Why Discipline Over Motivation Is One of Life’s Most Important Virtues

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that can make life profoundly challenging. Many autistic people struggle with executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory issues, and social communication. There are reasons why discipline over motivation is one of life's most important virtues.This can make even basic daily tasks difficult. However, having discipline and structure in one’s life can be immensely helpful for overcoming these challenges. Discipline over motivation provides stability, develops important life skills, manages emotions, provides structure for achieving goals, and boosts self-esteem. For these reasons, discipline over motivation is a valuable tool for autistic individuals seeking to gain confidence, independence and personal growth.

So, why discipline over motivation? Discipline is one of the most important virtues because motivation is fickle; you can’t always rely on feeling motivated to do stuff, to accomplish your goals, to improve yourself but you can rely on discipline. Motivation is absolutely a good thing and can help you get started toward achieving goals. However, discipline makes you consistent, methodical, efficient.

Discipline will keep you on the path to achieve your goals and become the person you want to be; you can’t overstate the value of this virtue it really is one of the most important things in life. If you want to become successful and become the best version of yourself then discipline over motivation is one of the most important virtues you want to add to your life.

Read more about ways to stay motivated to unlock your potential. 

The Need for Predictability and Routine

A key reason discipline over motivation is so important for individuals with autism is that it helps provide much needed predictability and routine. The autism spectrum is characterized by difficulties adapting to change, a strong need for structure, and discomfort with uncertainty. Many autistic individuals thrive on strict routines with clear, set schedules for daily activities. Having consistent habits and procedures in place reduces anxiety and helps avoid sensory overload or meltdowns.

Discipline is what provides the framework for establishing and sticking to these comforting routines. With discipline over motivation, an autistic person can count on certain rhythms and rituals happening regularly. This allows an individual to anticipate what comes next and mentally prepare. Discipline takes activities like getting up in the morning, eating meals, working or attending school, pursuing hobbies, and going to bed and makes them predictable patterns. Life becomes more ordered and stable. Surprises and last-minute changes, which can be agonizing for the autistic mind, are avoided. Adhering to disciplined routines creates a soothing sense of control and security.

Building Critical Life Skills

Incorporating more discipline over motivation into one’s daily habits and routines directly helps build executive functioning, time management, organization, and self-control. These are essential life skills that many struggle with due to autism’s effects on cognitive flexibility, planning, initiating tasks, and impulse control. By diligently and regularly practicing discipline, those skills can be significantly improved over time. This promotes independence and ability to manage adult responsibilities.

For example, practicing discipline with an activity like homework means sticking to scheduled study times, breaking assignments into steps, setting and meeting deadlines, eliminating distractions, and completing work rather than giving in to the urge to procrastinate or indulge in diversions. A disciplined approach to homework builds skills like time management, organization, focusing, and self-motivation.

Other ways discipline over motivation develops key skills include keeping a tidy living space, practicing good hygiene routines, learning to cook for oneself, creating and following budgets, and showing up to work or appointments on time. These types of disciplined habits teach how to manage everyday responsibilities that may otherwise be neglected or avoided. Discipline turns them into learnable skills.

Read more about autism and poor hygiene.

Managing Emotions

Another area where autistic individuals often struggle is regulating emotions. Achieving discipline over motivation can help you manage emotions and develop other important life skills.Autism frequently involves difficulties identifying feelings, expressing them appropriately, and controlling them in healthy ways. Emotional outbursts, anxiety, sadness, excitement and mood swings are common challenges.

But discipline can provide the tools to better cope with and manage turbulent emotions. This is because sticking to disciplined habits requires regulating urges and delaying short-term gratification for longer-term gain. Practiced regularly, this teaches critical lessons about controlling impulses, focusing through discomfort or boredom, adapting to upsetting changes, dealing with disappointments, and avoiding rash reactivity. Disciplined living provides a framework for processing emotions properly so they do not control one’s life.

An example is how discipline helps manage something like social anxiety and fear of rejection. The easy, immediate response would be avoiding social situations altogether. However, with the discipline to gradually face fears – perhaps starting with online interactions and slowly working up to in-person – one learns to regulate nervousness and gain social confidence. Each small accomplishment builds skills to keep moving forward despite anxiety.

Read more about autism meltdowns, anxiety, and ostracism. 

Providing Structure for Achieving Goals

Autistic people may struggle with big picture thinking and grasping abstract ideas, which can make working toward goals sometimes undefined and even overwhelming. This often manifests as procrastination and avoidance. But incorporating discipline over motivation into one’s life helps provide necessary structure for breaking down broad goals into organized, deliberate steps. The rigid adherence of disciplined routines keeps the focus on sticking to defined pathways for accomplishing aims, rather than getting sidetracked.

