Practice vs. Discipline — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 14, 2024
Practice involves regular repetition of activities to improve skill or knowledge, while discipline refers to controlled behavior and adherence to rules or a strict regimen.
Difference Between Practice and Discipline
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Practice is the act of repeatedly performing tasks or activities with the goal of improving one's proficiency in a specific area. It emphasizes the importance of consistency and repetition in skill acquisition. On the other hand, discipline involves the enforcement of obedience or the adherence to a set of rules or standards, often requiring self-control and restraint to achieve long-term objectives.
While practice is fundamentally about the enhancement of skills through repetition, discipline can be seen as the broader framework that includes practices, habits, and routines aimed at fostering improvement or maintaining order. Whereas practice focuses on the methodical repetition of specific actions, discipline encompasses the psychological and behavioral aspects that enable an individual to sustain such efforts over time.
Practice often requires discipline to be effective; disciplined individuals are more likely to engage in regular practice sessions and adhere to their training schedules. Conversely, discipline without a specific focus on practice can lead to rigidity without meaningful improvement in specific skills or knowledge areas.
In educational contexts, practice might refer to homework or studying regularly to grasp new concepts. Discipline in the same context could mean the ability to maintain focus during study sessions or adhere to a study schedule despite distractions.
The success of practice is usually measured by improvements in skill or knowledge, such as mastering a musical instrument or a new language. Success in discipline, however, is often gauged by the ability to achieve long-term goals and maintain order in one’s life or work, showcasing a broader range of application beyond skill enhancement.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The act of doing something repeatedly to improve skill
The control or regulation of conduct
Focus
Improvement in specific skills or knowledge
Adherence to rules, self-control, and order
Requires
Repetition, consistency
Self-control, adherence to rules
Outcome
Enhanced ability in a specific area
Achievement of long-term goals, maintenance of order
Measurement of Success
Progress in skill or knowledge proficiency
Ability to maintain focus and achieve objectives
Compare with Definitions
Practice
The repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
Practice in playing the piano makes her performance flawless.
Discipline
The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.
Military discipline is strict and is meant to instill order.
Practice
The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it.
The practice of recycling has become more common in recent years.
Discipline
A branch of knowledge, typically one studied in higher education.
Sociology is a discipline that examines human social relationships.
Practice
A repeated or customary action.
His practice of running every morning contributes to his good health.
Discipline
A system of rules of conduct or method of practice.
She follows a strict discipline of meditation and exercise.
Practice
Regular exercise of a profession.
He plans to open his own medical practice.
Discipline
Control gained by enforcing obedience or order.
Good discipline in schools is essential for effective teaching.
Practice
The customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing something.
It's common practice to shake hands upon meeting someone.
Discipline
The ability to control one's feelings and overcome one's weaknesses.
Discipline is crucial for athletes to maintain their training schedules.
Practice
The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it
The principles and practice of teaching
The recommendations proved too expensive to put into practice
Discipline
Discipline is action or inaction that is regulated to be in accordance (or to achieve accord) with a particular system of governance. Discipline is commonly applied to regulating human and animal behavior to its society or environment it belongs.
Practice
The customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing of something
Modern child-rearing practices
Product placement is common practice in American movies
Discipline
Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement
Was raised in the strictest discipline.
Practice
Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it
It must have taken a lot of practice to become so fluent
Discipline
Control obtained by enforcing compliance or order
Military discipline.
Practice
US spelling of practise
Discipline
Controlled behavior resulting from disciplinary training; self-control
Dieting takes a lot of discipline.
Practice
To do or perform habitually or customarily; make a habit of
Practices courtesy in social situations.
Discipline
A state of order based on submission to rules and authority
A teacher who demanded discipline in the classroom.
Practice
To do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill
Practice a dance step.
Discipline
Punishment intended to correct or train
Subjected to harsh discipline.
Practice
To give lessons or repeated instructions to; drill
Practiced the students in handwriting.
