Website owner: James Miller
My mind and will work together as a team. Each has its own sphere of responsibility. Both have their own jobs to do. One without the other is not enough. Both work together to produce success. With my mind (or intellect) I think, reflect, consider, ponder, explore, observe, learn, inquire, investigate, study, weigh, debate, search out fact and truth, consider alternatives, analyze, figure, calculate, separate truth from falsehood, decide what I believe, establish my own beliefs, establish my values and outlooks, set objectives and goals, set priorities, make decisions, decide upon paths and courses to take, etc.. Then my will implements the decisions my mind makes. With perseverance, self-denial and self-discipline it implements the decisions of the mind. Step 1 is to decide what needs to be done. That is done by the mind. Step 2 is to do it. That is done by the will. Example: Soon after I got married I discovered that my new wife was diet-conscious. She was opposed to greasy foods, against preparing foods by frying, against salt, against junk food, against red meats. With a little thought I felt she was right about it. I adjusted my views to hers and then adjusted my personal habits to match. I started taking health and diet seriously. So my wife and I avoid red meats, junk food and high fat foods. We keep our salt consumption to a minimum and never put a salt shaker on the table. We never fry foods because it introduces fat. We watch our weight meticulously and make sure it never goes above a healthy limit (I keep myself very lean and trim). And I have walked five miles a day and done daily exercises for over twenty years. It all takes self-discipline, sacrifice, time and effort but I think it is worth it. My cholesterol level is very low (175) and I am in good health. And so is my wife. Now if I were like many people base appetite and desire for comfort and pleasure would overrule will and I would eat all of the wrong foods; and laziness would prevent me from maintaining my five mile walks and exercising. Desire would overrule mind and I would do what I wished to do and felt like doing instead of what I knew I ought to do. Feb 2002
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