Hi @mstafford! I have an answer to your question. This is my perspective and what I've learned through studying human potential for at least the last decade and running in events from 2km all the way through to 100km (multiple times) over the last 35 years...
Discipline requires willpower. Most people have very little willpower, myself included.
What works better are:
Knowing WHY you want to run (what's the goal and why is it important to you to achieve it)
Creating habits (my partner - also a runner - likes routine, so he does the same thing each Monday, and the next thing on his plan on Tuesday, etc but you can do this any time of ways; it's more about making it AUTOMATIC so no choice, and therefore no discipline, is required)
Removing obstacles (example: if you want to run in the morning, lay your clothes and shoes out the night before so AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP they're the first thing you see. Put them on and out you go. You will have run and be home again before you know it)
Know what works for you (some people love to run before breakfast, others run straight after work and before getting home, some run in their lunch break, others run with their run club - find what suits you and your lifestyle and do that)
Surround yourself with a supportive community (read: get some running friends and socialise with them more, and hang out with people who encourage your goals - fitness and otherwise - rather than discourage you or ask you to hang out and drink with them instead)
Starting with even ONE of these will get you heading out the door more often. Layer them all in over time and you'll be unstoppable.
Caroline.
I think #1 here is really the most important... I keep telling myself that I've got to get back into running. I used to be excited about training for half~full marathons to compete with my brother, but he's more into cycling these days.
Definitely struggling to figure out the 'why'.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment!
Welcome! Hope you find you find your WHY :) I would never have made it through ultras (or the training required!) without it!