Written by: Sebastien Assohou, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
According to Spinoza, a 17th century philosopher, Conatus is an energy that animates every being that exists. It is an inner force that drives everything to persevere in its being.
For example, a human being has the desire to stay alive. This is considered as the instinct of self-preservation that allows us to react to a threat. This reaction is mainly translated by two responses which are the fight or flight instinct.
These behaviors respond to a logic of self-preservation for our survival.
We fight if we think we have the upper hand (predator versus prey), we flee if we think our opponent will be stronger than us (survival instinct).
When speaking of strength, I obviously include physical strength but also moral strength.
Every being has a will to stay alive, a desire beyond any rational explanation. Our instinct takes over. It is mechanical. This instinct is also present in animals and plants. Everything that lives has the principle of self-preservation, everything that lives has the desire to stay alive.
The instinct of survival such as hunger is a physiological translation of the will to live, of wanting to maintain our vital functions.
Now having a will to live is very good but beyond this will, we must give meaning to our existence. Very often, we let ourselves be guided by society as it is represented: our social and cultural connections as well as our social status influence our behavior.
And for that, we must inescapably commit to change.
24/7
If we were to quantify the commitment needed for ourselves, I would say without hesitation that it must be permanent: 24/7. It must be an obsession that allows us to work on ourselves beyond the influence of others. These actions, independent of our will, necessarily involve judgment: the judgment of others.
Human beings are often afraid of the judgment of others, but what about our own judgment in all this?
What impact can our brain have on our daily life if it is used poorly (negative thoughts, self-doubt, unreasonable expectations of others…)?
Many people feel misunderstood or on the margin of society, but this feeling is only triggered when our analysis is biased by society standards. Starting at our youngest age, we are controlled by standards imposed by a system that does not consider who we really are and what our inner self wants to manifest.
These values that we are taught do not respond to our criteria and intrinsic values but to a norm that forces us to maintain ourselves within a framework in order not to feel ostracized by society.
Wanting to be like everyone else – at least like the community we identify with – inevitably prevents us from existing through our own values, for fear of feeling rejected.
On the other hand, if we solicit our brain according to our true needs, to our inner self instead of others, we will manage to remain in harmony with ourselves. We will have less expectations of others and be less dependent of them, while being more self-reliant.
What is important is to be in touch with our convictions, our values and especially our personality. We should do this while respecting other people through kindness. We must also assume who we truly are and be our true selves.
Leadership is born from charisma linked to the confidence we have in ourselves and in the project or message we carry or wish to convey.
It takes a bit of madness and above all a lot of courage to dare to extricate ourselves from everything that makes us lose our identity and to finally feel true.
Begin to discover yourself, to try to know what works for you and what doesn’t, and always be humble and attentive to yourself.
This wisdom will be your virtue.
