Have you heard the phrase, "Discipline equals freedom?" I first learned of this phrase from the man who made it popular, Jocko Willink. He has centered his teaching and writing around the idea that the application of discipline to our lives rather than being a limiting factor, actually results in freedom.
Though notably associated with Jocko, the idea of discipline as the source and cause of freedom is not unique to him. John Lovell in his book, The Warrior Poet Way argues for the same thing. Even Paul in his letter to the Corinthian church alludes to this idea, "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."
Personally, this phrase, "Discipline equals freedom" has become one of the principles that I have worked to build my life around. It is one of the common phrases and core tenants of our family ethos as well.
The Why of DEF
The status quo or default position is an anesthetizing position. Our default position is toward comfort and satisfaction. There is a reason why laying down feels good. However, without energy input, all systems degenerate to a state of entropy.
As such, in order to do anything productive we need to exert some form of energy. In order to start the day, we have to get up. In order to increase our strength or endurance we need to go to the gym and work. In order to build a house, you have to swing a hammer and lift the materials in place. Even in our home or corporate environments, maintaining order and creating materials or services needs focused, intentional energy.
Unfortunately, our goals don't happen on their own. Projects don't complete themselves. Great advances in our home or work environments don't create themselves. While each of these produce some amount of freedom in our lives, we don't achieve that level of freedom without work. Therefore the purpose for our discipline is our freedom. Freedom to do what? Generally, it is freedom to pursue our goals and desires. It is freedom to be able to do or be what we want.
I want the freedom to be able to spend my time doing things that are meaningful and fulfilling. Therefore, I need to discipline myself to accomplish the necessary and unpleasant parts of life first. I want the freedom to able to afford a comfortable home and enjoyable experiences, so I work to be a valuable employee so that I can maintain a paycheck. I want the freedom to be able to enjoy experiences with my kids unhindered by my physical abilities, so I go to the gym and workout early each morning. In each of these areas, discipline is the path to a higher goal or pursuit.
To that end, "Discipline Equals Freedom" has become a big part of my life and ethos. However, if we take a step back and evaluate the freedoms that I desire are, while good, self-centric motivations. They are my desires. They are what I want to happen so that I may benefit.
This is the limitation or caveat to the idea of "Discipline equals freedom." While my freedoms generally don't come in conflict with the interests of others and even can promote the benefit of others, they are still focused on me. It is inherently self-focused.
An argument can be made that altruism can be one of the freedoms that we pursue. But if you start pulling the thread on altruism and honestly analyze motives, it is not too hard to see that even in our attempt to help and serve others, we are often doing it for some personal gratification. We want that good feeling of subordinating our desires for the sake of another.
On the other end of the spectrum there are times when the freedoms that we want, rather than being neutral or an attempt to benefit others, actually stand in stark opposition to our own interests or the interests or benefit of others. In this scenario, what do we do if our freedom and desires are not good desires either for us or for others?
Should we jettison the idea of discipline and freedom? Absolutely not! Freedom is a necessary motivation for our discipline but an insufficient motivation. In order get the most benefit from the application of discipline in the pursuit of freedom, we need to tether that pursuit to a higher standard and a higher calling.
Excellence over Freedom
If freedom is an insufficient motivation for discipline, then what is? I would argue that our root motivation for the discipline that we apply and the freedom that we seek is excellence. We have argued previously that excellence (arete) is the pursuit and application of virtue. It is borne out of the divine image and the divine ideal. Excellence as a force and motivation is external to us and serves as the basis of a morality that will temper the will and mortify the wrong or in appropriate applications of freedom.
The pursuit of a higher ideal allows me to pursue that which is not necessarily only beneficial to me. By setting my sights on a horizon beyond myself, I am able to see the broader landscape beyond my own personal needs, wants and desires. Excellence is a check on my passions - both good and ill.
As I write this, I am sitting up with my 9-month-old son. I have found that I need some degree of alone time at the beginning of each day. This is time that I use to exercise, read, and get into the right head space for the day. To that end, I get up early - earlier than the rest of my family. I build this time into my day. I have found my mood and outlook on the days that I get this time compared with the days that I don't. When this time is truncated by the early rising of my kids, the freedom that I sought is gone. Yet excellence would tell me that this is an opportunity to subordinate my desires to the higher calling of engaging as a father. Hold on... let me get my son!
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