Be Your Own Disciple
So, why do I claim we have no willpower? Is it a misguided desire to protect myself? Is there a secret payoff in saying I have no willpower? Maybe if I absolutely deny the existence of willpower, I am no longer responsible for developing it. It’s out of my life! What a relief!
But, here’s the final tragedy: The development and use of willpower is the most direct access to happiness and motivation that I’ll ever have. In short, by denying its existence, I’m shutting my spirit down.
Many people think of willpower and self-discipline as something akin to self-punishment. By giving it that negative connotation, they never get enthused about developing it. But author William Bennett gives us a different way to think of it. Self-discipline, he notes in The Book Of Virtues, comes from the word disciple. When you are self-disciplined, you have simply decided-in matters of the will-to become your own disciple.
Once you make that decision, your life’s adventure gets more interesting. You start to see yourself as a stronger person. You gain self-respect.
American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson used to talk about Sandwich Island warriors who believed that when they killed an enemy tribesman, the courage of that dead enemy passed into the warrior’s living body. Emerson said that the same thing happens to us when we say no to a temptation. The power of that dead temptation passes into us. It strengthens our will. When we resist a small temptation, we take on a small power. When we resist a huge temptation, we take on a huge power.
William James recommended that we do at least two things every day that we don’t want to do-for the very reason that we don’t want to do them-just to keep willpower alive. By doing this, we maintain our awareness of our own will.
But, here’s the final tragedy: The development and use of willpower is the most direct access to happiness and motivation that I’ll ever have. In short, by denying its existence, I’m shutting my spirit down.
Many people think of willpower and self-discipline as something akin to self-punishment. By giving it that negative connotation, they never get enthused about developing it. But author William Bennett gives us a different way to think of it. Self-discipline, he notes in The Book Of Virtues, comes from the word disciple. When you are self-disciplined, you have simply decided-in matters of the will-to become your own disciple.
Once you make that decision, your life’s adventure gets more interesting. You start to see yourself as a stronger person. You gain self-respect.
American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson used to talk about Sandwich Island warriors who believed that when they killed an enemy tribesman, the courage of that dead enemy passed into the warrior’s living body. Emerson said that the same thing happens to us when we say no to a temptation. The power of that dead temptation passes into us. It strengthens our will. When we resist a small temptation, we take on a small power. When we resist a huge temptation, we take on a huge power.
William James recommended that we do at least two things every day that we don’t want to do-for the very reason that we don’t want to do them-just to keep willpower alive. By doing this, we maintain our awareness of our own will.
Beautifully said!
ReplyDeletethank you :)
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