Progress is not linear. The path to progress is not well defined. Sometimes when people ask me what I’m doing I tell them “I’m on the pathless path”—which is a fancy way of saying “I’m making this shit up as I go.”

The path of change: to discipline or not to discipline

I was reading the blog that inspired this one. Another founder/investor who’s struggled with chronic disease. Recently she wrote about the idea of discipline coming from a place of love. My mind immediately went to the military. The most disciplined organizations.

For thousands of years militaries full of harshly disciplined men achieved unimaginable feats, endured unspeakable horrors, and withstood unimaginable conditions. Was love the wind at their back? No. It was a mission, a belief, and a drive that is different from love.

The idea that self imposed discipline is self imposed misery is tasty. It’s tempting to dive into the waters of modern self-help focused on self-love, acceptance and forgiveness. But does discipline and self imposed suffering have to come from misplaced guilt or self retribution? Are you really turning yourself into a victim by overriding your mind’s innate desires? I think not.

Yes self love and acceptance are a fertile ground where we can plant the seeds of our future and nurture them into towering shady oaks. But without the complementary “dark side” of growth—will those oaks ever grow beyond a frail sapling?

What if we can’t out-wit, out-love, and out-grit our innate human desires—the sloth, the pride, the gluttony and lust? How can love on it’s own help us adapt to a modern world hellbent on pulling us downward toward our most base and basic desires (and away from our intentional pursuit of change).

No, folks, love won’t solve all our problems…but it helps. Discipline IS freedom. A little self hatred can be transmuted into the desire and will to change. Desire and will can become habit. And if you can love and forgive yourself the whole way through you’re a lot more likely to make it further on that pathless path.