Discipline · 6 min read · 11 October 2026
Standards, not motivation: discipline kept together
In short
Motivation comes and goes; a standard is decided once and kept on the days you do not feel like it. Pick three non-negotiables, give each a minimum version for bad days, and keep them with a few people who keep theirs. Discipline kept together holds longer than discipline kept alone.
Why does motivation run out?
Because it is a mood, and moods follow sleep, weather and the last email. Building on motivation means building on the good days only -- and the work that matters most usually lands on the other ones.
A standard is different. It is decided once, in a calm moment, and after that it is not up for debate each morning.
How do you choose your standards?
Fewer than you think. Three is a good number:
- 01One for the body. For example: training before the working day starts.
- 02One for the work. For example: the first two hours go to the one task that moves the business, before messages.
- 03One for the mind. For example: no screen in the last hour before sleep.
These are examples -- yours come from what actually moves your life and your business.
What happens on a bad day?
Every standard gets a minimum version: the smallest thing that still counts. Twenty minutes instead of an hour. One focused block instead of two. The minimum keeps the chain unbroken, and an unbroken chain is what turns a decision into an identity.
Standards replace motivation. You do not negotiate with a decision you already made.
Why keep them together?
Alone, a standard is easy to bend: nobody sees it. With a few people who hold theirs, it gets a witness. Not a coach shouting -- a table where everyone shows up having done what they said. Iron mornings and cold water are easier when someone else is already in the water.
How do you start this week?
- Write your three standards and their minimum versions on one line each.
- Tell one person who will ask about them on Friday.
- On Friday, answer honestly -- including the days that only met the minimum.
Where does Glitches come in?
Glitches is a small, curated circle of people who keep standards together -- mornings, training, long games. Apply.
Frequently asked
How many standards should I have?
Three is enough to change a life and few enough to keep. Add one only when the first three feel automatic.
What if I miss a day completely?
Do the minimum version the next day and carry on. One missed day is noise; two in a row is the start of a new habit.
Is this just about fitness?
No. The body is one standard of three. The work and the mind matter as much.
