One of the key qualities a leader must possess is the ability to detach from the chaos, mayhem, and emotions in a situation and make good, clear decisions based on what is actually happening.
Jocko WillinkRead
There is one thing that gets you out of bed in the morning, and that is discipline. Because your dreams and your goals are not there waking up for you in the morning.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Discipline is essential for achieving goals and dreams, as they won't manifest without effort.
This quote emphasizes the importance of discipline as the driving force that propels individuals to take action towards their goals and dreams. It suggests that one must not wait for motivation or external circumstances to align but rather harness self-discipline to rise each day and work towards what they desire, underscoring that success requires consistent effort and commitment.
Themes
DisciplineGoalsDreamsMotivationSuccess
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech to inspire students to pursue their ambitions.
More from Jocko Willink
All quotes →The moment the alarm goes off is the first test; it sets the tone for the rest of the day. The test is not a complex one: when the alarm goes off, do you get up out of bed, or do you lie there in comfort and fall back to sleep? If you have the discipline to get out of bed, you win - you pass the test.
Jocko WillinkRead
Don't worry about motivation. Motivation is fickle. It comes and goes. It is unreliable - and when you are counting on motivation to get your goals accomplished, you will likely fall short.
Jocko WillinkRead
Discipline starts every day when the first alarm clock goes off in the morning. I say 'first alarm clock' because I have three, as I was taught by one of the most feared and respected instructors in SEAL training: one electric, one battery powered, one windup.
Jocko WillinkRead
When things are going bad, don't get all bummed out. Don't get startled; don't get frustrated. If you can say the word 'good,' guess what? It means you're still alive. It means you're still breathing.
Jocko WillinkRead
Didn't get promoted? Good. More time to get better.
Jocko WillinkRead
Similar quotes
Human beings thrive on action. Stagnation does not wear well with us. We are said to have our origins as hunter-gatherers. We run and we chase. We are problem-solvers. We must be continuously tested and we continuously test ourselves. And it will not end until our lives end because of life itself.
Art BuchwaldRead
If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.
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No matter how much pressure you feel at work, if you could find ways to relax for at least five minutes every hour, you’d be more productive.
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I've led a life of such structured discipline and always had a goal in mind of knowing what I was doing, from West Point to the Air Force combat, MIT, looking for new things to study and get involved in. And then I got into the space program, and how disciplined can you get?
Buzz AldrinRead
I think it's important to move people beyond just dreaming into doing. They have to be able to see that you are just like them, and you made it.
Sonia SotomayorRead
There never was a man on earth who pitched as much as me. But the more I pitched, the stronger my arm would get.
Satchel PaigeRead