Discipline
A set of rules or methods, as those regulating the practice of a church or monastic order.
Practice
To work at, especially as a profession
Practice law.
Discipline
A branch of knowledge or teaching
The discipline of mathematics.
Practice
To carry out in action; observe
Practices a religion piously.
Discipline
To train by instruction and practice, as in following rules or developing self-control
The sergeant disciplined the recruits to become soldiers.
Practice
(Obsolete) To plot (something evil).
Discipline
To punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience.
Practice
To do something repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill
With any musical instrument, you need to practice to get better.
Discipline
To impose order on
Needed to discipline their study habits.
Practice
To work at a profession
How long has that lawyer been practicing?.
Discipline
A controlled behaviour; self-control.
Practice
To do or perform something habitually or repeatedly
Why not practice in the same manner that you preach?.
Discipline
An enforced compliance or control.
Practice
(Archaic) To intrigue or plot.
Discipline
A systematic method of obtaining obedience.
Practice
A habitual or customary action or way of doing something
Makes a practice of being punctual.
Discipline
A state of order based on submission to authority.
Practice
Repeated performance of an activity in order to learn or perfect a skill
Practice will make you a good musician.
Discipline
A set of rules regulating behaviour.
Practice
A session of preparation or performance undertaken to acquire or polish a skill
Goes to piano practice weekly.
Scheduled a soccer practice for Saturday.
Discipline
A punishment to train or maintain control.
Practice
(Archaic) The skill so learned or perfected.
Discipline
A specific branch of knowledge or learning.
Practice
The condition of being skilled through repeated exercise
Out of practice.
Discipline
A category in which a certain art, sport or other activity belongs.
Practice
The act or process of doing something; performance or action
A theory that is difficult to put into practice.
Discipline
(transitive) To train someone by instruction and practice.
Practice
Exercise of an occupation or profession
The practice of law.
Discipline
(transitive) To teach someone to obey authority.
Practice
The business of a professional person
An obstetrician with her own practice.
Discipline
(transitive) To punish someone in order to (re)gain control.
Practice
A habitual or customary action or act
That company engages in questionable business practices. Facial tattooing is a standard practice among certain peoples.
Discipline
(transitive) To impose order on someone.
Practice
(Law) The procedure for trial of cases in a court of law, usually specified by rules.
Discipline
The treatment suited to a disciple or learner; education; development of the faculties by instruction and exercise; training, whether physical, mental, or moral.
Wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity.
Discipline aims at the removal of bad habits and the substitution of good ones, especially those of order, regularity, and obedience.
Practice
The act of tricking or scheming, especially with malicious intent.
Discipline
Training to act in accordance with established rules; accustoming to systematic and regular action; drill.
Their wildness lose, and, quitting nature's part,Obey the rules and discipline of art.
Practice
A trick, scheme, or intrigue.
Discipline
Subjection to rule; submissiveness to order and control; habit of obedience.
The most perfect, who have their passions in the best discipline, are yet obliged to be constantly on their guard.
Practice
Repetition of an activity to improve a skill.
He will need lots of practice with the lines before he performs them.
Discipline
Severe training, corrective of faults; instruction by means of misfortune, suffering, punishment, etc.
A sharp discipline of half a century had sufficed to educate us.
Practice
An organized event for the purpose of performing such repetition.
Being on a team is hard: you're always having to go to practice while everyone else is taking it easy.
I have choir practice every Sunday after church.
Discipline
Correction; chastisement; punishment inflicted by way of correction and training.
Giving her the discipline of the strap.
Practice
The ongoing pursuit of a craft or profession, particularly in medicine or the fine arts.
Discipline
The subject matter of instruction; a branch of knowledge.
Practice
(countable) A place where a professional service is provided, such as a general practice.
She ran a thriving medical practice.
Discipline
The enforcement of methods of correction against one guilty of ecclesiastical offenses; reformatory or penal action toward a church member.