For instance, for an autistic person wanting greater independence, this goal may seem too vague and unmanageable. But with discipline, they can pursue practical steps like learning to drive, finding part-time work, budgeting income, and cooking simple healthy meals. The discipline to regularly practice and get better at these smaller goals will naturally add up to the bigger goal of achieving independence. Discipline over motivation provides a step-by-step roadmap.

Read more about autism and driving, working, and independence.

Boosting Self-Esteem

Finally, living with discipline has the benefit of greatly boosting self-esteem for autistic individuals. Completing tasks, meeting concrete goals, sticking to commitments made to oneself – these achievements breed confidence and self-respect. Each small act of progress fuels motivation for the next step. Constructive feedback is generated internally in the form of pride and satisfaction.

This is crucial, as autistic people often struggle with self-esteem due to social difficulties or failures to meet societal standards of success. Discipline provides an internally focused sense of accomplishment, free from the judgments of others. Moreover, regularly keeping disciplined habits gradually transforms one’s self concept from someone who gives in easily to challenges to someone who sticks it out. Identity aligns more and more with perseverance and grit.

This instills the courage to keep trying, growing, and facing down obstacles. Discipline teaches that one need not be perfect, just determined. With discipline over motivation, stumbles can be reframed as opportunities to get back up again. Each victory, however small, is added evidence of one’s capabilities. This snowballs into the self-confidence and strength to create a truly meaningful life.

Practical Tips for Building Discipline over Motivation

Implementing more discipline provides clear benefits, but it also requires sustained effort and commitment. Change does not happen overnight. However, there are practical steps autistic individuals can take to steadily build more structured habits and routines:

9 Top Tips for Building Discipline

  1. Start small
    When trying to establish a new disciplined behavior, begin with manageable steps that can easily be accomplished. Small successes will build momentum.
  2. Make a schedule
    Structure and routine are key for autistic people. Outline daily and weekly schedules that dictate certain times for work, school, meals, recreation etc.
  3. Use visual aids
    Visual cues like calendars, lists, and reminders can help ingrain disciplined habits. Post them visibly.
  4. Eliminate distractions
    Disable phone notifications, shut off TVs, close tabs to avoid online diversions in order to stay focused on what needs doing.
  5. Reward progress
    Positive reinforcement for sticking to disciplines will motivate continual improvement. Build in small treats.
  6. Be consistent
    Discipline requires steady effort over time. Expect setbacks but get back on track rather than giving up completely.
  7. Involve support people
    Share goals and disciplines with family, friends, coaches, or mentors. They can provide help and accountability.
  8. Start over each day
    Yesterday’s stumbles are in the past. Each new morning is a chance to commit again.
  9. Challenge yourself
    Once disciplines become easier, add new ones or raise expectations to continue growth.

    With concerted effort, discipline can be improved much like physical or academic skills. It simply requires regularly practicing small actions that build into solid habits over time. In this way, autistic individuals can steadily transform their lives for the better.

The Rewards of Discipline over Motivation

Pursuing a more disciplined lifestyle has so many rewards for autistic individuals seeking personal growth and fulfillment. Here are just some of the benefits that come with commitment to structure and positive habits.

Discipline Over Motivation Perks Choosing discipline over motivation and setting goals can lead to a rewarding life.

  • Less anxiety and stress
  • Increased feelings of calm and stability
  • Greater self-reliance and independence
  • Higher self-esteem and self-respect
  • Enhanced focus and concentration abilities
  • Stronger skills to pursue goals and solve problems
  • More energy and productivity
  • Improved physical and mental health
  • Expanded opportunities for career, friendship, and life pursuits
  • An overall higher quality of life

Of course, discipline requires sincerity, effort, and persistence. But its practice is a proven path to transforming oneself and opening doors to a brighter future. Autistic individuals who seize the power of discipline will reap its many invaluable and life-changing rewards.

For autistic individuals, discipline over motivation serves many vital functions. It fosters predictability and routine, develops essential life skills, helps manage emotions, provides structure for goals, and boosts self worth. While autism presents many challenges, a disciplined mindset and lifestyle helps unlock potential within each person. By learning to incorporate more structure and diligent habits, autistic people can gain the confidence, independence and resilience needed to thrive. Discipline over motivation is a cornerstone on the pathway of growth.

Here are other challenges for individuals with autism to check out as well.

Autism in Adults:  Living, Learning, and Overcoming Challenges for a Fulfilled Life

Autism in adults requires additional support and coping skills to achieve independence in today’s world. Learn more about ways adults can live fulfilled lives and the challenges they face.

Picture of Connor McClure

Connor McClure

I'm a young adult navigating life with autism. By sharing my experiences and views, I hope to create a better awareness, understanding, and compassion for those on the spectrum. Let's connect!
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