When does self-discipline become virtue?

"Psychologist Sarah Schnitker explains why virtue grows best when rooted in purpose beyond the self. Through studies of marathon runners fundraising for clean water, she shows how pro-social and spiritual motivations-not just personal fitness goals-led to deeper growth in generosity, patience, and self-control. This research challenges the idea that self-improvement alone leads to virtue. When moral purpose and shared meaning enter the picture, transformation becomes more than personal: it becomes relational and lasting."

"SARAH SCHNITKER: I think we might approach virtue development as really a self-serving, impersonal activity. And self-growth is a good thing. We want to be healthier, happier individuals. But what our data show is that virtue development is going to be more potent when it is shared with other people. For example, if I am committed to sustainability, seeing nature as sacred, that is a cause that shared with people all around the world."

Research on marathon runners fundraising for clean water found that pro-social and spiritual motivations, not personal fitness goals alone, produced deeper growth in generosity, patience, and self-control. Self-discipline pursued only for personal benefit did not reliably produce virtue development. Shared moral purpose and connection with others provided sustained motivation for difficult character-building practices. Viewing causes like sustainability or civic engagement as sacred or communal fostered relational and lasting transformation. Training within philanthropic teams linked hard work to giving, spiritual growth, and communal meaning, amplifying the potency of self-control and patience beyond individual self-improvement.

Read at Big Think