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Workplace Mental Health and Self-Discipline

A few weeks ago I saw a comment from David Goggins which read:

A quote from David Goggins: “It is easy to become great these days because everyone else is so weak. If you have any mental toughness, if you have any fraction of self-discipline; The ability to not want to do it, but still do it; If you can get through to doing things that you hate to do: on the other side is GREATNESS."

It’s a brutal comment that doesn’t pull any punches. I’ll admit that my first temptation was to get a little defensive. “What a jerk. What does he know?” But, after the initial reaction faded, I managed to swallow my ego and explore this a little further.

I think it’s valuable to speak about workplace mental health more thoroughly and with more care.

As a society, we talk a big game regarding resilience, toughness, grit, and “rising with the tide.” Yet, we don’t always translate that into action.

What Search Patterns Suggest About Employees and Mental Health

 

To get a better idea of workplace mental health, I took a look at search data. Since 2004, this is what I’ve found:

  • The number of searches for the term “workplace mental health” spiked in 2004, then came down, and has been gradually increasing
  • Search numbers for “mental health” have incrementally risen over the last 8 years
  • Search numbers for “resilience” have increased since 2004, with a peak in October 2020, a small drop, and then a continued increase
  • Search numbers for “safe spaces” have remained fairly steady over time over time with occasional spikes (most notably around 2015/16) and a large spike in December 2019
  • Searches for “discipline” have decreased over time, with a slight increase beginning in January 2022
  • Searches for “self-discipline” had been relatively stable since 2005, with an increase in searches since October 2021.

It’s valuable to see how this applies to various areas of mental health in the workplace.

An Awareness of Workplace Mental Health Importance

Based on these results, we can see that people recognize the value of mental health, and mental health in the workplace by extension. That indicates that a lack of mental health resilience is not due to a lack of awareness.

The Confusion of Resilience with Safety

The searches above suggest that many people believe there is a link between resilience and safety. However, this is a misconception.

Resilience can be considered a person’s ability to recover from some type of adverse situation. The term safety, by comparison, means living free from any risk of injury, danger, or loss. To put it another way: resilience is a response to adversity, while safety is an avoidance of it.

A Concern for Self-Discipline

As we consider the importance of mental health, there’s also a need to think about self-discipline. Since the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, people seem to be chasing safety but have not necessarily worked concurrently to improve their personal strength of character. It is plausible to believe that the pandemic’s prompting of isolation, attacks on social norms, and forcible changes in environments forced people back to the drawing board.

That could indicate that people are not set up for disaster because they’ve lowered their guard.

Mental Health and Learned Helplessness

Consider learned helplessness. When animals are subjected to repeated stresses that are out of their control, they give up and “take what’s coming,” even after they are removed from that situation.

Martin E.P. Seligman, PhD and Steven F. Maier, PhD creates a study called “Learned Helplessness” in 1972 through the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.

The study was on a group of dogs, where one set has a lever to stop shocks while the other does not. When moved to an area allowing them to avoid the shocks, one group moved out of the way to do so, while the second group, the group that didn’t have the lever, laid down and whined.

This shows that, when one is in a situation where they lack control over negative stimuli, they not only suffer mentally, but they can continue to perceive a lack of control once their situation has changed, thus leading to learned helplessness.

Given the world situations of recent years, there’s been a lot of big stressors that seem too big for an individual to contend with. This could account for the spike in suicides, especially among younger generations. In the U.S., for example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that suicide was the 12th leading cause of death in the USA in 2020. It accounted for the loss of 45,900 lives.

How to Improve the Mental Health of Your Workplace

Workplace mental health is an invaluable tool, and the status of it in your office cannot be avoided. How can we build this into our day-to-day work life?

Controlled Non-Avoidance

In a workplace where a diverse group of people works together, adversity and conflict are inevitable. Rather than running and hiding, you embrace it. Make sure to give the parties involved control over the outcome they have. This can directly impact workplace mental health.

