each realm.

Not only does discipline help us in the everyday moments of our daily lives, it also sets us up for success in future situations that require preparation. One stark example is in the game of chess (shout-out to all my Queen's Gambit fans out there). In chess, the amount of preparation you have done (the amount of discipline applied beforehand) allows you to be proactive instead of reactive against your opponent. Without full preparation, we often fall prey to the opposing force.

Discipline is the structure that creates full freedom within the moments of daily life, as well as full freedom in performance and authentic expression from proper and ample discipline in preparation for those times.

To state it succinctly: discipline creates freedom by providing the proper structure that supports us foundationally, which gives us the ability (the freedom) to put all our energy, creativity, and focus into the performance at hand.

What Keeps Us From Living Fully Free?

The easiest answer to the question of what keeps us from living fully free is: life. Life will never automatically attach itself to our agenda, hopes, or dreams. Life doesn't lend itself to the natural creation of discipline, and thus the natural result of freedom. We have to work for it.

In life, there are a host of forces that prevent us from freely living, including:
— worries
— busyness
— expectations (often imagined or self-imposed)
— obligations or commitments (aka: not saying "no" enough)
— unexpected setbacks or challenges
— lack of self-care
— reactive emotions
and on and on the list goes.

In the realm of creating and applying discipline to our daily lives, there are many more forces working against us than working for us. This is why the work matters so much, because in order for us to live fully free, discipline must be a consistent, daily practice. This freedom allows us to be proactive instead of reactive, to be freed up instead of weighed down, to be progressing instead of regressing.

Discipline Is The Way

If I believe anything to be true of my own experience thus far, I believe this: discipline is the way to a life well-lived.

Discipline is the way to never settling for less than you are capable of.

Discipline is the way to live fully free.

Discipline is the way to a life of no regrets.

Discipline is the way to all that you were meant to be.

The question is: are you ready to believe?

If so, take action.