HOW STEVEN BARTLETT'S DISCIPLINE EQUATION WORKS

We promise it’s not too complicated, as long as your a multi millionaire on DOAC.

Let’s Get To Know This Man

Steven Bartlett is a co-founder of Third Web and Flight Story.

He serves as a board member or investor in companies such as Huel and Zoe.

He holds the role of an equity partner in Whoop.

He is known for hosting the "Diary of a CEO" podcast and for his appearance on the entrepreneurial TV show "Dragon's Den.”

You think it’s possible for someone to do that much sh*t, and not have a ton of discipline?

If you’re thinking, “Of course not.” then you’re absolutely right. He needed a ton of it.

But a question haunted Steven’s mind.

We all want discipline, and it’s the underlying cause of most of our life’s issues whether we know it or not.

But what the hell is discipline?

Math Time

Alright class! Welcome to everyone’s favorite day of the week, Math Mondays! Today we’re going to look at one of my favorite equations.

I will write it out on the board for you all.

Discipline = the importance of the goal + psychological enjoyment in the pursuit of the goal.

Blank stares from the 1st graders. But Miss Letbarl continues.

This means that there are 2 factors to discipline, but as long as one is high enough, you have discipline.

For example, we all love math here right, kids? 

Blank stares from the 1st graders again. But Miss Letbarl continues.

So that’s easy. The goal of math is important. We want to learn math so that we can rank up in school, get good grades, then go to a good school and graduate with A levels, so we can get a good job involving math that pays us well so that we can feel happy and fulfilled through material goods. And we also enjoy it.

I Have A Question

One kid was still paying attention. His name was Carl. Carl raised his hand.

“Okay, so we have discipline when the goal is important and when we like the thing. But I still have discipline for things I don’t like. Like doing the dishes.”

Perfect example Carl, said Miss Letbarl. You don’t like doing the dishes. The psychological enjoyment is low. But what happens if you don’t do the dishes?

“My parents will get upset. I might be punished. I’ll feel bad.”

Exactly! So even though you don’t enjoy it, the importance of the goal is so high you do it despite the enjoyment. This is why discipline differs from motivation.

We may not want to do things like the dishes, or going to the gym, but its extreme importance as well as the consequences that come if we don’t do it, outweigh whether or not it’s enjoyable or not.

What about the other way around? The importance of the goal isn’t high, but the enjoyment is high.

Do you play video games Carl? Yes, he replied.

Are they important to you? Not really, he said. They’re fun though.

Well, there you have it. The enjoyment factor wins over the importance of any goal.

“Oh,” said Carl as the kid next to him started snoring.

The 2 Parts

Discipline is a word that is often thrown around willy nilly, as they say. We know what it means, but only a little bit.

But now, we have it defined to its 2 elements through Steven’s formula. So we know if you can.

1) Find your deep motivation behind it, you’ll win.

Don’t believe me. You do things you hate right now. Some people hate their job and spend their entire life in it, which is quite a commitment to a mistress that doesn’t give you much in return.

So if you can tell yourself, even though you despise the gym, that you go because you’re decreasing the quality and length of your life, now you have quite a big reason to go.

Living itself.

2) Make things more enjoyable if possible.

The way of least friction is to win in both areas. So if there is a way to increase psychological enjoyment, do it.

Podcasting for Steven is a good one. He loves doing it, and the goal is extremely important. Now there is 0 friction, and he can become a podcasting powerhouse.

Define Yours

Now it’s up to you to come up with your parts of the equation. What is the motivation behind your goal?

Maybe you’re not consistent with the gym. Have you reminded yourself that your health is the basis of the rest of your life? The most important thing you have?

Have you tried making the process more enjoyable? Try different workouts. Do them with friends?

Maybe it’s business. Have you reminded yourself that you hate the 9-5 grind and would rather do anything else than work for yourself?

Have you tried a business model that you actually like? That isn’t agonizing to you? One with 0 friction?

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