The Safety of Strength

Instead of building an isolated fortress to hide inside, we should expose ourselves to uncomfortable or unfamiliar, but not untenable, situations that help us build our inner strength. Sit down with employees and have a frank, honest conversation about workplace satisfaction. Encourage them to be open and honest. It will be uncomfortable, but if everyone approaches it with the goal of building personal strength, everyone will find some benefit from it. That betters workplace mental health.

The Push and Pull of Motivation and Self-Discipline

Motivation is our thirst to achieve something. The end result is often some type of reward or benefit. It’s a North Star, pulling us in a given direction.

But motivation wanes over time. When motivation gets tired of driving, that’s when self-discipline takes over. Self-discipline links us to powerful drivers like ego, character, reputation, and personal values. I can recall many times during my military days when my motivation had all but dwindled, but self-discipline begrudgingly kept me going, along with the desire not to let myself or my team down.

Most people aren’t going to be motivated about everything they do, and that’s okay–as long as they are disciplined enough to keep moving forward.

Conclusion

What I can say with absolute assurance is that this investigation has shifted perspectives on workplace mental health. Perhaps I will conduct more research about how personal strength and self-discipline can be refined and incorporated, including their role in workplace mental health. If this prompted one person to do the same thing, then it’s successful.

As a business leader, it’s critical to foster a sense of learning and growth. Check out our online courses at The Eighth Mile to learn more about how to improve the mental health of your workplace.

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Reinvent Yourself, Part 3: Your Reinvention Roadmap

Do you ever wonder why you feel stagnant? Or alternatively, are you a kettle about to boil over? Have you ever considered learning how to reinvent yourself?

Part 3 in our Reinvent Yourself series discusses the role that motivation and discipline play in the reinvention process. Specifically, we’ll explore the difference between being driven by what we’re running from and being motivated by what we’re running toward.

We also introduce a reinvention strategy roadmap to help guide you while learning how to reinvent yourself. Whether you’re looking to make a major career change or simply want to refresh your personal goals, here you’ll find all the tools and insights you need to make meaningful progress toward your aspirations.

This is Part 3 in our 4-part Reinvent Yourself series.

Want to achieve your full potential?

Reinvent Yourself Today!

Motivation vs. Discipline

Part of learning how to reinvent yourself involves understanding motivation and discipline. Motivation and discipline are sometimes viewed as opposites, yet they’re also closely linked. But what do these terms mean, exactly?

Motivation is what drives you to take action.

Discipline is your ability to consistently follow through on that action, even when you don’t feel motivated.

A primary difference between motivation and discipline is:

  • Motivation is often driven by external factors, such as rewards or incentives. Motivation can come and go, and our moods, surroundings, and circumstances can influence it.
  • Discipline is an internal characteristic. Discipline is a trait that is built into the fabric of each person’s character. It helps us stick to our goals and commitments, even when facing obstacles or distractions.

As far as similarities, motivation and discipline both require:

  • Self-control
  • Determination
  • Setting clear goals
  • Planning to achieve those goals

Motivation and discipline are closely related and work together in tandem to help us achieve our goals. Motivation can provide the initial spark that gets us started, while discipline helps us stay the course and see things through to the end — no matter how bumpy the road might get.

But what actually drives you toward a goal — toward change — and what motivates you to keep chasing it? Understanding yourself and assessing your motives and discipline (or lack thereof) is crucial. The key to success is finding the balance between motivation and discipline. It’s important to have the initial drive to take action, but it’s equally important to have the discipline to focus and follow through. This is how you reinvent yourself by setting up long-term success and accomplishing the things you truly desire.

5-Step Reinvent Yourself Strategy — The Roadmap to Success

The concept of reinvention isn’t new; people and businesses have been reinventing themselves for centuries to adapt to and remain relevant in changing circumstances. However, in today’s fast-paced, constantly evolving social and business spheres, the need for reinvention has become even more pressing. Whether you’re an individual looking to pivot your career or a business owner trying to stay ahead of your competition, a clear, concise reinvention roadmap is crucial.

