What is my relationship with discipline?
For instructors
Podcast text:
What is my relationship with discipline?
This question was posed to me the other day.
My fencing coach recently noted that I have the discipline to achieve my goals.
That same sentiment was expressed in my high school year book, in my teacher evaluations and in my production notes.
But what does it even mean? What is discipline for me?
My answer is:
I’m comfortable being uncomfortable for a while as my brain develops the neural pathways and my body creates the muscle memory that will allow the uncomfortable to become comfortable…and eventually second nature.
I know that the discomfort is temporary, and the trade off is I get to be able to do that thing safely and well.
In addition, while I am learning the thing—while I am being uncomfortable—I am marvelling over the process.
When we are children, we are excited about getting to the end, getting to the goal, getting to the competence.
As an adult, I am fascinated by how I am learning, how my body is responding as I learn, how my emotions are affected, how my life is gradually changing. I wonder, as I learn, how far I can take this.
The discomfort is a background noise, a necessary feeling as I revel in the newness of the learning. And on the days that I simply do not feel like practicing that thing, I can loudly grumble and have a bad attitude while doing it, because most of the time I am in the joy of it and so I give my permission to feel yucky.
This is discipline.
