Website owner:  James Miller

My mind and will work together as a team

   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