Why discipline beats talent in the long run
Have you ever met someone who was like a cat with all nine lives intact? You know the type, the one who couldn’t care less about - let’s say - a rapidly approaching exam. Leaving everything to the last minute and still managing to pull off relatively good results. I used to live like that.
It all ties back to the new year and, of course, resolutions. A lot of them fail, no doubt about that. But why? Is it pointless to take on new challenges to change what’s not working? I refuse to believe that.
It’s all jolly good until talent lasts
I was quite fortunate to receive a pretty awesome brain from my parents. I didn’t realize how lucky I was for a long time. In elementary school, I somewhat paid attention and still managed to pass exams without much hassle. No overnight study sessions, no extra lessons or tutors for years. I became overconfident without a solid foundation because, honestly, I hadn’t achieved anything spectacular.
The trend continued with some classes in high school. Early signs of struggle appeared, but I still coasted on talent. I had my fair share of conflicts with teachers because I refused to listen to reason. I was full of myself. My grades started to slip compared to elementary, but nothing drastic. So I kept believing I was fine.
Then came university. I started swinging, fully convinced that momentum would do the heavy lifting for me. That tactic failed and backfired. I had to abandon my first attempt to graduate as an engineer in a business informatics program. I hit reset. Eventually, I graduated as an economist instead. In hindsight, that was the better path for me, but I had to learn the hard way.
What was the lesson? That I believed I could maneuver through life with luck and minimal effort. That achievements would fall into my lap without real dedication. My ego tricked me.
Highlighting some of the culprits
I keep reminding myself of that tough lesson. It’s not always easy to keep my head down and just execute in a humble manner. I still want to rush achievements. Consistently working doesn’t seem glamorous because we only get notified of success, not the grind. Those late-night overtimes when the house is quiet remain hidden. That’s when discipline proves it can overcome talent.
So what’s missing? Why is it so hard to keep promises to ourselves when we truly want to change for the better? The usual reasons tend to fall into these categories:
Hazy goals
If you don’t know where to go, you won’t be able to get there. So instead of saying “I’ll read more“,
Try this: define realistic (this is key), measurable and time bound goals, such as “I’ll read one chapter every week“.Fading motivation
A year is a long time and it’s easy to lose focus. So instead of treating your vision as a simple checkbox,
Try this: write down your “Why?“ next to your resolution. Be as specific as you can. It’s even better if you can capture your current emotions and the ones you hope to feel when you succeed. Picture yourself at the finish line. Regularly revisiting your original motivation will remind you how it all started and why it matters. That emotional connection is what keeps you moving when the original excitement fades.Misaligned habits
You’ll need to create consistency by leaning on new habits. This can be tricky because your mind will fight to keep you in your comfort zone. So instead of letting old habits sabotage you,
Try this: create a plan and start with small, achievable steps. Build momentum that way. Set clear milestones along the journey. Little checkpoints that remind you why you started and how far you’ve come. Each small win reinforces the habit and makes the next step easier.Avoiding failure
A goal should scare you a little. That’s actually good because it keeps you emotionally invested in overcoming the challenge. Avoidance happens when you aim for perfection and start overthinking. So instead of procrastination,
Try this: follow your plans rigorously, especially when you don’t feel like it. Accept failure as part of the process. Let yourself fail right from the start. The world certainly won’t collapse, and who knows, you might gain valuable experience while working on your resolution.Being impatient
This is the hardest for me, to be honest. If I want something, I want it yesterday and I tend to burn too intensely. This ties back to motivation. It’s a challenge on its own. So instead of rushing,
Try this: embrace slow and steady. Learn to love the process and try to notice (and celebrate!) your victories on your journey. Fall in love with progression and keep your focus on what’s around you, not in the future.Evading responsibility
If you keep everything to yourself, there won’t be anyone to keep you in check. As we’ve already touched on, your mind won’t be your best partner at first. So instead of trying to outsmart yourself,
Try this: involve someone. Share your plans, and while you celebrate your progress together, stay accountable by being open to feedback. Especially if you start steering away from your original plan.
Learn to let go 20% at the start
Overcommitment deserves its own spotlight because it’s so deceiving. On the surface, it feels rewarding, like proof of ambition. Looking at a long list of goals and believing you can tackle them all can feel empowering at first. But that feeling fades quickly, especially if the list was unrealistic to begin with. When reality hits and goals start slipping, it becomes demoralizing. That’s a road I wouldn’t recommend.
What can you do instead? Start by collecting every goal you want to achieve this year. Then prioritize them based on how important they are to you. Once you have that list, cut the bottom 20%, plain and simple. This forces you to focus on fewer boxes to tick, but with more intent. And that focus makes it far more likely you’ll actually achieve those goals.
It’s perfectly okay to ask for support. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. While I believe everyone is their own best expert, I’m also a big believer in asking for help to create change together. It’s comforting to have someone by our side as we go through transitions. If you’re feeling motivated to expand your comfort zone and curious about how I can support you on your journey, let’s talk.
