The Cost of Living Disciplined

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—A quick disclaimer—

The purpose of this article is to share my personal relationship with discipline—what it demands, what it costs, and what it ultimately gives in return.

Let me be clear: my level of discipline—or what some call obsession—is not required to achieve weight loss, health, or fitness goals. I know I’ve made myself an outlier, but I want to share a perspective that’s personal to me and give you a glimpse into my mindset as an ultra runner.

With that said… Let’s roll.

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Everyone loves the idea of discipline. They quote it, repost it, and pretend they want it. But, I have created discipline as a part of my lifestyle. I’m known for it, driven by it, shaped by it. But, without it; I wouldn’t be where I am today.

And no one really talks about the costs of living disciplined.

There certainly are plenty.

For example, discipline is boring. I eat the same five meals over and over, each one meticulously measured, timed, and repeated like a scratched record stuck in a loop. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, protein shakes. They arrive with the predictability of a metronome, and the excitement of spontaneity is traded for consistency, control, and results. How do I not get tired of the monotony? The truth is; I do. It is tedious. It is repetitive. But it’s exactly this boring, relentless repetition that builds the foundation I rely on. Discipline might be boring, but it is the engine that turns ordinary days into extraordinary outcomes.

Motivation? Gone. Some days there’s a spark, sure, but most days it’s nowhere to be found. Getting a trail run in at 10 p.m. or the 4 a.m. alarms on a day off; they don’t care if I feel like it. Motivation isn’t waiting there to push me, cheer me on, or make it fun. It’s absent. Cold trails, aching muscles, long miles; they get no vote. None of it feels exciting. None of it feels easy. And yet… the work still gets done. Because results don’t show up for motivation. They show up for the grind.

Then there’s the problem of standards. Discipline raises them whether I want it to or not. Once I proved to yourself that I can do hard things day after day after day, excuses stop working. I notice when I’m slacking. I feel it when I cut corners. And when I do cut a corner; I hate myself for doing so… Ignorance? Yeah that was bliss. But living disciplined ruined that. I can’t unknow what I now know about yourself. I am capable of pressing the limits of humanity so far I can no longer accept anything less than insanity. I don’t say that to sound arrogant. Rather, I have a quite burning drive (an ingrained curiosity if you will) to see how far this human body and mind can actually go. To stand at the edge of possibility and witness just how absolutely far limits can be pushed. A 100 mile ultramarathon? It’s just another finish line on this journey of the absurd.

I lose people along the way. Not because I’m better, but because my choices silently hold up a mirror to promises others made to themselves and broke. That mirror makes people squirm. Discipline doesn’t negotiate. It doesn’t sugarcoat. It just exists, and it forces truth into the room. I know I inspire people, honestly, that’s what I’m most proud about. But I also push some people away. It’s the cost of chasing something most will never even dare to reach for. And “Obsessed” is just a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated. But the flip side of this same coin is that I have, somehow, been entrusted with a platform to inspire other people willing to accept this challenge. And that is a price I will always be willing to pay!

And let’s not forget the physical toll. Training disciplined means doing work when I am sore, tired, and mentally drained. It means choosing long-term progress over short-term relief. Ice baths instead of couches. 4 a.m. alarms instead of sleeping in. Boring structure instead of spontaneity and splurging. Terrible trade-offs… if your goal is comfort.

But here’s the worst part of all.

Once you experience what discipline gives you, freedom feels different. Confidence feels earned. Self-respect feels non-negotiable. You stop looking for shortcuts because you’ve become the kind of person who doesn’t need them.

So yes, discipline comes with a cost.

It’s boring.

It raises standards.

It takes away excuses.

It steals comfort.

But in exchange, it gives you something most people spend their entire lives chasing.

Control. Strength. Freedom.

If that’s the cost, I’ll willingly pay it every time.

“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬

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Andrew Frizzell | Iron Will Weight Loss