You don’t need to be an extraordinary man to have an indomitable will. You only need an extraordinary mindset. And the good thing about mindsets is that you can adopt whichever you want—if you just set your mind to it. By catching yourself thinking weak thoughts and then changing how you think about things, you develop the mental hammer that helps you to forge an indomitable will.
In general, you want a bold will whenever you are in a bad bodymind state: when you feel hungry and weak, fatigued and worn out, sad and depressed, anxious and intimidated, tempted and confused, agitated and stressed, or bored and lethargic. To keep moving toward your goals regardless, such states of discomfort not only demand a strong will, they also strengthen it if you have the right mindset.
With the right mindset, you say to yourself, “I don’t want to be feeling like this, but as I’m valiantly enduring my current state, my will is growing stronger.” Every bad feeling, every displeasure, every state of discomfort offers your will a resistance by which it can exercise itself. All you need to do is to accept that state and not run away from it.
How do people commonly react to undesirable bodymind states? They complain about it. They distract themselves with food, movies, video games, and social media. They jerk off to release some quick dopamine. They take drugs (coffee, pills, alcohol, weed, nicotine, kratom, etc.) to alter their state of mind. They do everything but strengthen their will. In effect, they weaken it.
What about you? Do you need to be in an optimal state to hit the gym, talk to women, or work on a challenging project? Do you procrastinate or shy away from social confrontation when you’re in a subpar state? Do bad states discourage you from getting after your goals?
Every time you want to change your state, ask yourself why you’re unwilling to endure. Can you not patiently accept your suffering, stay focused on your mission, and feel your will hardening? You certainly can be grateful for every bodymind state and every situation you don’t like being in. After all, they give you the heat and resistance you need to forge an indomitable will.
(Caution: From a macroperspective, you should, of course, strive to optimize your lifestyle—sleep, eating habits, physical activity, purposeful work, and social life—to minimize your daily suffering and maximize happiness. However, I’ve written this post from a microperspective, focused on the reality of the present moment.)
Read More
- Willpower Condensed: Master Self-Discipline to Do Your True Will
- How to Get on Your Path and Stay on It
- Little Bad Feelings & Personal Growth
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