Philosophy Discussion Forums

I accept this analogy. Everything is a process and shouldn't be rush. One can't be a success overnight. Thr work has to be put in.

Thank you for these reminders and mantras.
I have developed 4 macro habits that I am building ( I am on 14 consecutive days with 3),
1 of them I have restarted.
There is the urge for me to push and want to do more but I am maintaining my slow and steady pace.
These 14 days I have woken up at least at 4.45 am ( something I struggled doing routinely).
I am on 14 consecutive days of doing:
QI gong practice for 20 minutes
Transcendental meditation
Reflecting and saying at least 1 grateful thing before I go to sleep.

Reading Kindle for 20 minutes every day is something I broke a consecutive pattern with and have resumed a recount on this.

I am so excited and empowered by this

Thank you

Your thoughts and examples on avoiding massive abrupt uses of my limited willpower are inspiring. Applying small habits instead of trying to achieve instantaneous change is also wise. Great read!

'Use skill, not force", 'Work smart, not hard" and "Use micro habits not will power" is what is working for me right now, after I did the opposite of them, got burned and learned the hard way.

Willpower cannot achieve one's goals but willpower can keep one going when they are running out of energy. To achieve one's goals a plan will get one there because they are focusing their time and efforts on achieving the goals.

Here is a reworded summary of some of the Original Post that I included as the caption when I shared it on social media:


I do not have more willpower than you, and I almost certainly use less willpower than you use--because I use an exceptionally little amount of willpower for a human, in some senses none at all. That's the sense in which I never try. I absolutely and stubbornly refuse to try. At all, ever.

Generally, I only do things gracefully, meaning I only do them without trying, never with trying. As my book says, "trying is lying". Grace is to do without trying. That's what it means, at least as I use the terms.

If you depend on willpower to achieve a goal, you will not achieve it. It's too limited of a resource.

Eckhart Aurelius Hughes wrote: ↑October 17th, 2023, 5:35 pm Other people will think you have infinite willpower because you never seem to run out and always have a full tank of willpower.

They will think you are magic because of the way you achieve incredible success without trying at all.

Here are some short phrases and mantras you can use to remind yourself of these practices:

- Use micro-habits, not willpower.

- To make it to the top, go so slowly you find yourself actually using negative willpower.

- Go so slowly that the temptation you feel is to succeed faster, rather than to give up.

- Ride the tide of temptation (i.e. use your opponent's force against him) rather than using willpower.

- Use skill, not force.

- Work smart, not hard.

With love,
Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
a.k.a. Scott

Your instincts on using micro habits is an eye opener I haven't tried this yet but I think this will be the perfect option for my job. I think I've been putting much force on my work yet nothing keeps moving. I think this may be a useful technique.

I will start a micro-habit tonight, floss my teeth, and I'll do only one tooth. I want to see how it works out or not. Another micro-habit that I started is sipping water every now and then throughout the day. As a teacher, I am now considering how I can help my students build micro-habits, even without their noticing.

One of my best motivational adage says, Keep on taking a step. No matter where you're headed, if you keep on taking a step, you'll get there, will power is more like force, but smart work is the best.

I like the notion if wrong smarter not harder. Often times, people work really hard and achieve so little. So best option is to work smarter with zero will power.

The opponent force is our negative thoughts. Once we match its energy we shall have power over it. And if this is achieved nothing can stop one from reaching the highest level of anything they want to do.

So true! Starting out very slowly with a micro-habit is the way to success. A micro-habit, which takes little time and effort, will become a lasting habit. Resisting the temptation to progress quickly will save you from overdoing it and getting tired of doing it. Gradually increasing over time allows you to stay hungry with the motivation to do more.

It screams 'work smarter, not harder.' Sometimes, acting dumb to the opponent while strategizing properly is more effective.

Absolutely, the concept of incorporating small, consistent steps or micro-habits is incredibly powerful for achieving long-term success while preserving one's willpower. By focusing on incremental progress rather than overwhelming oneself with monumental tasks, individuals can avoid burnout and maintain motivation over time. This approach aligns with the idea of "working smart, not hard," emphasizing efficiency and sustainability in pursuit of goals. It offers a valuable perspective for anyone seeking to make lasting changes in their lives by making the journey more manageable and sustainable.

Incremental progress through small, consistent steps or micro-habits is indeed a powerful strategy for achieving long-term success while safeguarding one's willpower. By avoiding overwhelming tasks and focusing on manageable actions, individuals can prevent burnout and sustain motivation over time.