Discipline equals freedom.
Whether in exercise, work, relationships, or one’s inner self—self-discipline enables us live the lives we want to live.
This is the core takeaway of former Navy Seal Jocko Willink’s book, The Code. The Evaluation. The Protocols. Striving to Become an Eminently Qualified Human (2020), which he co-wrote with Dave Berke and Sarah Armstrong. It’s a terse booklet—about fifty pages—but its message is empowering.
Willink owns a leadership consultancy company, has published several books on leadership, and hosts a popular podcast—the Jocko Podcast—where he and his co-host Echo Charles discuss military history books, jiu-jitsu, and leadership. I encountered Willink’s podcast a few years ago, while preparing for comprehensive exams. “Discipline equals freedom” hit notes I needed to hear then, and I think The Code. The Evaluation. The Protocols. can help us “prioritize and execute” as we face yet another coronavirus fall.
The Path
Willink, Berke, and Armstrong argue that everyone’s lives need codes of conduct, that we should assess our daily progress, and that we need hueristics, or rules-of-thumb, to fall back on when life gets difficult. Having a code, using evaluations, and knowing protocols help keep one on (what they term) “The Path,” which they define as:
The Path of Discipline that leads to Freedom . . . A war against weakness, so it leads to strength. A war against igorance, so it leads to knowledge. A war against confusion, so it leads to understanding . . . The Path is how you strive to become an Eminently Qualified Human.
Willink’s background and interests lends the book a militaristic tone. Yet that “war” is directed inward, toward our personal tendencies to slack, distract, or lose focus, never outward against others.
The Code
“There are some things in life,” the authors argue, “which should be universally placed in the forefront of our efforts as human beings.” They condense their proposed universals into a ten-point code, which they propose is widely applicable. They present their code as imperative bullets:
“I will take care of my physical health by exercising, eating properly, and getting the rest I need to recover and rebuild. I will take care of my physical surroundings, keeping them in order.”
“I will develop myself mentally by reading, writing, drawing, building, creating, and engaging in other activities that sharpen and expand my mind.”
“I will not waste time. Time is precious.”
“I will not waste money and I will make prudent financial decisions. Money is hard to earn.”
“I will set goals that I will strive toward.”
“I will excel in my job because work is integral to life.”
“I will be humble and not allow my ego to negatively impact my decisions.”
“I will control my emotions and not allow my emotions to negatively impact my decisions.”
“I will put others before myself. I will help other people and protect those that cannot protect themselves. I will take care of my friends and family and treat other people with respect.”
“I will be ready to protect my friends and family. My gear will be ready. I will train and prepare to defend myself and others.”
Willink self-published The Code. The Evaluation. The Protocols. early in coronavirus epidemic, when many of us were testing the new normal of home offices and Discord game-nights. He and his co-authors assured their readers that, amid this—or any—chaotic world, these ten priorities help maintain control over one’s inner self. A lockdown doesn’t change whether you should take care of your body, mind, neighbors, or surroundings. Political conflicts are not a pass for pride. Public health crises do not release us from prudence or selflessness. The authors argue that these tenets form a fundamental internal structure.
Evaluations and Protocols
The book then leads readers through each tenet of the code, how to define them in one’s own life, and how to evaluate one’s relative progress on a suggested scale of one-to-five.
The health evaluation, for example, proposes that “Since our physical bodies are the support mechanisms for our brains, physical fitness and health are paramount to our existence . . . We need to exercise, be well rested, and well-nourished to reach optimal health.” The section then explains why attention to fitness, sleep, and diet provide the foundation to a disciplined life, and provides a spreadsheet to help evaluate fitness, sleep, and diet on a given day.
Willink and his co-authors remind readers that discipline is not competitive. Instead, they write, their evaluation:
. . . requires humility and a brutally honest self-assessment. No one else is scoring you. Don’t compare yourself to others. This is about your capacity compared to your performance.
The book’s final section, “The Protocols,” gives rules-of-thumb for responding when we “fall off The Path.” These protocols range from responses to breakups and death to financial struggles and addiction—situations that are common but presently have few set rules for coping. The authors offer these protocols as hueristics, or rules of thumb, as starting points.
The book concludes by reflecting on successfully walking “The Path.” Its authors recommend: “Thank those who helped you along the way. Take stock in what you have achieved. Then go harder. Lead. Lead your family, your community, your Country. Lead everyone and everything in your world. Lead others to The Path. Show them The Way.” Personal, interior action should enable one to give abundantly, to share what one has found, to help others become eminently qualified human beings.
