A quick thought.
Is the need for will power to achieve our goals just another unfortunate side effect of living in an industrial society that values individualism?
If everyone in your village or family gets up early to get the fires burning or milk the cows, do you need will power to get out of bed in the morning?
If you know that your community will be gathering at the fire circle or at the barn dance in the evening and that the music you will share with them will be greeted with joy and appreciation, do you need will power to practice your instrument?
If your friends and family are all in the field, or at the barn raising, or on the hunt, or gathering water, or at the river washing the clothes, and if they are laughing and singing and enjoying good conversation and good food, do you need will power to do your day’s work?
My answer, of course, is that no, no you don’t. We don’t need will power to accomplish our dreams (though it certainly will do the trick), we need community.
Life wasn’t meant to be a burden that we need to steel ourselves to take part in. It is not our weak (sinful) human nature that made life a burden but the rise of empire.
To transform our lives we don’t need to identify our faults and then have the will power to do better. The answer isn’t within it is without. It is in friendship and community, joy and love.
We don’t need will power. We need each other.
Thoughts and Such 