Weak-willed or strong-willed?

Willfulness is often thought of as negative, yet without it we might as well be a blancmange.

‘Will is our internal power, which can never be affected by the outside world.  It is our final trump card.’*

We have to be strong-willed enough to do what it is we must do – which is to leave our present self to journey towards others, towards our world, and towards our future Self.  It’s like the power of a rocket needed to break away from the gravitational pull of the Earth.

‘In actuality, will has a lot more to do with surrender than with strength.  True will is quiet humility, resilience, and flexibility; the other kind of will is weakness disguised by bluster and ambition.’*

Interesting.

The person whose will is weak will not take the risk to leave.  Neither the person who is too strong-willed – they have too much to lose.

Willfulness is an art we must learn if we are to engage the second half of our life.**  When we get it right, we get to make our art for others, living with creativity, generosity, and enjoyment.

‘To make our lives a creative act is to marry ourselves to risk and failure.’^

‘The process of discovery in creating something new appears to be one of the most enjoyable activities any human can be involved in.’^^

(*From Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle is the Way.)
(**This is not about years but maturity.  I’m maturing late in life.)
(^From Erwin McManus’s The Artisan Soul.)
(^^From Tina Seelig’s Ingenius.)