Practice
The observance of religious duties that a church requires of its members.
Discipline
Self-inflicted and voluntary corporal punishment, as penance, or otherwise; specifically, a penitential scourge.
Practice
A customary action, habit, or behaviour; a manner or routine.
It is the usual practice of employees there to wear neckties only when meeting with customers.
It is good practice to check each door and window before leaving.
Discipline
A system of essential rules and duties; as, the Romish or Anglican discipline.
Practice
Actual operation or experiment, in contrast to theory.
That may work in theory, but will it work in practice?
Discipline
To educate; to develop by instruction and exercise; to train.
Practice
(legal) The form, manner, and order of conducting and carrying on suits and prosecutions through their various stages, according to the principles of law and the rules laid down by the courts.
This firm of solicitors is involved in family law practice.
Discipline
To accustom to regular and systematic action; to bring under control so as to act systematically; to train to act together under orders; to teach subordination to; to form a habit of obedience in; to drill.
Ill armed, and worse disciplined.
His mind . . . imperfectly disciplined by nature.
Practice
Skilful or artful management; dexterity in contrivance or the use of means; stratagem; artifice.
Discipline
To improve by corrective and penal methods; to chastise; to correct.
Has he disciplined Aufidius soundly?
Practice
(math) A easy and concise method of applying the rules of arithmetic to questions which occur in trade and business.
Discipline
To inflict ecclesiastical censures and penalties upon.
Practice
(US) practise
Discipline
A branch of knowledge;
In what discipline is his doctorate?
Teachers should be well trained in their subject
Anthropology is the study of human beings
Practice
Frequently repeated or customary action; habitual performance; a succession of acts of a similar kind; usage; habit; custom; as, the practice of rising early; the practice of making regular entries of accounts; the practice of daily exercise.
A heart . . . exercised with covetous practices.
Discipline
A system of rules of conduct or method of practice;
He quickly learned the discipline of prison routine
For such a plan to work requires discipline
Practice
Customary or constant use; state of being used.
Obsolete words may be revived when they are more sounding or more significant than those in practice.
Discipline
The trait of being well behaved;
He insisted on discipline among the troops
Practice
Skill or dexterity acquired by use; expertness.
Discipline
Training to improve strength or self-control
Practice
Actual performance; application of knowledge; - opposed to theory.
There are two functions of the soul, - contemplation and practice.
There is a distinction, but no opposition, between theory and practice; each, to a certain extent, supposes the other; theory is dependent on practice; practice must have preceded theory.
Discipline
The act of punishing;
The offenders deserved the harsh discipline they received
Practice
Systematic exercise for instruction or discipline; as, the troops are called out for practice; she neglected practice in music.
Discipline
Train by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control;
Parents must discipline their children
Is this dog trained?
Practice
Application of science to the wants of men; the exercise of any profession; professional business; as, the practice of medicine or law; a large or lucrative practice.
Practice is exercise of an art, or the application of a science in life, which application is itself an art.
Discipline
Punish in order to gain control or enforce obedience;
The teacher disciplined the pupils rather frequently
Practice
Skillful or artful management; dexterity in contrivance or the use of means; art; stratagem; artifice; plot; - usually in a bad sense.
He sought to have that by practice which he could not by prayer.
Practice
A easy and concise method of applying the rules of arithmetic to questions which occur in trade and business.
Practice
The form, manner, and order of conducting and carrying on suits and prosecutions through their various stages, according to the principles of law and the rules laid down by the courts.
Practice
To do or perform frequently, customarily, or habitually; to make a practice of; as, to practice gaming.
Practice
To exercise, or follow, as a profession, trade, art, etc., as, to practice law or medicine.
Practice
To exercise one's self in, for instruction or improvement, or to acquire discipline or dexterity; as, to practice gunnery; to practice music.
