I recently received an email newsletter reminding me of the importance of discipline for achieving goals. I’ve long believed and coached that discipline is essential for successful Lean project and leadership transformations. The issue of how this discipline is generated deserves a look.
Having watched some of the Olympians and reflecting on other successful people it’s clear that sustained discipline requires passion. Without a passion for achieving a result discipline breaks down. Take a look at Katie Ledecky dominate the 800m freestyle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX5JqNQAQk8
Now look at Ledecky’s work schedule.
- Wakes up at 4:05 a.m. (a very intentional time)
- Eats two pieces of toast with peanut butter, plus a banana or apple.
- Trains from 5 a.m. to 6:30 a.m., swimming between 6,000 and 6,500 yards.
- Naps at 8 a.m.
- Goes to dry land training three days a week from 11 a.m. to noon.
- Trains again from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., swimming between 7,000 and 8,000 yards.
- Goes to bed between 9 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.
Discipline alone does not provide the energy required to day after day wake up at 4:05 and swim nearly 8 miles. Here’s an observation about Ledecky from Dave Marsh, coach of the U.S. Olympic women’s team.
- “What is she pursuing? Her personal best, but she’s doing it with fury. Where’s the fury coming from? We don’t know, but the stove is running hot.”
That fury sounds like passion.
So is it possible to generate that kind of passion about Lean project work and Lean leadership transformations? Is there something that gets us awake at 4:05 with our stove running hot? I believe so, and am running some experiments to test some encouraging ideas that may be ready to share soon.
