The Proper Use of The Will, or Anything Else For That Matter

Willpower:  Strength of will, mind, or determination; self-control.


Trying to control the outcome of anything bigger than "what's to nosh on?" is a fool's errand.  I'm trying to think of a bigger fool's errand but not much is coming to mind.  Maybe trying to get SuperK to do what I want.  That's not a fool's errand -- that's THE fool's errand.  Controlling outcomes is like predicting the future.  Good luck with that, Nostradamus.


That doesn't mean I can't point the bow of my spaceship toward a desired outcome.  Nothing wrong with that.  The Book tells me that there is a proper use of the will and then there's everything else.  The Book doesn't suggest that the will is going to go away.  It tells me to attempt to align it with the plan of my own personal Higher Power, in whatever guise and raiment he or she or it takes.  It tells me that all sound achievement starts with a plan and a vision of how things will look if the plan pans out.  The trick is making sure that I don't insist on that outcome.  That's an improper use of the will.  That's the opposite of powerlessness.  That's arrogance.


The thing is that most of us are very talented people and we are used to getting what we set out to get.  Nothing wrong with that, either.  I think we're expected to use the talents that we're so abundantly given.  Persistence is often rewarded.  To accomplish something I need to set my sights high.  I'm not expected to squash my will.  I'm expected to chain it to the fortunes of my Higher Power.


Like I could squash a thing as beautiful as the will of Horseface Steve.  Umm, Ummm, Um.