Урок №45. Will Power and Self Discipline. Part II
Во второй части Will Power and Self Discipline вы познакомитесь с простыми упражнениями и техниками, которые позволят вам активизировать вашу силу воли.
By Remez Sasson, adapted
In this article, you will find some exercises and techniques for developing these abilities. These simple, but effective exercises, can be performed everywhere and at any time. Go slowly and gradually, and you will see how you get stronger and your life start improving.
There is a misconception in the public mind regarding will power. It is erroneously thought to be something strenuous and difficult, and that one has to exert and tense the body and mind when expressing it. It is a completely wrong concept. This is one of the reasons why people avoid using it, though they are conscious of its benefits. They acknowledge the fact that the employment of will power in their life and affairs will greatly help them, and that they need to strengthen it, yet they do nothing about it.
Will power gets stronger by holding back and not allowing the expression of unimportant, unnecessary and unhealthy thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions. If this saved energy is not allowed expression, it is stored inside you like a battery, and it becomes available at the time of need. By practicing appropriate exercises, you develop your powers the same way, as a person who trains his/her muscles in order to strengthen them.
Developing Will Power and Self Discipline
An effective method for improving these abilities is the performance of certain actions or activities, which you would rather avoid doing, due to laziness, procrastination, weakness, shyness, etc. By doing things that you usually do not like to do, or feel too lazy to do, you overcome your subconscious resistance, and train your mind to obey you. As muscles get stronger by resisting the weight of barbells, so inner strength is attained by overcoming inner resistance.
Here are a few exercises:
1) You are sitting in a bus or train and an old man or woman, or a pregnant lady walks in. Stand up and give up your seat, even if you prefer to stay seated. Act so, not just because it is polite, but because you are doing something that you are reluctant to do. This is an exercise in overcoming the resistance of your body, mind and feelings.
2) There are dishes in the sink that need washing, and you postpone washing them for later. Get up and wash them now. Do not let your laziness overcome you. When you know that in this way you are developing your will power, and if you are convinced of the importance of will power in your life, it will be easier for you to do whatever you have to do.
3) You come home tired from work and sit in front of the T.V., because you feel too lazy and too tired to take a shower first. Do not succumb to the desire to sit in front of the T.V, and go and take a shower.
4) Do you like your coffee with sugar? If you do, then for one whole week drink it without sugar. Do you drink three cups of coffee each day? If you do, then drink only two cups a day for one whole week.
5) Don’t read some unimportant gossip in the newspaper, even if you want to.
Don’t say that you cannot practice the above exercises, because you certainly can. Motivate yourself, by thinking about of their importance, and about the inner power and strength that you will gain. Remember, the purpose of the exercises is to develop inner strength, not making life difficult for you.
These are just a few, simple exercises, however, they can be a start in the right direction. If you practice weight lifting, running or aerobics, you strengthen your muscles, so that when you need to move or carry something heavy, for example, you have the strength for it. By studying French each day, you will be able to speak French when you travel to France. It is the same with will power and self-discipline; by strengthening them, they become available for your use, whenever you need them.
Benefits of Possessing Will Power and Self Discipline
You need these skills to control your thoughts, improve your concentration, and to become the boss of your mind. The stronger these skills are, the more inner strength you possess.
Being the master of your mind you enjoy inner peace and happiness. External events do not sway you, and circumstances have no power over your peace of mind. This might sound too unreal for you, but experience will prove to you that all the above is true.
These skills are vital for achieving success. They give you more control over your life, help you change and improve habits, and are essential for self improvement and spiritual growth.
Practice the exercises presented here earnestly and persistently, and your life will start changing.
Vocabulary
erroneously [ɪ’rəunɪəslɪ] — ошибочно
strenuous [‘strenjuəs] — требующий больших усилий
to hold back — удерживаться, воздерживаться
at the time of need — в случае необходимости, по мере надобности
barbells – гантели
to succumb to (desire) — поддаться (желанию)
to sway smb — влиять на кого-л.
Exercise
Переведите предложения с русского на английский. Употребите приведенные в скобках слова.
1. (erroneous).
2. (to succumb to).
3. (to overcome resistance).