Discipline Equals Freedom

Discipline Equals Freedom is a former Navy Seal’s field manual for finding and using the self-control you need to achieve your dreams, combining motivating ideas and mindset advice with practical tips on waking up early, exercising and eating right, and getting your health in order.

Seth Godin thinks “Kickstarter” is the worst name ever for a company helping creators and entrepreneurs raise money. Why? Because a financing campaign should be the last step in bringing a dream together, not the first. “It should be called ‘Kickfinisher,'” he told Marie Forleo in an interview.

That’s why, before seeking funding for his book The Icarus Deception on the platform, Seth blogged daily for years. By the time he let his audience know about the project, collecting the money was easy. He hit his goal in 3 hours.

“The long way is the shortcut,” Seth says — and so does Jocko. “The shortcut is a lie,” he opens his book. “The hack doesn’t get you there.” You can take the easy road, of course. But it won’t get you where you’re trying to go, he says. The shortcut is the hard way.

“What’s the hack?” Jocko asks. There is only one, and, deep down, we already know what it is. “The way of discipline.” The only way to become smarter, faster, better, is to put in the work. The best thing you can do — the only shortcut that actually works — is to drop the attitude of seeking fast fixes, now and forevermore.

You can’t uncut any corner you’ve previously taken. That’s done. But you can not cut the next one. And the next one. And the next one. Welcome to the long way. You’re now officially on the fastest path to your goals.

Like Casey, even years after leaving the military, Willink still wakes up early. Every day, he posts a photo of his watch at 4:30 AM to prove it. No shortcuts! Rising early is a keystone habit of discipline because the win of getting up early makes it more likely you’ll stack other wins later, like working out or resisting the donuts at work. It’ll also afford you the mental space to do so — because everyone else is fast asleep! But how can you sleep 7 or 8 hours yet still wake up early? Jocko has 5 ideas: Exercise enough throughout the day so you’re actually tired. Turn off screens well before bedtime. Eliminate stimulation. Read. Reading makes us smarter and helps us fall asleep. Don’t change your wake-up time. Even if you lack sleep one night, you’ll make up for it the next. Do it every day. If you need more sleep, get it from naps, not…