Discipline promises transformation. But at what cost?

We're taught that discipline is the key to growth—the path to becoming better, day by day. But maybe there's something deeper—and softer—that sustains us longer.

Discipline has its beauty—but it's also draining. When it's driven by pressure or expectation, it burns through our limited willpower. Just hearing the word can make us tense up.

Discipline carries a strong, structured energy—traditionally masculine, often rigid. It's about force over flow, should over want. At its worst, discipline feels Sisyphean—a noble effort on repeat—all push, no peace.

But there's another way—one that doesn't deplete, but nourishes.

Replace discipline with devotion.

Devotion is flow. Like a river returning to the sea, it pulls us forward—not from obligation, but from love. You devote yourself to your partner, your art, your life—not because you should, but because something deep inside you wants to show up.

Start with devotion, and discipline will follow.

Most mornings, I wake with the sun, make my coffee, and head straight to my desk to write. From the outside, it might look like discipline. But it's not. It's devotion—my love for writing, not reward or obligation, that brings me back day after day.

I could never have gotten to 340 posts by discipline alone.

Devotion is worship. It's love offered to something greater—whether through words, movement, music, or making. It's how we say yes to the sacred in everyday life.

The next time you say, "I just need more discipline," pause. Ask instead: "What do I love enough to show up for, even when it's hard?"