Normally, I have high praise for Leo Babauta's blog Zen Habits. However, I came across his page on the myth of discipline. I don't get this page, because while arguing against "discipline," Babauta keeps talking about how to make habits.
And if you look up the word "discipline" and "self-discipline," you'll find that the ability to form habits is pretty much what discipline is. It's a bit confusing. Babauta is usually quite insightful. That he didn't bother to study the dictionary definitions of discipline is atypical.
In point of fact, and using words as they are generally defined in English, discipline is just self-control based on a consistent system of rules. So the best way to get discipline is to build habits. And that's just how it is.
Of course, anyone can make mistakes, and this doesn't diminish the general validity of Zen Habits. I guess the real lesson here is to remember to be flexible and adaptable, because one can never tell where a problem will come from, but come they will.
And if you look up the word "discipline" and "self-discipline," you'll find that the ability to form habits is pretty much what discipline is. It's a bit confusing. Babauta is usually quite insightful. That he didn't bother to study the dictionary definitions of discipline is atypical.
In point of fact, and using words as they are generally defined in English, discipline is just self-control based on a consistent system of rules. So the best way to get discipline is to build habits. And that's just how it is.
Of course, anyone can make mistakes, and this doesn't diminish the general validity of Zen Habits. I guess the real lesson here is to remember to be flexible and adaptable, because one can never tell where a problem will come from, but come they will.
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