Keeping Track of the Elephant

I enjoyed the analogy of the driver and the elephant in Switch: How to change Things when Change is hard to come by, by Chip and Dan Heath, the elephant being your emotions, feelings and desires and the driver being your intellect. Good luck driver if the elephant is moving in a different direction. In it, several studies were quoted that showed that exercising will-power wears you down over time. If you have withstood one temptation, the next one is more likely to get you.

This study resonates with me. I have long felt that the intellect should be the schemer, i.e. finding a path that works both for the elephant and your game plan as well. It is ok to exercise a little will-power to get yourself onto the journey, but sooner rather than later the elephant must find it in his self-interest to keep going. If he doesn't, well, then back to the drawing board. I am convinced that you will always find a creative outlet of your desires that is consistent with your spiritual path.