Sheer Force of Will
I love that phrase.
It has such…power, and yet simplicity with its monosyllabic words.
And for me, it means so much.
Comic Book “Origins”
I first heard that phrase in a Fantastic Four comic book by writer/artist John Byrne. It introduced the concept of someone who has the determination and persistence to will something to be — that someone was a alien character reminiscent of rival DC Comic’s Superman. The protagonists are unable to overcome this alien, until they figure out how to instill a slight sense of doubt in him. That doubt provided the opening they needed to literally knock him out.
Interestingly enough, I do remember that years later, when Byrne was working on Superman, he used the same concept to explain how the Man of Steel can lift a cruise ship, and basically not have it collapse under its own weight. Or even how he can fly. To paraphrase, Superman’s “superness” is his sheer force of will.
Well, that’s fantasy — real life is different, right?
Real Life Will Power
A lot of things that are worth doing in real life is hard. Just think:
- Getting in shape
- Getting a college degree
- Writing a great blog that has tens of thousands of subscribers
- Having a great relationship/marriage
- Running a business
Notice that everything requires effort, time, and commitment in order for it to succeed? The get-quick-rich schemes, pyramid schemes, and other so-called short-cuts to success that we see on late night infomercials are all telling us it’s easy. We need to be smart and realize that it’s not, lest we be taken by contemporary Jedi mind tricks.
In Our Culture and History
I know sometimes I get caught up in my own little world of hardships, and there are times when I am just plain tired. That’s when I need a dose of inspiration. When I need inspiration, I think of others that have succeeded — the achievement, the inventions, the stories that are all part of our culture. And then it’s very easy to see what I need to do. Some simple examples are:
- Sports – How often have we seen sports athletes who play through pain, or how against all odds, an player on a team is able to “carry his team on his back” by sheer determination.
- Flying – Would we have our global “village” today if the Wright Brothers (and other inventors) had given up on the “silly” idea of flying that had teased the imaginations of people throughout history?
- Going to the Moon – How did the scientists, researchers and engineers able to step up to the challenge presented by President John F. Kennedy when he told everyone of our goal to land on the moon (first)?
- Miracle Recovery – I have heard stories where a hospital patient is all but left to die by his/her doctors and even loved ones, who’ve lost all hope. But somehow, some way, the patient is able to heal, much to the surprise of everyone. I have to think a part of it may have been the patient’s own sheer desire to live (either that or the doctors made a misdiagnoses — in any case, it makes a great story).
I marvel at these and other examples, using them as inspiration for my own aspirations.
Desire Only Leads the Way
Of course, even with determination and persistence, we usually won’t get anywhere without a proper foundation: education, talented people to help, financial, emotional or moral support, etc. So, yeah, we still have to be realistic.
Our desire leads the way, but we still need to have the smarts, the acumen to set up a plan, a road map that will help us reach these goals in manageable steps. Whether it’s shooting a thousand free throws in practice every day, or cutting out all junk food, or diligently studying for school, keeping in mind the larger picture, and using others’ success as inspiration, we need to know what to do to make it.
We may still fail, even while we keep trying — and history is filled with inventors who died penniless, etc. But it is that attitude to keep going, to get up after falling down, to keep going despite all the naysayers, that more often than not, see us to fruition.
I haven’t been able to find the source, but I really like this quote:
“Persistence Prevails When All Else Fails.”
“Persistence Prevails When All Else Fails.”
Other posts you may enjoy:
- The Reason Why We Do the Things We Do
- Frame of Mind
- Alternate Time-lines
- Dealing with Pressure Situations
- 5 Reasons I Stopped Watching TV (or at least watch less)
Comments
2 Comments on Sheer Force of Will
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The Reason Why We Do the Things We Do | NezSez on
Tue, 22nd Jan 2008 12:37 pm
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Dealing with Pressure Situations | NezSez on
Mon, 24th Mar 2008 5:55 am
[...] Sheer Force of Will [...]
[...] honing his game, working on eliminating his weaknesses, and maintaining confidence in himself. His sheer force of will would not allow wallowing in defeat. Clutch performers know that failure does not mean the end of [...]
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