Discipline as Love

I came across the following post on DISCIPLINE on a fellow trainer's Facebook thread. Credit to Brett Denton:

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/161/The_Myth_of_Discipline.aspx

The article is from charlespoliquin.com, the website of the renowned strength coach bearing that name. The man is highly regarded in all things physical training and nutrition and certainly knows plenty about the topic of discipline, given the work he is in. All due respect to the man.

Poliquin's take on our DDIP, Week Two theme is that the term discipline, in its traditional usage is overworked and obsolete. Love is acknowledged as the driving force in all our decision-making: "we are the result of what we love most.You either love finely-etched washboard abs more than donuts (or the reverse)..." While I absolutely appreciate the angle this author has taken on the subject of discipline and the consideration given to sports psychology, I have a few caveats, that prompt us to revisit the textbook definition of the term.

World English Dictionary

discipline  (ˈdɪsɪplɪn)
— n
1.	training or conditions imposed for the improvement of physical powers, self-control, etc
2.	systematic training in obedience to regulations and authority
3.	the state of improved behaviour, etc, resulting from such training or conditions
4.	punishment or chastisement
5.	a system of rules for behaviour, methods of practice, etc
6.	a branch of learning or instruction
7.	the laws governing members of a Church
8.	a scourge of knotted cords
— vb
9.	to improve or attempt to improve the behaviour, orderliness, etc, of by training, conditions, or rules
10.	to punish or correct
[C13: from Latin disciplīna  teaching, from discipulus disciple ]
'disciplinable
— adj
disciplinal
— adj
'discipliner
— n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

discipline

early 13c., from O.Fr. descepline, from L. disciplina "instruction given to a disciple," from discipulus (see disciple). Sense of "treatment that corrects or punishes" is from notion of "order necessary for instruction." The Latin word is glossed in O.E. by þeodscipe. Meaning

As you can see, it is no wonder that the term discipline has the reputation it does. We read things like, "training imposed; punishment; obedience; improved behavior," and automatically recoil from the entity, as it comes off as harsh and painful...something to be feared. But dare I suggest, "feared" merely by those who dare not do what is plainly difficult, attaining "a state of improved behavior, that is resultant from (disciplined) training." I believe that discipline can be viewed as love, but mostly by those who have done enough work to experience the just reward at the other side of struggle.

Discipline can be painful, that is a fact...a fact this esteemed strength coach is all too familiar with, to the point of enlightenment. Operating at the apex of the world of physical training, it is easy to become philosophical. It's kind of like a college graduate walking off the stage with his diploma and telling a prospective student undergoing orientation,  "it was easy, piece of cake." OK. Easy for you to say!

The definition of discipline talks a lot about following rules, a rigidity is conveyed. And this is appropriate, if we acknowledge one of the more antiquated definitions of the term: discipline as "a field of study." In this regard, consider your favorite subject...reading, writing, arithmetic, perhaps a second language. Or reverting back to the article's context, any physical pursuit. I always think of the martial arts, a scene from Kung Fu Theater, with rows upon rows of pupils standing on a training ground throwing punch after punch in unison - focusing on the basics. In all these examples, rules are followed, stacked like so many cement blocks on a foundation. You start at the beginning of the lesson, though you may dream of having mastered the coursework. I'm thinking right now of the power of a story, say a really good novel. You start at the beginning and engage your mind in the details of the tale, which sometimes can be a bit drab. The book takes you on a journey, with peaks and valleys. Discipline keeps you reading. When you arrive at the end of the book, as the story comes to a climax, the narrative comes together and the moral of the story comes to light. To me, that is love. Love is an emotion, one that requires perspective.

Love Over Discipline

Having rolled from the rack to come down and get to work on this discipline piece, I was writing and deleting, returning to the original article and editing...feeling my way through the prose. That is taking discipline. Love arrives in the form of my three year old Lily, who wants to practice the discipline of ball-throwing. Sitting in my recliner with laptop in place, Tinkerbell on the TV and my chocolate lab posturing in my face, her serpent-like canine tongue strategically lashing my lips, I had to make a decision. I set my computer aside and immersed myself in Lily's throwing technique. A child's attention span being mere moments, I volleyed the ball back and forth with her several times, and watched her face for emotion, any hint of her loving the activity. I throw and the ball drops through her hands, she picks it up and throws back. I throw, she drops, but recovers more quickly and throws back. I throw, she catches, and a hint of love (confidence) is apparent on her beautiful face.

It is indeed, quite easy to see how an individual can learn to love discipline. But to consider discipline as love, that is a philosophy that will take some systematic training in obedience to regulations and authority. And there will likely be pain involved.


This is merely an opinion piece. Thank you CP, for inspiring my commentary.