And That Has Made All the Difference

The poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost has been touted as a charge to be bold, to take the uncommon route. Was a single choice made while on a leisurely walk in the woods so profound? Perhaps.

The opening stanza of "The Road Not Taken."

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

You may have experienced this type of situation before. There's a choice. Looking as far as you can into the subjective future, you consider the merit of each path or idea. Then, you choose for one reason or another, be it emotional, logical, with excitement, or with caution, to act.

One framework that may help us think about our choices, investment, and otherwise is comparing discipline to motivation.

Discipline is making a plan, setting goals, and making regular progress, helping you realize your why. Motivation on the other hand, can wax and wane. Subject to just-in-time circumstances and fleeting interest.

Motivation might get you to buy a new pair of walking shoes, but discipline; setting out your day pack the night before and choosing in which woods to walk -- is powerful.

At Vector, we know that planning for the future, like reaching a fork in the road, requires something of us. Choice. Returning to your "why" and leaning on established discipline, we believe, will have the most significant long-term impact.

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