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The Discipline Of The Will

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If Perception and Action were the disciplines of the mind and the body, then Will is the discipline of the heart and the soul. The will is the one thing we control completely, always. Whereas I can try to mitigate harmful perceptions and give 100 percent of my energy to actions, those attempts can be thwarted or inhibited. My will is different, because it is within me.

We can think, act, and finally adjust to a world that is inherently unpredictable. The will is what prepares us for this, protects us against it, and allows us to thrive and be happy in spite of it. It is also the most difficult of all the disciplines. It’s what allows us to stand undisturbed while others wilt and give in to disorder. Confident, calm, ready to work regardless of the conditions. Willing and able to continue, even during the unthinkable, even when our worst nightmares have come true.

It’s much easier to control our perceptions and emotions than it is to give up our desire to control other people and events. It’s easier to persist in our efforts and actions than to endure the uncomfortable or the painful. It’s easier to think and act than it is to practice wisdom.

These lessons come harder but are, in the end, the most critical to wresting advantage from adversity. In every situation, we can

  • Always prepare ourselves for more difficult times.
  • Always accept what we’re unable to change.
  • Always manage our expectations.
  • Always persevere.
  • Always learn to love our fate and what happens to us.
  • Always protect our inner self, retreat into ourselves.
  • Always submit to a greater, larger cause.
  • Always remind ourselves of our own mortality.
  • And, of course, prepare to start the cycle once more.

* Source: The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

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