Don’t Confuse Goals with Disciplines: How a Simple Distinction Reshaped the Way I Think about Success

Have you ever read something that seems simple at first but lands like an epiphany?
That was me recently while reading a book by Anthony Iannarino.

He said, “Don’t confuse goals with disciplines.” (Anthony Iannarino, The Only Sales Guide You’ll Ever Need).

At first, it barely registered. Then it clicked. Here’s what I took from it.

Goals are what we want to achieve:

“I want to finish a marathon.”

“I want to read 40 books a year.”

“I want to mentor someone in my circle of influence.”

“I want to spend more time with family”

I love setting goals, especially at the beginning of the year when I convince myself that January 1st magically resets my chances at success. Goals feel hopeful and exciting. And please do not hear what I am not saying…they really matter. They give us direction and purpose. They help us focus in a world full of distractions.

But as the poet Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said: “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

That’s where disciplines come in. If goals are the destination, disciplines are the daily steps that get us there.

• If the goal is to finish a marathon, the discipline is lacing up to run each morning, even when it’s hard.
• If the goal is to read 40 books a year, the discipline is carving out time to read, even when you’d rather scroll.
• If the goal is to mentor someone, the discipline is showing up to listen and speak into their life, even when your schedule is full.
• If the goal is spending more time with family, the discipline is protecting that time on the calendar, even when work runs late or schedules get busy.

Disciplines aren’t flashy. They’re repetitive, sometimes boring, and often hard. But they are the steady consistency that makes goals possible.

So as much as I want to cheer for your big wins, what I really celebrate is your decision to keep showing up when no one’s watching. The daily sacrifices, the small steps…that’s what slowly chips away at big goals and creates lasting change.

So, set the goals. Dream big for your business and your life. But don’t stop there. Back them up with the disciplines that turn them from wishes to real, tangible change.