Use Your Temptations As a Reward for Your Hard Work
You can’t control being tempted, but you can control what you do with your temptations
To be Courageous is admirable
To stand up for what’s right, to speak the truth, to save the innocent — these are all admirable acts of Courage that bring value to the world and ourselves. And, more than this, these are all things we can do in our everyday lives. But to be Courageous is difficult, to be Courageous means to face the lingering fear that tames the best of us.
Fear can break us down if we allow it to, but to be Courageous does not mean that we are not tempted by fear, to be Courageous means to stand tall, to be brave in the midst of fear.
Fear is compelling, but those who are Courageous choose to overcome it
The same holds true for any virtue, like being Honest in a situation where it is easier to lie. The temptation to lie exists, it still has a strong magnetic pull, but being Honest means to resist Dishonesty and move towards telling the truth.
Temptation will always have a strong magnetic pull, but to be better means to resist and move towards a more valuable direction instead
Temptation is everywhere, it exists beyond virtues, it lives with any difficult path we commit ourselves to, like going to the gym to stay healthy, practicing composure in overwhelming situations, or being kind to people who deserve kindness.
Temptation will always reveal itself as the easier path, pulling our focus and attention towards it and convincing us of its safety. But we have to be better.
Why you may think? What’s the point of resisting the easier path?
Why be Honest when lying seems to be an easier solution? Why be Courageous when remaining in fear seems to make a bit more sense at the time? Why should you bear the burden of self-improvement when remaining the same is more comfortable and less uncertain?
Well, to avoid this little thing that kills us long before we actually pass on from this life
To avoid the subtle self-resentment that our inner-judge uses to lead us down a toxic path.
There’s a reason why you feel less guilty when you’re honest as compared to when you lie. It’s the same reason why you feel good after going to the gym on an exhausting day, and being kind to those who know nothing about what’s going on in your life. Your inner-judge is watching you and holding an opinion of you that it will use to make more decisions along your Life’s journey.
It’s kind of like what Abraham Lincoln meant when he said, when I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion.
But There’s A Line, A Very Fine Line
There are some temptations that are good for you, and if you work with it to use it as a sort of reward for your hard work, it can make your Life’s journey feel much more purposeful.
Like, if you fancy this as much as I do, you could reward yourself with a burger or pizza after weeks of dieting and training, or you could watch a movie at the end of a week of staying true to your discipline.
But there are also some temptations that are not good for you, things that destroy your self-worth and brings harm to the people around you, like the temptation to insult some random person who has no idea about the terrible day you’re having, or lying to manipulate people and have things work in your favor.
Whilst both may satisfy you in some way, one is innocent and the other is very much the opposite.
So, take the time to evaluate the temptations you give in to. If you know that something isn’t going to serve you well in the long-term, be stubborn and let it go from your life — build up zero tolerance towards it. And use the ones that serve you well as a reward for being disciplined and staying true to the things that make you feel better about yourself.
But Be Sure To Build Up Some Self-Awareness
Everything that we do works towards creating some form of habit in our lives — Jocko Willink taught me this.
Going through social media first thing in the morning may seem innocent at first, but over time, that becomes a habit. The same with lying to avoid uncomfortable situations, and using unkindness to manipulate people. These are not good and if you aren’t aware of them, they will become habits.
And habits, as we know, define the lives we lead
Resisting social media the first thing in the morning is good, and over time, becomes a habit. The same with being honest and embracing uncomfortable situations, and being kind and caring towards people. The choices you make every day become the habits that define your life.
So be aware of yourself and the choices you are making, which of course includes the temptations you give in to, for these will decide the very life you live today, tomorrow and every day after.
To live hating the person you are is unbearable, and more than this, it is unhealthy. It’s unhealthy for you and for every person you meet in your life. You could break hearts, hurt feelings and lead someone down the wrong path. Your inner turmoil could create mayhem wherever you go. And no one who loves themselves can ever do this willingly.
But if this was some of your life so far, it doesn’t have to go on being this way.
You can do something about your life, you can make it better. You can be a good person, but it all starts within and how you ease your own inner turmoil. You have to figure out your own puzzle, as Kobe Bryant well said. You have to evaluate your unique life and figure out the pieces you need to bring together to make it better.
It’s all up to you and the effort you put in to improve your life.
If you build up the strength to stay true to this commitment, trust me when I say, you will be able to bear much more of life because the choices you make will all become the very habits you need to love yourself.
“Make the most of yourself….for that is all there is of you.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Invest In Your Existence, Kind Reader.
