Flow
Padawan Learner
Bobo08 said:On the topic of discipline, there is this recent article on SOTT that may be relevant: Willpower: Our greatest strength?
Experts suggest that we need to think of self-control as a "muscle"; something we can train in order to increase our willpower. Not unlike an athlete, in order to strengthen willpower skills we can make a willpower workout part of a daily regimen for goals like losing weight, saving money, or getting out of debt. And not unlike an athlete in training, exerting the self-control muscle, while difficult in the early stages of the effort, will only grow easier with time and increased resolve.
Thank you, Bobo08. I read it and it is a great suggestion. Also I found some interesting articles on SOTT about self-control, I will read them.
obyvatel said:Hi Flow,
This thread assumes some background knowledge in Gurdjieff's 4th Way Work. PD Ouspensky's. "In Search of the Miraculous" (ISOTM in short) is the recommended introduction to Gurdjieff's Work. If you haven't read it then I would suggest reading it if this topic interests you.
Last night I've started reading Ouspensky's ISOTM. It gave me also some a-ha moments and I couldn't stop reading it. Also I found many threads on Work connected with theme of discipline and I will read them.
obyvatel said:You asked a sincere question, Flow. It is appropriate and valuable, for you and for others. Personally, I think this forum could use more sincere questions. People have them, but they refrain from asking due to some imaginary fears that may be covered up by different justifications and narratives.
I understand those fears, it is very hard to do. And it's much clearer to me now. I was always impressed by the people who can just say "do it" and who are doers and practical. They seemed to me like they can smoothly manage the things I'm not capable of. They do, and I just intellectualize and "philosophize".
And now it's like I can see it. There is no need to intellectualize topic of doing, I just need to practice it. I can compare it with different styles of learning or a Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences . It's always hard when you step-out from your comfort zone and try to learn thing in a different ways. It all seems abstract, like your brain's gonna explode, chaos, feel of incompetence, questioning where to start. So, right now it seems simple to me: take a small steps, small expectations, going from something known o something unknown. Have a faith that things will work-out somehow. Remember that I already succeed to manage some things. Sharing my experiences with others, asking them for help and listening for their experiences, tips and inspirations. In the beginning, there is always chaos, it's hard and you just can't imagine how something that seems so difficult would become less difficult. So, it is about balancing because it includes so many different concepts: patience and will, faith and memory, doing and observing, movement and patience, pleasant and unpleasant, emotions and logic, fun and seriousness, joy and suffering and so on.
So, I think for the beginning this is it. Oh, it's so great. Thanks!