Last week, while scrolling through Instagram I came across a quote by John Maxwell:

“Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing.”

And it’s true, isn’t it?

You go to a meeting, training session, or conference and get inspired by the content and walk away thinking I’m going to do that! But then reality kicks in, life gets busy – family, emails, meetings, fires to put out – and you don’t get around to it. The spark of motivation fizzles out before it becomes a habit.

The same thing happens in everyday life, too. You might scroll past something on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok – maybe a new recipe, a workout, or a journaling idea, and for a moment you’re hooked, telling yourself, “Yes, that’s just what I need, I’m going to start doing that tomorrow or next week.” But tomorrow and next week come, and the excitement has faded. The idea has vanished like your keys when you are running late!

But the problem isn’t the idea, it’s the muscle of discipline that didn’t get flexed.

Research backs this up, too. A study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behaviour to become automatic. Not a week. Not even a month. Not the 28 days we have all been told to believe. But more than two months of showing up with consistency and discipline!

James Clear says something similar in Atomic Habits: Motivation might start the engine, but it’s the systems and routines that keep the wheels turning.

So how do we actually build that kind of discipline?

Here are 5 practical things that I believe help:

1. Start small: Don’t try to flip your whole world upside down in a day. Choose one thing and make it doable.

2. Create cues and reminders: Hook the new habit to something you already do, or set alerts that nudge you into action.

3. Track progress: Write it down, tick it off, or use an app. Seeing the progress helps reinforce your effort.

4. Get some accountability: Share your goal with someone who will check in on you and encourage you – Coaches are particularly good at this by the way (Wink, Wink)

5. Reward consistency, not perfection: Celebrate the fact that you’re sticking with it, even if it’s not flawless and messy, Progress matters more than perfection.

And the Pay off?

When you add discipline to motivation, you stop relying on fleeting bursts of inspiration and start building something solid, something that will last. Discipline compounds. It turns “I’ll try” into “I do.” It shifts ideas into action and action into impact.

And if you layer in one of my favourite Top 5 mindsets – being consistently consistent (showing up in small, steady ways, even when it’s inconvenient or unglamorous), you’ll create sustainable momentum, not just seasonal momentum.

Consistency matters not just for you, but for your team as well. When they see you showing up with steadiness and follow-through, it builds trust. Your consistency gives them certainty, and that certainty creates confidence in you as their leader!

As always, I trust this has been helpful in some way, shape or form.

Until next week, be well and lead well!

Kylie