You do realize, don’t you, that there is will power and there is desire power and desire always trumps will? It does. If ‘desire’ doesn’t provide the foundation for ‘will’ then the potentiality of success in (fill in the blank) is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Definitions – Webster says that ‘desire’ is “ask for, request, want; long for, crave…yearn for”. From this we can see that desire is on a continuum from something you ‘ask for’ all the way to the other end – ‘crave’. This argument can be expanded to see the potentiality for intense power when your desire and will are combined.
Desire has the potentiality for supporting and driving will. But I’m convinced that without desire, will has little foundation to stand on. A simple example: I want (will to) to lose 10 pounds. However is my will strong enough to push me to accomplish this? Maybe. Probably not because I also need to desire to make those changes that put me in the position to accomplish this goal. Perhaps you think I’m begging the question? I don’t think so. I really don’t believe that desire and will are the same forces – I believe each has a function to perform. But without the support of ‘desire’ I think that ‘will’ doesn’t have the strength it would need for goal accomplishment.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t think will isn’t strong. All you have to do is watch a toddler making his or her wishes known. That’s true power of will! However, as we age and grow will’s power can either increase or remain somewhat static depending on us. Does ‘will’ become a word we only mouth (basically to ourselves)? Is it a force that propels us? Take a long look at those things you desire, do you accompany that desire by exercising your will? I believe that until and unless we match the will with desire we will never experience the success of attaining (fill in the blank).
Splitting hairs? Maybe. But my point in all this is that intellectually you can will to do/be something but unless you desire to accomplish this, will doesn’t have the emphasis of commitment to complete the process. At least that’s my opinion. Too often we say that we will to (fill in the blank) but never follow up on the necessary actions to accomplish whatever goal we are working for/on. Will is always more than words and our desire for success can move our will toward fulfillment.
