I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.
Theodore Roosevelt - 1858–1919
Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. He was a larger-than-life figure known for his boundless energy, rugged masculinity, reformist politics, and deep love for nature and the outdoors.
He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for mediating the end of the Russo-Japanese War.
He advocated for a "strenuous life", both physically and morally, and he overcame childhood asthma and poor health with physical activity, independence, and willpower.
Where across the course of your day today, could you consider where it may be that you question the level of your willpower?
There are two quotes I know that relate to the power of your will.
The one I love is “Where there is a will, there is a way.”
The one I don’t like is “Where there is a will; there is a relative.”
The only person you should rely upon completely is yourself. You should never rely upon a spouse or an inheritance because you never know when either one of them might run out on you…
Where across the course of your day today, could you consider where it might be that you question the level of your independence?
Willpower and independence are directly linked to the power of the Present Moment. Not the future version of you with perfect habits and perfect timing, but the present-tense version, flawed, busy, tired, and all.
Because that’s where the work is, discipline joins willpower here. The Latin discipulus, meaning “student,” reminds us that to be self-disciplined is to become a student of your own future. Not someone else’s goals. Yours. That means boundaries. That means clarity. That means fewer to-do lists and more what-do-I-really-want lists.
Not just your external freedom but your internal compass, your ability to act in alignment with the now rather than being pulled by the distractions, demands, or deferred dreams of others.
Where across the course of your day today, could you consider where it might be that you list all the distractions, forms of procrastination and easy life activities that are ruining your chance to live a difficult life well?
Here’s the thing. No successful person’s autobiography starts with “Well, it was all pretty easy actually!”
The truth is, the life you want won’t be found in comfort, convenience, or scrolling. It’s found in choosing what’s challenging but meaningful over what’s easy and empty. The very act of identifying what steals your focus is the first step in reclaiming it. And when you start treating your time as sacred, your energy as precious, and your goals as non-negotiable, you’ll stop waiting for your dream life to arrive and start building it, brick by uncomfortable brick.
While you’re thinking about that, think about this and have a Gr8 day!
Be well.
DL
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."
Helen Keller - 1880 - 1968.