The Via Activa
How do Catholics approach someone proposing “The Path” when Christ tells us that He is the “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (Jn 14:6)? I think there are two major takeaways: Willink and Catholics share a preference for action and an attachment to simple plans.
Much like Willink, Berke, and Armstrong, Pope Francis calls for individual transformation in Evangelii Gaudium and Laudato Si. While these papal documents address the economy and environment as global topics, Francis builds outward from individual action. Specifically, he roots any positive social change in forging a dedicated, personal relationship with Christ—and since Christ has already taken the first step towards us, the ball is in our court.
Let’s look at how Willink and Francis approach individual action. In his imperative voice, Willink proposes that “The best way to start, is to start. Don’t hestiate. Don’t wait. Don’t analyze or plan or research. Just start. Now.” Francis, for his part, invites:
all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day . . . The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is already there, waiting for us with open arms . . . Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. [emphases mine]
Willink says that inaction produces nothing, and Francis agrees that we can’t just wait for God to shock us into holiness. We’re not that kid in The Incredibles waiting at the end of the driveway for “something amazing” to happen!
Life, not least our life in Christ, takes disciplined action. We may not see the fruits of our prayers, the change in our hearts, the impact our ministries have on the Body of Christ. Yet we are still called to be diligent, to “enter through the narrow gate” (Mt. 7:13-14), and to keep our candles burning while we watch for the Master who returns at an unknown hour.
Now, we know we will fail. Willink’s book recognizes that sometimes we will eat the donut, sleep in, or be prideful. But “just in striving,” Willink writes, “we will become better.” Francis likewise reminds us that God already knows our failures. Yet Christ still calls us to “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mat 5:48). And so, Francis admonishes us to never grow tired of “seeking his mercy.”
The disciplined life and the life of activated discipleship are both action-oriented. Whether that action is morning push-ups, morning prayer, a consistent work-ethic, or seeking out the poor, we must start somewhere.
Plans
I think the other key overlap here is that while our personal and spiritual actions need plans, those plans must remain simple. Not like Michael Scott’s plan to fix Dunder Mifflin.
Willink and his co-authors emphasize the need for a roadmap, but they ultimately keep their code simple. Likewise, Francis warns in Evangelii Gaudium that we have a tendency to:
. . . dream up vast apostolic projects, meticulously planned, just like defeated generals! . . . We indulge in endless fantasies and we lose contact with the real lives and difficulties of our people.
If we take all morning to plan a workout, we’ll never exercise. If we require spiritual roadmaps with each minute detail spelled out, we’lll never pray. If I spend all my time planning a Substack post to perfection, I’ll never write it. Our plans need to be actionable, and so Francis encourages us, here, to “try a little harder to take the first step.”
Little Examinations and Habits
Graduate school semesters are already challenging, and working from home adds another layer. There are dishes to wash, books to read, writing deadlines, and you—not anyone else—need to make that happen. It worked alright last year. But for the time being we’re back in the office. Weirdly enough there’s more to do—commuting, packing lunch, possible meetings—all of which makes a plan even more necessary.
A few months ago I made a checklist based on Willink’s evaluation in a daily habit-tracking app. My wife Amy said it was a bit like an examination of conscience—and I like the idea of returning to that practice! I added a few things to Willink’s list—my morning prayer time, my morning run distance, whether I’m practicing Norwegian (update, not nearly enough)—and I’ve found that, even though I fall short, this evaluation is helpful.
What else could we add to our daily accountability codes?
Willink prompts us to check our health, personal and professional development, character, relationships, and preparedness against the previous day’s performance. What if we also considered love of our neighbor and care for the environment each day? What if we made daily time to delight in God, and allow God to delight in us?
Reflecting on St. Thérèse of Lisieux in Laudato Si, Pope Francis notes that Catholics should focus on “simple daily gestures which break with the logic of violence, exploitation, and selfishness.” Indeed.
May we become more aware of the paths we walk and habituate simple, concrete steps to living better.
Reading Willink, Berke, and Armstrong alongside my past weeks’ notes from Pope Francis was refreshing—especially heading into a busy semester.
I hope you find their messages encouraging too.
That’s it for today - see you tomorrow.