“Some ask, What is the reward for all this labor? They are incorrect if they think it’s awards and fame and weeks on the bestseller list. Others want a guarantee: If I put in my ten thousand hours, then I’ll get the job? Then I’ll be able to go pro? Then I’ll be rich? No, that’s not how this goes. Always and forever, the reward is the work. It is a joy itself. It is torture and also heaven—sweaty, wonderful salvation. And that’s how you manage to do prodigious amounts of it—not grudgingly, but lovingly.”
Ryan Holiday, Discipline Is Destiny (Page 64)
“Doing things badly does not give you the right to demand haste from the person who does them well.”
Juan Ramón Jiménez, poet, via Discipline Is Destiny (Page 57)
“After years of reflecting on the stories I have heard, delving into scientific data, and convening researchers, I have come to see there are three essential elements that fuel our fulfillment and well-being: relationships, service, and purpose. Relationships keep us grounded and bonded to each other. Service, from formal volunteering to informal small acts of kindness, is about helping each other. And purpose gives our life a sense of direction and meaning. Together, these elements form the triad of fulfillment.”
Vivek H. Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, via People
“Hustle isn’t always about hurrying. It is about getting things done, properly. It’s okay to move slowly… provided that you never stop. Do we not understand that in the story of the tortoise and the hare, that it was actually the turtle who hustled?”
Ryan Holiday, Discipline Is Destiny (Page 57)
“Show up…
Ryan Holiday, Discipline Is Destiny (Page 44)
…when you’re tired
…when you don’t have to
…even if you have an excuse
…even if you’re busy
…even if you won’t get recognized for it
…even if it’s been kicking your ass lately.
Once something is done, you can build on it. Once you get started, momentum can grow. When you show up, you can get lucky.”
“Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.”
Gustave Flaubert, via Discipline Is Destiny (Page 42) | Read Matt’s Blog on this quote ➜
“For very few of us—no matter the profession—’When are you at your best?’ is answered with ‘When I am drowning in paperwork, dirty dishes, half-empty water bottles, and floors that haven’t been swept.’ The session in the weight room goes better when the weights are stacked and the dumbbells are in the right place. The craftsman is safer when the workshop is tidy. The team plays better when the locker room is kept up. The meetings run tighter when the conference room is fresh and sparse. The general ensures troop discipline by keeping their own quarters spartan and spotless. The space where great work is done is holy. We must respect it.”
Ryan Holiday, Discipline Is Destiny (Page 41)
“I tell my students, one of the most important things they need to know is when they are their best, creatively. They need to ask themselves, What does the ideal room look like? Is there music? Is there silence? Is there chaos outside or is there serenity outside? What do I need in order to release my imagination?”
Toni Morrison, via Discipline Is Destiny (Page 40)