Practice
To put into practice; to carry out; to act upon; to commit; to execute; to do.
As this advice ye practice or neglect.
Practice
To make use of; to employ.
In malice to this good knight's wife, I practiced Ubaldo and Ricardo to corrupt her.
Practice
To teach or accustom by practice; to train.
In church they are taught to love God; after church they are practiced to love their neighbor.
Practice
To perform certain acts frequently or customarily, either for instruction, profit, or amusement; as, to practice with the broadsword or with the rifle; to practice on the piano.
Practice
To learn by practice; to form a habit.
They shall practice how to live secure.
Practice first over yourself to reign.
Practice
To try artifices or stratagems.
He will practice against thee by poison.
Practice
To apply theoretical science or knowledge, esp. by way of experiment; to exercise or pursue an employment or profession, esp. that of medicine or of law.
[I am] little inclined to practice on others, and as little that others should practice on me.
Practice
A customary way of operation or behavior;
It is their practice to give annual raises
They changed their dietary pattern
Practice
Systematic training by multiple repetitions;
Practice makes perfect
Practice
Translating an idea into action;
A hard theory to put into practice
Differences between theory and praxis of communism
Practice
The exercise of a profession;
The practice of the law
I took over his practice when he retired
Practice
Knowledge of how something is usually done;
It is not the local practice to wear shorts to dinner
Practice
Learn by repetition;
We drilled French verbs every day
Pianists practice scales
Practice
Avail oneself to;
Apply a principle
Practice a religion
Use care when going down the stairs
Use your common sense
Practice non-violent resistance
Practice
Carry out or practice; as of jobs and professions;
Practice law
Practice
Engage in a rehearsal (of)
Common Curiosities
Is discipline only relevant to personal habits?
No, discipline is relevant in various contexts, including personal habits, educational environments, professional settings, and more.
What is the purpose of practice?
The purpose of practice is to improve or maintain proficiency in a specific skill or activity through repetition.
How does discipline support practice?
Discipline supports practice by providing the self-control and adherence to routines necessary for consistent and effective practice.
Is discipline always imposed externally?
No, discipline can be both externally imposed and self-imposed, with self-discipline being a key component of personal development and achievement.
How do outcomes of practice and discipline differ?
The outcomes of practice are typically improvements in specific skills or knowledge, while the outcomes of discipline include achieving long-term goals and maintaining order in various aspects of life.
Can discipline be considered a skill?
Yes, discipline can be considered a skill as it involves the ability to self-regulate behavior and adhere to a set of rules or standards.
Can the concepts of practice and discipline overlap?
Yes, the concepts can overlap; disciplined individuals often engage in regular practice, and effective practice routines can develop discipline.
Can practice exist without discipline?
While practice can occur in the absence of discipline, its effectiveness and sustainability are greatly enhanced by disciplined habits and routines.
How do practice and discipline contribute to success?
Both practice and discipline are essential for success; practice enhances specific abilities, while discipline ensures the persistence and consistency necessary to achieve goals.
Are there different types of discipline?
Yes, there are different types, including self-discipline, disciplinary measures in institutions, and academic disciplines, each with distinct purposes and applications.
How is discipline maintained?
Discipline is maintained through consistent adherence to rules, self-control, and sometimes corrective actions or incentives.
What role does discipline play in professional development?
Discipline plays a crucial role in professional development by fostering the self-management and perseverance needed to achieve career goals and improve competencies.
Why is practice important in learning a new skill?
Practice is important in learning a new skill because it reinforces learning, enhances memory, and improves efficiency and accuracy in performing the skill.
Can the lack of discipline affect practice outcomes?
Yes, a lack of discipline can negatively affect practice outcomes by leading to inconsistency, lack of focus, and ultimately slower or less significant improvements.
How do practice and discipline differ in educational settings?
In educational settings, practice might involve specific study techniques or exercises, while discipline relates to the broader behavior and focus required to engage in those practices effectively.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
