On Discipline and Enthusiasm...

  "As artists, grounding our self-image in military discipline is dangerous. In the short run, discipline may work, but it will only work for a while. By its very nature, discipline is rooted in self admiration. (Think of discipline as a battery, useful, but short lived.) We admire ourselves for being so wonderful. The discipline itself, not the creative outflow, becomes the point."
 
  "Over any extended period of time, being an artist requires enthusiasm more than discipline. Enthusiasm is not an emotional state. It is a spiritual commitment, a loving surrender to the creative process, a loving recognition of all the creativity around us."

- Julia Cameron, The Artists Way (p. 153)