Cultivating will power is one of the most essential responsibilities of man, for its development and exercise enable us to attain self-mastery and live a fulfilling life, both in a worldly and Spiritual sense.
So, how may we cultivate the power of the will, one of the most outstanding characteristics of all men and women of success? The answer is so plain and simple that we may overlook it for its very simplicity.
Here it is: We develop the power of our will by systematically employing it to eradicate our weaknesses. We develop will power by transforming our weaknesses into strengths. So everything we need to develop will power is already inside of us. The place to start is any weakness we may find in our nature.
An unsupportive habit is a weakness. A supportive routine is a strength. We develop will power by deliberately transforming unsupportive habits in supportive ones and deliberately developing good habits of our choice. We cultivate the power of our will when we do energetically, powerfully, forcefully – and promptly – whatever needs to be done. We strengthen our will power when we control our thinking and our tongue. We cultivate will power when we get up early – and promptly – in the morning (without fighting the battle of the bed). We develop our will power whenever we do what we don’t feel like doing.
To overcome unsupportive habits (=crystallized force), we need to make great efforts, and it is by making such efforts that we fortify our will. (from Vulgar Latin „exfortiare“ = „to show strength“; Latin „fortis“ = „strong“) We live in a world of energies and forces. When we withstand a temptation (=force) and do whatever needs to be done, we are actively molding and directing our energies and forces like masters, in service of love and evolution. However, when we submit to an unsupportive habit that keeps us down/ unhealthy/ unsuccessful/ broke etc., we are tossed about by the waves of force. We are either a slave or a master. Every unsupportive habit enslaves us. Every supportive discipline empowers us.
There is no short-cut or magic pill to develop will power. We live in a world of energies and forces. Our job is learning to master and control our energies and forces. We are dealing with real, tangible forces. We need to learn to direct them in service of love and evolution. There is no way around exerting (at least initial) effort and self-discipline. No one else can master and control our energies and forces for us. This is something we each need to do for ourselves. If we don’t bother to develop will power in this incarnation, we will just have to do in the next. Why postpone the inevitable? Let’s do it now!
To develop will power we need to become mentally active. We cannot expect to develop will power by passively sleep-walking through life. To be passive means to be tossed about by the forces of nature. To be passive means to be a victim and a slave. We need to become active! Developing will power is an active process! There is no place for passivity and procrastination.
