If willpower was the ladder to success, would you allude to failure as won’t power? I am not aware of any learned scholar come up with such a classification so far, not in my memory at least. So, what makes the difference in a man’s life? Some of us succeed, despite severe challenges, whereas a few ‘unfortunate ones’ barely survive.
We need to make an assessment of certain specific factors that contribute to the positive aspect while their absence drives others down. One of the simplest, most credible, and also logically sound lead could be hidden in the experiences of other successful people.
For all practical purposes, self-confidence is the foundation of ‘willpower.’ The absence of this essential trait can never support a big decision, especially when you wish to go beyond the norm in any given field.
Sticking to the mundane may only provide enough to survive, but nothing beyond that. The second most crucial backer of ‘Willpower,’ in my view at least, is our willingness to take risks. Until and unless we get out of our comfort zone, there is no possibility of putting this great tool to the test. It does not matter what name we give to the tremendous force inherent in our willingness to break out of our so-called ‘shell’ and stand out. You can call it by any name that suits your fancy. However, the power of this unbeatable resource is for us to exploit. When, where, and how we want to use it, is nobody else’ business but ours, and ours alone. We can use it for personal good or for the masses at large.
Let us seek some guidance from none other than Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company. “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” It may sound confusing to the uninitiated, but those with a keen eye will see the truth in a clear light. Our thoughts determine whether we shall succeed in a venture or fail miserably. Our determination, a.k.a. willpower is the vehicle that can facilitate our ascension (growth.)
Depending upon the size of our dream project, yet another critical aspect that acts as a catalyst to Will Power is our ability to attract like-minded individuals, rather than naysayers. ‘You are known by the company you keep; keep the company of giants, and you become a giant, keep the company of dwarfs, and you become a dwarf!
Surrounding ourselves with positive thinkers empowers us to shed negativity. As the surroundings change, the ongoing wave allows us to flow with the tide as well. Hence, the significance of the progressive company becomes tantamount to result-oriented action on our part as well. According to Margaret Mead (1901-1975), the power to change the world rests with a small group of committed people. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
History is replete with examples of various individuals with strong enough willpower to galvanize the society around them and create movements that overturned empires. Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India Movement against the British rule in India is one such example. Let us also remember the end of apartheid in South Africa solely due to the untiring efforts of Nelson Mandela. Both of them spent the majority of their adult lives in prison. Their unwavering resolve to fight injustice saw the light of the day when their people became independent.
The authorities of the day wanted to crush their dreams of independence at any cost. Of course, they both managed to create strong enough resistance that culminated in a victory against all the odds.
William McDougall, a Canadian politician, lawyer, and one of the Fathers of Confederation, was of the view, “Will is a character in action.” Our willingness to overcome every obstacle that comes in the way of achieving our objective sure displays a brave character. The determination involved therein puts into motion our resourcefulness. A firm resolve to attain any goal enables us to make the necessary assessment of our strengths and weaknesses. Thus, we start building the requisite TEAM (Together Everybody Achieves More, or Together Everyone Acquires Money, take your pick!)
The resulting action brings out our character in full glory. Only those with robust willpower ower are considered trustworthy, not the fickle-minded ones.
“I stand for freedom of expression, doing what you believe in, and going after your dreams.” -Madonna. These words from a living legend present an inherent proof of success within.
Coming from a deeply religious Catholic family, Madonna dared to live the life of a rebel. She created her own ways and means to not just survive, but to make a lasting impression on the music industry. Forbes magazine estimates she earned over a Billion Dollars U.S. during her music tours around the world. Can we still afford to doubt the veracity of her above statement? I highly doubt it.
“The more things you do, the more you can do.” –Lucille Ball. This well-known American actress was a multi-talented personality. Her career ranged from star-role in many self-produced sitcoms revolving around the main character named ‘Lucy,’ as well as ‘The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.’ Coming from her personal experiences, the above quote gives us enough food for thought to make a move and establish our own intent to excel at everything we put our mind to.
“With willing hearts and skillful hands, the difficult we do at once; the impossible takes a bit longer.” -Author Unknown
The onus is upon us, whether we can gather the courage to put our willpower to productive use or to let it die a shameful death, buried deep within.
Thank You!
Thank you for this Bharat Mathur. In this day and age of impulsivity and immediate-need gratification, this is a necessary discussion. I agree with Aldo. It is about attitude and a good habit, which takes time to sow. Willpower needs to talked about more. Thank you for beginning the discussion!💖
Thanks a Million, Ms. Darlene! First things first, I would like to tender my unqualified apology for the inordinate delay in responding to your heartening comment; trust you will be kind enough to pardon me. Having said that, I would love to see the thread taken up in a more pervasive fashion whereby the message could be percolated down to where it makes a lasting difference.
It is truly unfortunate to see a vast majority of the population losing this great virtue as if they were being pushed down the slopes of total loss, with no direction in sight. Those with strong willpower have always beaten the odds and still continue to do the same, never mind the pandemic.
Thanks once again, with warm regards, and a prayer for all!
Great job my friend!
Our will is the seed that we have planted and that will grow, as long as we take care of it, bearing fruit every time we carry on our personal struggle overcoming the obstacles that we will encounter along the way. In this way, that is, through patience and constancy, we will be able to exercise better control over ourselves and develop our willpower.
Etymologically speaking, the term “will” derives from the Latin “voluntas-atis” and means “to want”. However, this concept implies many other factors, such as the ability to make decisions, choosing one option among the many available, the trend or the desire for something that guarantees us the opportunity to discover, the determination that concretizes and relates to the ability to evaluate and identify our goals, action, as a defining factor to put into practice what we want.
For me, having willpower means respecting yourself, doing the best for us, learning to control us and taking full responsibility for our actions and decisions. I believe that willpower is intimately connected to our awareness.
When we become aware of ourselves, with willpower we can regulate and control the flow of our negative and limiting thoughts. In this way we will be able to express our full potential, freeing ourselves from old limiting beliefs and beliefs. We will have greater control over our gratification, no longer falling under the influence of the temptations that will arise. Thus allowing us to maintain a strong concentration on what are our long-term goals. Increase our emotional intelligence.
Willpower, after all, is a concept similar to an attitude. So it is also similar to a (positive) habit that we decide to adopt.
It is given by a mix of freedom, autonomy, resilience, integrity, tenacity, courage, discipline, determination.
Thanks once again, Dear Aldo Sir, for your deep-rooted analysis of willpower in such simple terms. Reading your articles as also your comments helps me gain knowledge that I would never find anywhere else. Little wonder, I have managed to share my thoughts, and ideas in this forum for a little while, thanks to the undying willpower that prompts me, nurtures my faculties, and at the same time, nourishes my brain enough to put the same into words. The reward I get (of course, never as a goal) from this act can never bear a price tag. I have gained very valuable friendships in the process, and the combined wisdom I glean from such outstanding individuals keeps me ticking.
It is such a high honor for me to gain from your insights, powered by an immense resource of knowledge, wisdom, and experiences over the years. Accordingly, I shall always continue to hold you in high esteem while praying to Dear Lord for your continued health and well-being, Dear Aldo Sir.
Warm Regards, with a Prayer for All
BM