Step 1: Setting SMART Goals

You’ve likely heard this term before: SMART goals. But what does that mean? Why are they smart? SMART is an apropos name for this type of goal because they’re:

  • Specific: Can you visualize and describe exactly what you’re working toward and why it’s important in your overall reinvention plan? Be specific.
  • Measurable: Start with your desired result and work backward. What needs to happen right before you reach your goal? And right before that? Keep brainstorming each preceding event till you arrive where you are right now. Write each of these tasks or accomplishments in the correct order. You now have a specific goal, measurable in milestones.
  • Attainable: Review the milestones. Are they realistic tasks you can accomplish?
  • Relevant: Are your milestones (and your overall goal) relevant to your new direction? Your reinvented self?
  • Time-Bound: Set a date to accomplish the goal and ensure each milestone can realistically be achieved within that timeframe.

As you set and achieve goals, each act of completion rewards your motivation and improves your self-discipline.

Step 2: Incorporate Both Motivation and Discipline as Tools to Achieve These Goals

Motivation drives you to pursue goals and can come from internal or external sources, while discipline is your innate ability to follow through on those goals. Both motivation and discipline are essential in your reinvention journey.

Without motivation and discipline, it’s easy to get sidetracked or give up in the face of obstacles. Where your motivation and discipline meet is at the intersection of positive and negative reinforcement.

Motivation and positive reinforcement work hand in hand. you have a desire that’s pulling you toward a goal. Your desire to meet that goal is your motivation. As you meet small milestones along the way, you might reward yourself (positive reinforcement), which pushes you to keep going to the next milestone, and so on.

But sometimes, motivation fails. Perhaps you’ve become so bogged down in the day-to-day grind that you’ve lost sight of your goals. This is where discipline and a bit of negative reinforcement come into play. If you’ve lost sight of what you’re aiming for, remembering what you’re trying to run from may help. If you stop working toward your goal, what will happen? Will you fall back into back habits or land yourself in a bad situation? It’s not as pleasant as motivation, but this negative reinforcement can provide you with the extra boost you may need to refocus yourself on both what your goal is and why you’re trying to get there.

By following your reinvention roadmap, you can stay on track for achievement. And that’s easy to do if you’re consistently motivated, always working toward your goals, and ticking off the boxes on your way to achievement.

Step 3: Acknowledge Your Fears and Use Them to Stay Focused

It’s natural to feel fear or uncertainty when embarking on a journey of reinvention. However, it’s important to recognize that fears can hold you back from reaching your full potential. By acknowledging your fears and using them as motivation to stay focused, you can overcome any obstacles. Consider developing strategies for managing your fears, such as mindfulness techniques or seeking support from friends and loved ones. By actively addressing your fears, you can use them as tools to stay focused on achieving your reinvention goals.

Step 4: Accept Failure as a Learning Tool

No journey is without its setbacks and failures, and your road to reinvent yourself is no exception. Failure is a natural part of the process and can be an opportunity to learn and grow. By accepting failure as a learning tool, you can use it as a source of motivation to try again and do better next time. Reframe your perspective on failure and use it to set better goals, all while seeking feedback as you go.

Step 5: Celebrate the Small Wins

Understanding how to reinvent yourself and putting each step into motion can be challenging, but taking time to celebrate your progress and milestone accomplishments along the way is important. It helps you see that all your work isn’t for nothing. Recognizing and celebrating the small wins builds your momentum toward your larger goals. This can involve setting small, achievable milestones and taking time to appreciate how far you’ve come, no matter how small the accomplishment may seem.

Reinvent Yourself With Guidance from The Eighth Mile

Keep this reinvention roadmap top of mind as you learn how to reinvent yourself. For additional guidance, consider Eighth Mile Consulting’s Reinvent Yourself course. This comprehensive course covers everything you need to know to effectively change direction, reinvent yourself, and achieve your goals.

Want to achieve your full potential?

Reinvent Yourself Today!

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