The Strong Will

Originally published in The Way on May 3, 1941.

Strength of will seems not to be a primary pursuit of the new generation. There is talk of “freedom,” of “self-realization,” of “the right to experience,” but seldom of the passionate advocacy of hard, driving, persistency of purpose.

The Victorians admired and cultivated strength of will. One can see it in their photographs. Their most frequent expression in front of the camera was one of firm-lipped, level-browed determination. The Victorians achieved something, this is worth remembering.

If our generation is going to make progress, it will have to get back to the cult of the strong will. It will have to hold fast to the fact that men can control their character, their achievements, and their destiny by their will. There must be strength of will behind every enterprise. Pleasant impulses and genial good luck will not take us far. There has to be a central iron purpose.

Those who have watched how great results have been achieved must often have been amazed at the transforming and dominating power of the human will. Constantly we see the control of mind over body, how will-power can banish weariness, cancel indisposition, defy the years. We can watch the even more subtle process of the control of will over mind, how a man by sheer will can make his judgment cut through a problem like a sword, can summon his imagination to conceive a great design, can compel his memory to yield a message from the past.

Yes, our will can be strengthened and should be strengthened to the utmost. Every day we can make our brains quicker and our muscles stronger by deliberate use and effort, so do we seek by deliberate use and effort to make our wills more tough and enduring implements in the achievement of our religious and national ideals. The work is not easy, the times are tempting, but we have the help of our daily prayers, the help of our Church to help us in our work for God and Country.