Dandapani: Thanks [?]
Audience member #1: So, hello.
Dandapani: Hi.
Audience member #1: Um, I saw one of you videos about, uh, how to--
Dandapani: Which video?
Audience member #1: --create willpower.
Dandapani: Oh,
that one — phew, okay!
Audience member #1: I love this one, because it--
Dandapani: Sorry, just kidding.
Audience member #1: ... I saw a lot of videos! Um, can you give some practical tools or practical exercises (on) how to create willpower and self-discipline?
Dandapani: How to create willpower and self-discipline?
Audience member #1: Yes.
Dandapani: I think there's two parts there. Uh, when I teach about developing willpower in the online course, I tell people there are three ways to develop willpower. First, finish what you begin. Second one?
Audience member #2: Do a little bit more than you think you can?
Dandapani: You get 20 monk points. Third one?
Audience member #2: Do a little bit better than you think you can.
Dandapani: Okay —
show off — all right.
Audience: [Laughter]
Dandapani: So,
three ways to develop willpower; finish what you begin, do a little bit better than you think you can, and do a little bit more than you think you can. All of those three things require effort, and that's developing willpower.
It's very easy to start a project but it's quite difficult to finish a project. Halfway through the project we go, "Whose idea was this?", you know? "This is so much work, let's start something new." Right? So every time you finish what you begin, it requires willpower.
So the practical way to make-- bring this into your life is to look at your average day and ask yourself, "What are the mundane things you-- what are the repetitive things that you do every day?".
And the way I phrase it is, "What are the non-negotiable, reoccurring events in your life?" What are the non-negotiable, reoccurring events in your life?
Every day I go to sleep; it's a non-negotiable, reoccurring event, right? And hopefully I wake up, right? So before I sleep; I floss, I brush my teeth, put my pajamas on, I go to sleep. When I wake up in the morning, like this gentleman said — what's your name?
Audience member #2: What?
Dandapani: What's your name?
Audience member #2: Er, Felix.
Dandapani: Felix! Felix — top student here, Felix — says, "You finish what you begin."
So how do I finish the process of sleep, when I wake up in the morning? I make the bed. When I make the bed in the morning, I'm finishing the process of sleep. And it takes effort to make the bed, right?
Then, it says-- the second rule is; do a little bit more than you think you can. The third one is; do it better than you think you can. So every day (that) I make the bed I pull the sheet, I fluff the pillows, I put them nicely. Some days I double-fold the comforter like they do at the W Hotel. Some days I fold it at an angle like they do at the Four Seasons, you know?
But every day I make the bed. And the process of making the bed at the morning is me finishing what I'm beginning, which is me developing willpower, right?
I have time to make breakfast, I have time to eat breakfast, I have time to wash the breakfast dish. Most people, after eating, throw it in the sink and go, "I'm late, I have to go — I'll wash it later." Finish what you begin. It requires willpower, right? So every time you finish what you begin throughout the day, you're developing willpower.
Why do you develop willpower? You develop willpower so you can control where your awareness goes in your mind — the ball of light, right, for those of you who've done the course.
You develop willpower-- I define willpower as a mental muscle. If I can draw biceps around my mind, right, muscles? That would be my willpower.
And every time my awareness drifts away I use my willpower to bring my awareness back.
I develop willpower to control where my awareness is going. I control where my awareness is going to control where my energy is flowing. I control where my energy is flowing to control what is manifesting in my life. That is why I make the bed in the morning.
Now, most people come up to me and say, "Dandapani, I've been making my bed every single day for a year". I say, "Congratulations". Then I ask them, "Why
are you making the bed?". 99.99% of the people look at me and say, "I make their (my) bed in the morning because it gives me a sense of accomplishment; I'm starting the day with a win".
And you know what I think to myself, that moment? That I'm a horrible teacher. Because I didn't tell you to make the bed in the morning to feel a sense of accomplishment, or to start your day with a win.
Why did I tell you to make the bed in the morning? To finish what you begin. Why are you finishing what you begin? To develop willpower. Why are you developing willpower? To control where your awareness goes. Why are you controlling where your awareness goes? So you can control where your energy is flowing. Why are you controlling where your energy is flowing? So you can
control what's manifesting in your life.
That's why you develop willpower. Right? And that's why you finish everything that you start, throughout the day.
And your whole day then becomes a ritual. And part of what we're creating in
the app is to create rituals in the morning-- So, morning it'd be, like, make your bed, wash your breakfast dish. Afternoon would be another ritual, evening would be another ritual, night would be another ritual.
So by the time the end of the day comes, you've spent at least... half an hour, 45 minutes, one hour developing willpower. After six months, what will you have? Willpower, right? Because your whole day is practicing that.
And that's something you can teach your kids, too. You can teach Clara and your other two children, you know, how to develop willpower, right?
Audience member #3: It does get easier.
Dandapani: Sorry? ...and it gets easier with practice, right? Because the more you repeat something, it creates a pattern in the subconscious. And then that pattern then becomes a habit, and then it becomes very, very easy to do.
[Music]
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUAyyOOAO8I
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