Book Summary and Review: Discipline Equals Freedom, by Jocko Willink

This book packs a huge motivational punch, even though, ironically, motivation and discipline couldn't be more different from each other.  

You see, motivation can't be trusted. It can't be relied upon, since it comes and goes with the way you feel. Discipline, on the other hand, is your friend for life.

Motivation can never be allowed to dictate action, says Willink. Instead, you need to do what needs to be done, regardless of whether or not you actually feel like doing it. 

That’s the essence of self-discipline, of being an adult.

Jocko Willink's methods for success were developed in the SEAL Teams, where he spent most of his adult life, enlisting after high school and rising through the ranks to become the commander of the most highly decorated special operations unit of the war in Iraq.

That's where he draws much of his credibility from. And this guy oozes credibility, as he constantly and consistently demonstrates the truth and power of his principles in his own life and work since leaving the Navy.

This is a very short book - one you could read in a little more than an hour, I’d say - but it’s right up there in terms of power with David Goggins’ book, Can’t Hurt Me. That’s another amazing book, by the way, and both of them being former U.S. Navy SEALS they know a thing or two about a thing or two when it comes to work ethic and discipline.

Interestingly, they also both say the same thing about street-fighting: don’t do it. Never go around looking for one, and if you do find yourself attacked and outnumbered, get out of there as fast as possible.

Contrary to what your local tough guy says, it’s alright to run away. When you have two tough-as-nails Navy SEALS telling you to run away from unnecessary danger, you should probably listen to them.

Although there's a little bit in Discipline Equals Freedom about self-defense (and neglecting it because you don't plan on ever being in a fight is like not learning how to swim because you never plan on going in the water), it's mostly about winning the mental battles we engage in every day and declaring martial law on our own minds.

The book includes strategies and tactics for conquering weakness, procrastination, and fear, and in this breakdown, we'll cover important ideas like binary decision-making, as well as examine the positive use of aggression and the insidious natures of hesitation and weakness.

However, as the title implies, the whole project is mainly about freedom. Freedom from enslavement to your own mind, to addictions, to compulsions of all kinds. Freedom from the seductive call of laziness, indolence, and sloth.

Jocko also makes these valuable lessons easy to remember and apply. In the book, there are bolded passages and ALL CAPS in some places for emphasis, and his incredibly motivating and powerful ideas are captured in short, pithy phrases that you could carry around with you for life. And you probably should.

I’ve written a complete, 8,300-word breakdown of this book for the Stairway to Wisdom (that you can read for free) that contains 8 Key Ideas from the book, 26 Curated Insights, questions to ask yourself while reading, and Action Steps to help you apply it.

There’s even more in there than that, but I mean, that’s a lot. Certainly enough to give you a better idea of what the book’s about and whether you’d profit from reading it.

You can check it out here if you’re interested, and you can access 100+ other book breakdowns like that one with a 14-day free trial. I’m also super lenient about refunds and stuff like that (they’re rare, and hardly anyone ever asks for one), so really there’s no risk.

Anyway, I’m off to the gym! Thanks for reading, and I’ll be in touch soon!

Leave a comment if you’ve read this book, what you learned from it, whether you’d recommend it to others, etc. I’m interested to hear your thoughts!

All the best,

Matt Karamazov