Will Power Edward Aubanel Today
Will power, in Aubanel’s view, is not about being a superhuman ascetic. It is about becoming someone for whom the right action is the natural action. The disciplined person is not fighting themselves every moment—they settled the fight long ago.
So this week, don’t ask, “How can I have more will power?”
Ask instead, “What one decision, if made once and for all, would make a hundred future decisions effortless?”
That is the quiet engine of success. That is will power, the Edward Aubanel way.
What’s one area of your life where you’re relying on resistive will instead of directive will? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Willpower—sometimes called self-control or self-discipline—is the mental ability to choose one action over another, resist short-term temptations, and pursue long-term goals. It's central to success in work, relationships, health, and creativity. Below is a concise, practical overview of what willpower is, the science behind it, common pitfalls, and evidence-based strategies to build and sustain it.
Why is Aubanel finding an audience now? The answer lies in the dopamine economy. We live in a world designed to erode our prefrontal cortex—the center of executive function. Social media, infinite scrolling, and on-demand entertainment are engines of passivity.
Aubanel’s work serves as a counter-manifesto to this cultural drift. He identifies that the modern struggle isn't against physical barriers, but against psychological friction. will power edward aubanel
In a pivotal chapter titled "The Resistance of the Void," Aubanel describes the moment of hesitation before a difficult task as a physical space. He encourages readers to
This guide focuses on the concepts found in Will-power: How to Control and Stimulate It, Train it to Effort and Use it to Succeed in Life . Often attributed to Edward Aubanel
(of the renowned Aubanel publishing family in Avignon), the primary author is Raymond de Saint-Laurent
. The work is a foundational text in early 20th-century "mind-training," specifically associated with Rosicrucian (AMORC) thought and personal development. Core Philosophy of Will-Power
The text views willpower not just as an abstract trait, but as a "primordial fact of our nature" that can be stimulated, trained, and directed.
Mind-Training Foundation: Success is built on self-control, which is considered an indispensable factor for any achievement. Will power, in Aubanel’s view, is not about
The "Life Aim": Success requires a clear, specific objective. Without a defined aim, mental energy stagnates.
Rational Self-Mastery: Progress comes through "rationalizing and redirecting" impulses rather than simply repressing them. Key Practical Lessons
Aubanel and Saint-Laurent provided specific, actionable steps to develop this internal force:
Define Your Aim: Identify what you want to be and assess if it is reasonable. Break this aim into stages with strict deadlines.
Rhythmic Breathing for Control: A core exercise involves walking at a regular pace while breathing in and out for a set number of paces (e.g., 4 paces in, 4 paces out) for roughly 20 minutes. This is designed to induce a state of calm that aids self-control.
Constructive Suggestion: Constant use of positive, constructive mental suggestions is required to replace negative patterns and fear-based thinking. What’s one area of your life where you’re
Habit of Effort: Willpower is treated like a muscle that must be "trained to effort" through regular progress checks and focused mental sessions. Historical & Esoteric Context
Publisher Influence: The Aubanel Publishing House (Édouard Théodore-Aubanel) in Avignon specialized in publishing esoteric, religious, and psychological works that formed the "Mind-Training Series".
Esoteric Connection: These lessons are frequently cited in Rosicrucian (AMORC) archives and manuscripts as part of a broader curriculum on mental alchemy and success.
Let’s be honest: we live in an attention economy designed to deplete will power. Every notification, every algorithm, every “just one more scroll” is a quiet attack on your sustaining will.
Aubanel, writing nearly a century ago, predicted this:
“The man who cannot govern his attention will soon find himself governed by another’s intention.”
To reclaim your will power today, you don’t need more grit. You need fewer battles. Turn off notifications. Create default “yes” and “no” rules. Design your environment so that the easy choice is also the right choice.
That is the true secret of Edward Aubanel’s will power: not endless struggle, but elegant architecture.