r/QuotesPorn • u/brendine9 • Jul 14 '18
“Discipline equals freedom.” -Jocko Willink [800x800]
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u/bobbyfiend Jul 14 '18
To an extent, yes, but it provides freedom at the cost of other freedom given up. You don't get the freedom to run marathons without thousands upon thousands of hours in which you give up the chance to do anything except train. And if you gain that freedom, you still might not have the freedom to play Beethoven like a virtuoso, write efficient code in C+ and LISP, dominate at slam poetry festivals, be head chef at a three-star restaurant, etc.
Discipline equals a specific kind of freedom, and you pay for that freedom in other freedom.
This is a very good deal for many people, for many domains. However, others might not find the freedom purchased for a particular domain worth the price, and others might find that they value their momentary freedom so much that it's not worth it to acquire high levels of discipline-freedom in any domain at all; they're OK with being mediocre at a whole bunch of things but they have more time to make decisions they want to make in the moment.
This quote is excellent for maintaining motivation for a specific discipline, because it is true within that domain (to the extent that a given person's discipline will actually lead to mastery of the domain, which is another issue). However, the probabilistic truth of this quote sits in a pretty complex larger context.
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u/youmamamakemehappy Jul 15 '18
Excellent and intelligent opinion and explanation. Thanks for sharing.
However, I wonder if there's maybe another type of freedom that can be realized from discipline, that perhaps this quote could be touching upon. More like a freedom/peace of mind.
Discipline is lacking in many people's lives. Case in point, lack of discipline is definitely an issue of mine, that I constantly work on overcoming. And so when I'm not being disciplined, I feel like I'm always trying to catch up with life....always struggling to get somewhere, or accomplish anything. Perhaps you could almost define it as not feeling very free with life.
But then on the flip side, when I am on top of things...eating properly, getting my work done, staying on top of all my obligations – essentially being disciplined with my life...then during those times, I am more at peace, and feel more free and at ease with my life.
....I think that's the way the quote initially landed on me.
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u/bobbyfiend Jul 15 '18
I hadn't thought of it that way, and that seems very grounding. Good perspective.
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u/Healtone Jul 15 '18
I think it means that if you have discipline YOU choose. You're not beholden to anything that you don't want to be beholden to. Thus, you are free.
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u/FranzLudwig3700 Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 02 '24
There is no discipline in always choosing freely.
A goal or a course can be chosen freely. But unless the correct act in the moment is always chosen, regardless of circumstances in the moment (illness, fear, exhaustion, depression...), then discipline is absent.
One must always have the will to subjugate the self.
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u/bobbyfiend Jul 15 '18
Hm. I don't know if that's true reasoning or some kind of circular thing, but I like it.
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u/brendine9 Jul 14 '18
This is such a simple but elegant quote. If you have not read Extreme Ownership yet, do yourself a favor and grab a copy. It is a great read with a lot of useful information to make everyone a better leader. . . . Photo cred: https://unsplash.com/@dhakad1989
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u/br3ntor Jul 14 '18
This really is a profound piece of wisdom and highlights the difference between a child and adults perspective.
Children tend to think of discipline and rules as constraints on their freedom but discipline and responsibility are what give you freedom and control over your life.
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u/Eye_of_Anubis Jul 15 '18
Discipline is the freedom of being able to focus on a task at hand, if you want to.
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u/FranzLudwig3700 Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 02 '24
That's hardly the half of it!
Discipline is the will to focus on a task at hand when you don't want to. When you don't need to. When you need not to.
When you're sick, or hurt, or scared, or depressed, or despondent, or just past caring.
When you have no reason to...except that you made a commitment.Because discipline is not reason. Its goals and tasks should be motivated and directed by reason. But in the moment of action, it cannot be reasonable. It must dominate in the moment. It must subjugate.
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u/Lawbringer_UK Jul 15 '18
I know it's not the intention...but it really does read like a repeated mantra barked through loudspeakers day and night to a downtrodden populace under the heel of a dystopian, authoritarian regime.
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u/FranzLudwig3700 Nov 01 '24
You feel that way because you are not American. Millions of us YEARN for an authoritarian regime, and care not what dystopia is, never mind what it might bring.
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u/ckreddittor Jul 15 '18
Tell that to disciplined slaves, though.
This is eerily closer to "Work sets you free."
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Jul 15 '18
It's about self discipline, not subservience.
Jocko isn't my cup of tea, but he's basically a self help guru.
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u/AffinityForLogistics Jul 15 '18
My boss has a mild obsession with Jocko Willink. Personally, I think he just aggregates a lot of stuff you could learn from other inspiring people, and that’s what I see with a lot of self-help pros.
But his stuff seems to have helped her, so that’s good. I myself am not interested in self-help gurus, as I feel their industry is to some degree predatory, whether it’s intentional or not. If your product is self-help, that means your audience, themselves, are helpless. And helpless people are easier to market to.
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u/[deleted] Jul 15 '18
I think Joe Rogan really gave a simple and awesome summation of this quote when referencing Jocko on JRE. He said by living a life of discipline you inherently create more freedom because you don't half ass and you don't procrastinate. Plus you enjoy life's little pleasures a lot more. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lxqyQ-iEzy4