“People look for the shortcut. The hack. And if you came here looking for that: you won’t find it. The shortcut is a lie. The hack doesn’t get you there. And if you want to take the easy road, it won’t take you to where you want to be: Stronger. Smarter. Faster. Healthier. Better. Free. To reach goals and overcome obstacles and become the best version of you possible will not happen by itself. It will not happen cutting corners, taking shortcuts, or looking for the easy way. There is no easy way. There is only hard work, late nights, early mornings, practice, rehearsal, repetition, study, sweat, blood, toil, frustration, and discipline. Discipline. There must be discipline. Discipline: the root of all good qualities. The driver of daily execution. The core principle that overcomes laziness and lethargy and excuses. Discipline defeats the infinite excuses that say: not today, not now, I need a rest, I will do it tomorrow. What’s the hack? How do you become stronger, smarter, faster, healthier? How do you become better? How do you achieve true freedom? There is only one way. The way of discipline.” (Willink, Jocko. Discipline Equals Freedom: Expanded Edition. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2020)
This may be something of the wisdom of the sons of the east and Egypt (1Kg 4.30). I don’t know the status of Jocko’s relationship with Christ, but much of what he says here lines up with the picture of the life of discipline that Solomon paints for us in Proverbs.
Discipline is a major thread in Proverbs that begins in the introduction and is then woven into the warp and woof of all of the instruction. Solomon desires his son “to know wisdom and discipline … to receive discipline in wise dealing” (1.2, 3). The fool, he says, despises wisdom and discipline (1.7). Our translations render this Hebrew word “instruction” throughout Proverbs with a few exceptions. That is a fine translation, but in many of our ears, “instruction” connotes more of the conveyance of information. The Hebrew word speaks of a “chastening lesson.” This is instruction, but it is not limited to oral teaching. It comes through the rod applied by authorities, general pain, mental toughness that is determined to do one thing and not another. “Discipline” is an alternative and better rendering, I believe.
Discipline is training that aims to produce a specific character that will cause you to fulfill your purpose and enjoy rewards. Discipline subdues, corrects, and directs passions toward long-term goals, willing to endure pain and short-term deprivation when necessary. Discipline is the way of wisdom. Discipline is wisdom’s path. Discipline is the guardrails that keep you in the way and the signposts that give you direction. Discipline is the drive that keeps you on the path, developing skills and doing the temporarily unpleasant things because of the long-term reward. Discipline encourages you when you are weary. Discipline rebukes you when you try to turn to the right or to the left or simply lie down. Discipline moves you when you are unmotivated; that is, when you’re just not feeling like doing whatever it is you need to do. Discipline is tough-minded, overcoming pain, fear, sloth, apathy, criticism, hurt feelings, disagreements, and wanting to give up. Discipline is wisdom’s eyes that keep you focused on the prize, wisdom’s hand that guides you, wisdom’s foot that kicks you when you need it, and wisdom’s heart that moves by your deepest desires.
Solomon exhorts his son repeatedly to hear and heed the discipline he receives, conforming his life to the wise corrections of his attitudes and actions (1.8-9; 3.11-12; 4.1; 8.10-11, 33; 19.20; 23.23). He desires this because the way of discipline is the way of life (6.23-24), the way of knowledge (12.1), and the way to honor (13.18). Discipline is the way to be all that God created him to be and receive all that God desires him to receive.
Discipline, therefore, is freedom. Many misconstrue the nature of freedom believing it is a life without restraints. This can’t be true. A man is not free to be a woman or vice versa. A horse is not free to live under water, and a fish is not free to live on land. Freedom is the opportunity to live in the fullness of your God-given limitations. Freedom is the ability to maximize your potential within the boundaries God created, whether those are physical boundaries or boundaries of authority. Discipline frees you from things that keep you from being and receiving all that God wants you to be and receive.
Those who believe freedom is living life without restraints will lose their freedom. Proverbs 12.24 says, “The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.” Discipline keeps you from being enslaved by desires and impulses that others can use to control you. Mark Horne observes in his book Solomon Says, “If you don’t govern yourself, you will be governed by others, and your own impulses will be the reins they use to lead you.” (5) If you can’t discipline your desire for possessions, for instance, marketers will soon make you poor. They will use your desires to empty your bank account. If you can’t master your sexual appetites, someone who promises to meet your sexual hunger will master you. If you are unable to control your appetite for food and drink, you will be a poor man (21.17). A man given to anger is enslaved to other people and circumstances.
Discipline frees you by keeping all of your passions as servants and directing their energy to serve your greatest good. This is the discipline that can deny oneself immediate pleasure or, at least, the desire to escape from pain, to face persecution and death for the cause of Christ. Discipline frees you to suffer and die with Christ so that you might inherit glory with him (cf. Rom 8.18). A lack of discipline will put you in bondage to fear of present pain and loss that will keep you in bondage now and lead you to eternal death.
Do not despise discipline. Discipline is freedom.
